Orchid has chosen FleetEurope for the provision of 35 customised Peugeot Expert vans, as part of a two-year flexible mini lease arrangement.

The vans were sourced and personalised with branded vehicle wraps before being delivered to Orchid’s drivers at multiple locations throughout the UK.

The new fleet was required within a very short timeframe as part of a merchandising strategy for global drinks brand Carabao, one of Orchid’s largest clients.

Orchid had previously been operating a fleet of VW Transporters and Ford Transit Custom vans on three-year contract hire agreements through one of the FN50’s largest fleet providers. A detailed proposal from FleetEurope revealed that Orchid could make a cost neutral switch from long-term leasing to FleetEurope’s flexible SelectPlus service.

Orchid’s new commercial fleet includes servicing, maintenance, breakdown cover, a dedicated customer service and account management team, plus access to an award-winning online vehicle management system, offering detailed management reporting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The vans are also covered by FleetEurope’s De-Risk service, which provides inclusive financial cover for light damage incurred to the vehicles, valued at less than £1,000 to repair, regardless of who is at fault. The cover includes damage to the bodywork, tyres, alloys and windscreen, as well as replacement keys and misfuelling call-outs.

De-Risk will save Orchid over £10,000 per year in vehicle damage claims and alleviate the administrative and financial burden of dealing with the claims process, freeing up valuable internal resources to focus on managing their core business, said FleetEurope.

Kelly Milne, recruitment and operations manager at Orchid, said: “We were looking for a fully managed fleet service that allowed us to off-hire vehicles at short notice without incurring expensive termination charges. SelectPlus was the perfect solution, allowing us the flexibility to make changes to the fleet in-line with the changing needs of our business.”

FleetEurope’s chief operating officer, Joe Howick, added: “we’re delighted to be supporting Orchid’s future fleet requirements as they implement a major field marketing campaign for Carabao. This is just one example of many businesses realising the benefits of switching their vehicle fleet from long-term leasing to a more flexible mini-lease arrangement.

“FleetEurope’s daily rental volumes have surged in recent years to the point where 78% of the current rental days transacted are for periods of 28 days or longer. I’m confident this trend will continue to increase as businesses look to remove the risk of making long-term financial commitments in relation to the mobility of their employees.”