Mazda is to work with its franchise network in 2005 to win more corporate business from small and medium enterprises.

The manufacturer expects fleet sales to total about 18,000 units in 2005 – around a third of total sales – and approximately 2,000 registrations up on last year’s corporate business.

Last year fleet sales were up almost 50% on 2003 levels and newly-appointed fleet and remarketing director Adam Pumfrey wants more of Mazda’s 150-strong dealer network to capitalise on the brand’s on-going fleet success.

Mazda Motors UK says its corporate sales team and its 12 fleet specialist dealers have been instrumental in securing significant fleet success in the last three years.

Pumfrey says: "There are thousands of companies across the UK operating small fleets, up to 50 cars, and these businesses are our target market. My aim over the next 12 months is to work with our dealers that have yet to truly enter the fleet market and help them win corporate business in their local areas.

"By defining the Mazda fleet opportunity offered to more dealers we can help them increase showroom traffic naturally resulting in more workshop and aftersales opportunities."

Pumfrey, who joined Mazda more than two years ago and succeeded David McGonigle, who has moved to lead a special project with Mazda Motors Europe this year, said: "By introducing ‘price points’ on key models throughout the year I believe that, along with direct marketing campaigns, we will attract more fleet business into more dealers. We have an exceptional user-chooser profile and that makes the Mazda proposition attractive to many small and medium businesses."

Pumfrey believes that Mazda’s specialist corporate dealers have seen that securing fleet business represents a tremendous profit opportunity.

“As more dealers exploit that opportunity at a local level they will appreciate the tremendous added value that fleet segment success can bring to their business."

In encouraging more dealers to undertake business with fleets, Mazda aims to consolidate its corporate sector proposition this year before seeing a further increase in registrations in 2006 on the strength of a string of new models being launched in the second half of 2005.

"Britain’s major contract hire and leasing companies and many outright purchase fleets have recognised the excellent wholelife cost proposition that Mazda offers. Added to our reputation for reliability and competitively priced vehicles I believe our product range offers smaller businesses a stylish, sporty and modern alternative to some of the stale offerings from more established corporate sector manufacturers," says Pumfrey.