Fleet Logistics reports that it has seen significant fleet growth in 2011, adding 19,000 vehicles to its pan European managed fleet in the last 12 months, largely due to increased centralization of decision making and continued cost cutting at major international corporations.

During the year, Fleet Logistics Group grew its managed fleet throughout Europe to over 100,000 vehicles, offsetting the loss of one major customer with the signing of several substantial and important contracts with major European and international fleet operators.

“In what was a good, albeit challenging year, this was healthy, organic growth with existing fleet customers entering new countries, as well as completely new customers coming on board,” said chief executive officer Peter Soliman.

There were two key trends across Europe that had driven the growth, Soliman explained. “We have seen continued centralization of fleet decision-making at large international corporations, which in turn increases their requirement for a pan-European fleet management supplier, capable of providing complete transparency across Europe on a like-for-like basis.

“This centralization has also led to increased professionalization of our customer decision-makers, which in turn requires an advanced understanding of the market and more complex information management, rather than a simple need for funding.

“At the same time, increased cost pressures over the last year, with much of Europe, especially southern Europe, having been in recession and many US-based companies also looking to reduce costs.

“In such economic circumstances, we at Fleet Logistics, with our sourcing and outsourcing capabilities, traditionally excel in this sort of environment.”

Soliman said he did not expect economic and financial conditions to ease in 2012 and that cost cutting would remain at the top of the pan European fleet agenda.