Tamworth-based Catering Academy has appointed Prestige Fleet Servicing to handle all the servicing, maintenance and repair (SMR) work for its mixed fleet of 50 vehicles.

Catering Academy, which was established in 2004 by three owner-directors, provides catering management services to a diverse clientele from blue chip companies to individual sites and group contracts throughout the UK, from locations in Tamworth, Oxford, Warrington and Scotland.

The business runs a three-tier company car fleet with workhorse models for support managers, executive models for area managers and more prestigious marques for senior managers and directors.

All are funded via three-year contract hire agreements without maintenance and with annual mileages ranging from 25,000 to 30,000 miles per annum.

Catering Academy also operates around 10 small vans, typically Citroen Berlingos, for moving catering supplies to customers and other locations, again acquired via contract hire.

The company recently had a requirement for an independent service provider to handle all SMR work on its fleet.

Robert Smith, purchasing director at Catering Academy, said: “We looked at the market and identified Prestige Fleet Servicing as a likely contender. It had a very credible service centre network, giving us good geographical coverage and they seemed to fit our requirements exactly.”

Smith said another factor in his decision to appoint Prestige in September this year was the level of reporting that the company’s Unity SMR management system provided.

He added: “In the near three months that they have been working with us, we have been very happy. We have had a bad servicing experience in the past – now we believe we have a very good one."

Prestige provides SMR services to leasing and fleet management companies, corporate fleets and aftermarket warranty companies through a network of 315 service centres around the UK.