AL King Roofing says it has reduced its vehicle downtime by 60% and fuel costs by 15% in seven months after working Northgate Vehicle Hire.

Before taking the more flexible approach to vehicle hire, the roofing contractor based in Melksham in the South West of England, owned an aging fleet, which resulted in spiraling maintenance and repair costs.

Fuel spend was also high due to the poor fuel efficiency of the vehicles, further eating into the roofing contractor’s bottom line.

The cost of the vehicles wasn’t the only issue the business faced; the old and tired looking vehicles did not help portray or deliver the right brand image to its current customers and prospects.

After looking at various options including purchase, hire purchase and leasing, Andy King, owner of AL King Roofing, decided that flexible hire with Northgate was the best solution for his business’ requirements.

He said: “We have owned our vehicles for some time and, as the years have gone by, the cost of running our fleet began to increase rapidly.

“I wasn’t entirely clear on the options available but the cost and appearance of our fleet was becoming critical so we had to act fast.

“We looked into purchase but it wasn’t financially feasible with the up front capital required, and I’m glad we didn’t take the plunge.”

He continued: “After Northgate presented alternative options, the benefits of flexible hire spoke for themselves.

The AL King brand was instantly transformed with a new fleet, giving my drivers extra pride when on the road.

“In just seven months our revenue has increased due to saving on fuel costs, reduced costs on service, maintenance and repair, and a massive reduction in vehicle downtime, meaning I have a more profitable business with less downtime.”

Josh Ashbee, business development manager at Northgate Vehicle Hire, said:

“Our partnership with AL King is a fantastic example of how the right fleet can help a business grow, without the risk that often comes with other acquisition methods.

“We gave the roofing business a detailed analysis of its full life running costs and Andy concluded that no other LCV supplier could compete with our offering, which includes service, maintenance and repair and roadside assistance.”