BRITAIN'S largest timber and builders' merchant Jewson is to replace 700 of its 1,000 company cars in the space of a few weeks.

The company decided to switch its mixed fleet from outright purchase to contract hire for the new vehicles, all of them Fords, and wanted the whole process completed between the end of February and mid-March. It will also replace the outstanding 300 cars during the course of the next 12 months.

British Car Contracts won the three year sole-supply contract following a three-way tender, and will initially supply Jewson with 600 Ford Focus 1.8 TDdis and 100 Ford Mondeo 2.5 V6 Ghia Xs and TD Ghias.