TWO major utility companies have put their faith in solus fleet supply deals after signing contracts for thousands of vehicles.

Both Scottish Power and United Utilities have renewed existing supply contracts with Vauxhall following market evaluations.

Electricity and gas services company Scottish Power operates 2,000 contract hired cars and 2,000 LCVs, which it outright purchases on a three or four-year replacement cycle.

Stewart Duff, business development manager at Scottish Power Fleet Business, said: ‘The decision to extend this contract was made after carrying out market testing based on wholelife costs.

‘Vauxhall emerged as the most commercially attractive option which, when combined with nearly three years of operational experience of the vehicle on our fleet and a strong working relationship with the manufacturer, made it the clear choice.’

Electricity, water and waste water company United Utilities operates a fleet of 5,000 vehicles – 1,700 cars and 3,300 LCVs.

It also contract hires its cars and buys vans outright, operating both on a four-year operating cycle. Fleet manager Pat Nolan said its choice was also based on wholelife costs and quality of product.

The contracts run until May 2007.

Details of the contract wins emerge as Vauxhall Motors announces the appointment of Jonathan Browning as its new chairman, in addition to his role as vice president of sales, marketing and aftersales at General Motors Europe.

Browning will be GM’s senior representative in the United Kingdom and Ireland and will be responsible for the corporate governance of Vauxhall.

Bill Parfitt now assumes the role of managing director of Vauxhall Motors.

Parfitt takes on responsibility for Vauxhall’s day-to-day business operations and retains responsibility for GM’s sales and marketing activities in the United Kingdom and Ireland, encompassing the Saab, Vauxhall and Chevrolet brands.

He also continues in his role as the executive-in-charge of GM’s fleet and commercial vehicle sales across all European markets.

GM Europe’s vice president of product planning, Jamal El-Hout, adds commercial vehicle operations to his current responsibilities for portfolio planning in Europe.