Powermarque buys Calleva

POWERMARQUE has launched the first stage of a multi-million pound buying programme with the purchase of Internet-based contract hire company Calleva Contracts for an undisclosed sum. Berkshire-based Calleva was the first company in the UK to launch Internet trading for the provision of contract hire and has built up a fleet of 2,000 vehicles.

The purchase takes the fleet at Powermarque, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anglian Water, to 12,000 vehicles. Powermarque's managing director James Daly said: 'This is the first of quite a few purchases. Negotiations are progressing well with other companies.'

Calleva will continue to trade under its own name, but managing director John Coldwell and operations director Michael Cox have stepped down. They will stay as consultants, and three sales staff have been kept on, but seven other staff have been made redundant. Calleva will primarily target fleets of 40 vehicles or fewer, and a live Internet car quote system it has developed will be offered to all Powermarque customers from April.