Equipment hire firm Speedy has placed an £8.6m order for 400 new vans and pick-ups with Ford, cementing an 18-year relationship between the two companies.
One of Speedy’s new Ford Transit Customs.
The Speedy order – comprising 380 Ford Transit vans, including new Transit Custom models, and 20 Ford Ranger pick-ups – will be operated through 283 fixed Speedy sites throughout the UK.
Karen Nixon, Ford UK regional fleet manager, said:
“This 400-vehicle order from Speedy is testament to the reliability of Ford’s award-winning commercial vehicle range and evidence of the outstanding commitment Ford makes to its fleet customers. Ford’s on-going investment in low-CO2 technology is helping companies like Speedy in their quest for lower whole life vehicle costs.”
As with all of Speedy’s fleet, the new Ford vehicles will be fitted with telematic equipment to provide comprehensive reporting of driver behaviour, in an effort to encourage improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions.
Speedy logistics director Richard Martin said:
“Our fleet is an extension of our company brand so it is important that we choose the right vehicles to meet our customers’ needs and requirements. Speedy operates through a large network of depots covering the whole of the UK and these Ford vehicles will be vital to transport assets and equipment.”
Speedy, which is based in Newton-le-Willows, close to St Helens and Wigan on Merseyside, is the largest equipment hire company in the UK and serves 10% of the UK market, through its network of 325 depots. The firm is also expanding into the Middle East and also offers a wide range of training services to its customers.
vanrental.co.uk verdict:
In my view, the new Transit Custom offers all the prestige and quality of certain highly-fashionable German manufacturers, along with a fresher, newer design than some comparable models.
Both the Transit Custom and the Ford Ranger have best-in-class five-star Euro NCAP ratings — despite their size and weight, vans and pick-ups have not scored well in safety tests, historically, and Ford is amongst the first manufacturers to start to correct that problem.