Commercial vehicle fleet management and maintenance services company Fraikin has secured a five-year contract with the UK’s largest specialist recycling company, Environcom.

The arrangement is for the contract hire of three 15-tonne rigid body box trucks with tail-lifts and sleeper cabs which Environcom will use to deliver reconditioned electrical goods to High Street charity shops.

The vehicles will also be used to collect old fridges, freezers, domestic washing machines and other electrical and electronic goods down to smaller items such as hairdryers and iPads which are then either repaired or recycled by Environcom.

Fraikin won the approval of Environcom by coming up with a suggestion that has led to a 5-10% reduction in the fuel bill for the vehicles – amounting to a considerable saving as the vans clock up high mileages.

Jon Parsons, chief financial officer at Environcom, said: “Fraikin were very influential with their advice. Originally I was requesting 18-tonners because that was what I was replacing but Fraikin came back and really challenged me about what was best for the business.

“They asked if a hybrid model the size of an 18-tonner but plated to 15 tonnes would be more suitable, which I had not considered before. Obviously it reduced the cost of fuel and road fund licences and we do save money.”

Contract hire of the vehicles, as opposed to buying them, appealed to Parsons as it did not tie up valuable working capital for Environcom, which is a fast-growing business.

Fraikin also carries out a full repair and maintenance service contract for the vehicles, giving Environcom peace of mind that they will be fully road legal and compliant at all times.