BLACK Horse Vehicle Management is to shut its Harrogate headquarters and move its operations to new sister company ACL autolease in Birmingham. ACL autolease managing director Simon Richmond has also left the company, it has been revealed.

The move follows the acquisition of ACL autolease by BHVM's parent company Lloyds UDT. Nigel Stead, managing director of contract hire for the banking giant, said the move to close the Harrogate offices, where 120 staff work, was made because they were running out of space and ACL autolease's new premises offered room for expansion and had better IT systems.

The joint firm, which claims a total fleet size of 94,000 vehicles, is still undergoing a major review following the acquisition, with no decisions made yet on future branding.

The move is part of the latest wave of change within the contract hire industry, as well-known industry figure Bob Rider has taken over as managing director of Fiat Auto Contracts. Rider replaces acting general manager Nigel Best, who was standing in to replace former managing director Keith Bowles. Best now becomes sales and marketing manager. Rider was formerly joint managing director of debis Car Fleet Management, but stepped down at the end of last year.

During his 30-year career in the industry, Rider has also worked for Masterdrive, Avis Rentacar, Avis Car Leasing and Lease Plan.