Car hire firm in expansion driving seat
Jan 17 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal
AFAST-GROWING car and van hire firm has begun its latest expansion drive with plans to create a further 50 jobs after securing a new contract with a major UK-based PLC worth £5.5m.
In 2007, Reflex Vehicles Solutions doubled its workforce to 75 and managing director John Collins finished last year by telling nebusiness he planned to treble the size of the company over the next three years.
Yesterday Reflex revealed it had signed a four-year contract which will allow the business to create 50 new jobs this year.
Mr Collins, a runner-up in the Tees Valley category of this year’s North-East Business Executive of the Year Awards, said: “This is yet another fantastic opportunity for Reflex and further demonstrates the commitment and expertise of the team we have in place.
“It is the dedicated work ethic of all of our staff which has secured this major deal and is allowing us to create 50 new jobs. To start 2008 this way is a tremendous achievement and will help us to again exceed our growth plans.” Reflex this month celebrates its fourth year in business and, in that short space of time, has grown to become one of the top 10 rental companies in the UK operating in excess of 6,500 cars and light commercial vehicles, providing flexible rental products for a large number of companies and public sector organisations.
As well as its headquarters at Stockton, Reflex has depots in Middlesbrough, Oxfordshire, Glasgow and close to the M25 in London, with plans to open four more centres by 2011.
The company started 2007 with 3,000 vehicles, now has 6,500, and is aiming to have 10,000 by the close of 2008, and then as many as 14,000 by 2011.
Last month Mr Collins told nebusiness Reflex had secured a credit line of £7.5m from the bank to continue the speedy expansion of its vehicle fleet.
He said: “We have doubled the size of the business this year and doubled profits too, taken staff numbers from 32 to 75, and opened a new branch in Oxfordshire. By 2011, we aim to have 150 staff with most based at our headquarters in Stockton.”
