Used car supermarket chain Carcraft Group is launching a contract hire and leasing company which will offer a full range of contract hire, funding and vehicle management services.

The new business, named All-in-One Leasing Limited, will target sub-15 fleets with a telesales and marketing team, while a field-based new business sales force will focus on medium-sized fleets of up to 500 vehicles.

Carcraft has a presence at every auction house in the UK and the company believes that the size and experience of this team along with its retail capability will create a competitive advantage.

A team of fleet industry professionals is being recruited, while Carcraft is investing in a new IT system which it says will enable it to deliver a highly personal service to customers.

“Customer service is an ever-growing issue in a consolidating fleet market where companies are becoming more and more monolithic and distant from their customers,” says Tony Williams, the chief executive of All-in-One who has more than 20 years’ of fleet experience including positions at LeasePlan and Vauxhall Master Hire.

“This is creating opportunities for new entrants into the market willing to go that extra mile to win and retain fleet customers.”

The new business will be based at Carcraft’s head office in Rochdale and will exploit its parent company’s infrastructure and economies of scale to boost growth.

Research carried out by All-in-One shows that fleet decision makers consider competitive rates and aftersales support as the most important factors in outsourcing. The company argues that its position as Carcraft’s subsidiary will enable it to meet both requirements.

“We have seen leasing companies such as Lloyds TSB Autolease and Masterlease set up used car outlets as a means of disposing of end-of-contract cars, but no used vehicle retailer has ever launched a contract hire and leasing company,” says Williams.

“Carcraft intends to take full advantage of its unique position as well as its access to very competitive funding, to offer fleet decision-makers excellent rates on all vehicles and a customer service policy that we are convinced will win business from our competitors.”