INTERNATIONAL automotive services group Inchcape is bringing its portfolio of business-to-business vehicle management services under one umbrella company.

Called Inchcape Automotive, and incorporating EuroFleet and Autocascade, it will focus on the key four areas of logistics, new and used vehicle preparation, fleet remarketing and vehicle inventory management. Its chief executive will be Robert Wilkinson, who said: 'We have uniquely integrated all our different areas of expertise ranging from operations and logistics to vehicle fleet management and fleet remarketing into a single business unit which will bring our customers enormous benefits.'

He added: 'Used together, all our services ensure customers derive the maximum benefits of control, efficiency and flexibility to obtain higher yields and lower costs. While it is possible to select different components within the overall Inchcape Automotive package, there is no doubt the wider range of services used the greater the customer benefit.'

Other senior managers will include Gerry Lynch, sales and marketing, Stephen Hucklesby, technical services, Steve Maltby, logistics and fleet management and Rob Barr, remarketing.

Inchcape Automotive's customers include Renault, Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Fiat, Peugeot, Honda, Avis Rent a Car, Europcar, Hertz, National Car Rental and Sixt rent a car.

Lynch said: 'Although we are perhaps best known for providing logistics and vehicle preparation services for the cars and vans carried on our impressive transporter fleet, we also provide a raft of defleet planning and forecasting services to a fast-expanding client base. We are now the pre-eminent provider of services to the rental defleet business – and through our weekly reviews with the management of those rental companies, we are in a unique position to provide accurate defleet forecasting, thereby ensuring optimum residual values.'

Inchcape has sales of about £3.5 billion and operating profits of more than £117 million.