Vauxhall apparently has a 70% share of the UK police fleet market. The Luton-based firm used to prepare the police-spec vehicles at a facility in Millbrook, Bedfordshire but has now opened a purpose-built cop car conversion factory in Luton.
Vauxhall’s Combo, Vivaro (which is built just round the corner) and Movano vans are a popular choice with UK police fleets, as are its cars. The new factory will convert 2,500 vehicles per year for police, fire and ambulance services around the UK.
The good news is that the new factory has created 50 new jobs in the Luton area and will source 90% of the materials used in the conversions from local UK firms. Vauxhall is the only manufacturer to offer a one-stop shop for blue-light vehicles. Testing, converting and even decommissioning and remarketing are all done in house.
Police vehicle specifications have changed rapidly in recent years, mainly in terms of the data and connectivity police expect to have available at their fingertips wherever they are. New police vehicles are fitted with technology such as 4G Wi-Fi and rugged Toughbook tablets. All of the preparation needed for this is taken care of by Vauxhall.
“Through our flexible production facility, Vauxhall is able to offer a one-stop shop purchasing experience to UK emergency services,” said Dick Ellam, Vauxhall’s Manager, Special Vehicles.
“We can deliver a wide choice of car and van models, specifically designed and rigorously-tested to meet the stringent demands of our emergency services. We can also supply turn-key vehicle solutions that enable rapid turnaround of replacement vehicles, plus we can now offer a unique in-house de-commissioning and re-marketing service.”
That’s what I call an insider job.