CONTRACT hire companies are being urged to target small businesses which, unlike their larger counterparts, continue to favour outright purchase vehicles over leasing. The finding is revealed in an independent survey commissioned by contract hire specialists Ryland Multifleet.

The results, analysed using five different fleet size categories, confirm that the contract hire market continues to grow steadily but only a small minority of small businesses — which can be particularly vulnerable to cash flow problems — are enjoying the benefits of leasing. While more than 60% of companies with between 50 and more than 100 vehicles on their fleets lease cars, the number falls to as low as 22.8% for those with less than 10 vehicles.

In broad terms, the number of companies operating a purchasing policy is increasing, almost back to the levels of 1996. This trend is most notable in the small fleet (less than 20 cars) area.