Southern Water has announced a new five-year contract with Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions and Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services for its car and commercial fleet management.

This is the third consecutive contract awarded to Hitachi Capital. It provides fleet management for Southern Water’s 270 car and 550 commercial vehicle fleet, performing tasks including mechanical and electrical repairs across the South East infrastructure.

Hitachi Capital’s consultative account management has identified future savings with little impact to the operation of Southern Water’s fleet.

The two companies have enjoyed a strong working relationship over the last decade, with Southern Water already achieving substantial savings thanks to Hitachi Capital’s drive to improve efficiency across the fleet.

Paul Speirits, head of supply chain at Southern Water, said: “Cutting costs has become more important than ever in today’s difficult economic climate, so Hitachi Capital’s proven track record in providing savings for us made them the obvious choice for the future.

“We know that we can rely on their experience and familiarity with our requirements to deliver an effective and competitive service.”

Gareth Norman, corporate business development manager at Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, said: “After working with them for 10 years, we are of course delighted to renew our relationship with Southern Water.

“We are looking forward to strengthening our work with this company to provide even greater savings and a higher quality service.”