WELL-KNOWN fleet remarketing specialist Jim Kerr has left Global Remarketing and set up his own business to provide vehicle remarketing services and consultancy to fleets and leasing companies.

Where Global Remarketing focused on online sales routes from manufacturers to dealers for ex-rental and management cars, JTK Automotive aims to introduce similar techniques to typical three year-old ex-fleet stock.

The concept is to improve sales proceeds and reduce disposal-related costs by exploiting internet and intranet opportunities to market used company cars directly to end consumers, rather than to the trade.

'Our goal is to increase retail sales, with cleared funds received prior to the termination of the fleet contract,' said Kerr.

Pre-selling speeds cash-flow, reduces the number and cost of vehicle movements, and helps fleets avoid the impact of 'book' drops as used car price guides readjust their prices from month to month.

Kerr plans to establish affinity groups of retail buyers so fleets can sell cars directly to their drivers, or to drivers' families, or alternatively offer the cars to a wider audience via the web, backed by six-month AA warranties and HPI mileage checks.

'When a company car driver makes an enquiry to buy a car, it tends to be a reactive sale because the leasing company does not have the processes in place to administer it easily, and it can be time consuming,' he said. 'We have developed a wholesale system to remarket cars three months before de-fleet.'

He believes up to 20% of company cars could be pre-sold prior to de-fleet, and has established an inventory management database for fleet remarketing managers, along with a suite of services in conjunction with logistics specialist Richard Lawson Group to facilitate online sales to wider buying groups.

JTK Automotive, for example, will be able to collect, refurbish and securely store cars that have been bought by buyers unknown to the current owner/driver, and provide an electronic vehicle appraisal with digital images to help leasing companies justify end-of-contract recharges.

The company will also offer stock locators, online wholesaling and electronic auctions, and will also channel cars through established physical auctions. JTK Automotive will start selling cars in September, and believes it can sell 7,500 cars in its first year, building to 20,000 cars in year three.