'Work from home' now a titan of the roads
Northgate plc, sponsor of the Top 250, is a perfect example of how, in the North East, little business acorns can grow into giant oaks.
NORTHGATE plc, which is sponsoring the North East Top 250 Companies for the second year running, is one of the region’s largest firms – as its 15th place in the new table testifies.
Its regional roots go back to Darlington in 1981 when Alan Noble, still on the board as executive deputy chairman, founded a vehicle rental company from his home.
Now Northgate’s major subsidiary is Northgate Vehicle Hire, Britain’s largest daily rental company in its sector, with a fleet of more than 60,000 vehicles available for hire from 75 locations nationwide.
The London Stock Exchange-listed company, headquartered in Darlington, has a further 55,000 rental vehicles located in the Republic of Ireland and Spain.
In addition, the company has expanded over the years to include another company based in the North East, Fleet Technique. This company manages on behalf of fleet owners the maintenance and administration for more than 15,000 vehicles.
In 2004 Northgate launched its rapidly growing brand Van Monster, which operates from seven UK sites offering used vans to retail and trade customers.
Now employing around 2,000 people – many in the North East – Northgate still has vehicle hire, and specifically light commercial vehicle rental, at the heart of its activities..
Northgate Vehicle Hire’s core business is providing public and private sector customers with Norflex – a completely flexible vehicle rental package giving clients the ultimate freedom in managing their vehicle fleet, with no contractual commitment or early termination penalties.
This is backed up by the largest support infrastructure of any UK rental company.
Recession has forced many businesses to look at their cost base. Northgate Vehicle Hire’s managing director Phil Moorhouse says the recession has provided business opportunities as company fleets do not want to commit to long-term contract hire agreements or to spending their own cash on buying vehicles. He said: “Many public and private sector organisations have come to the conclusion that renting vehicles on a flexible, non-contract basis is more cost effective than owning or leasing them.
“So we are firmly focused on changing the perception that, far from rental being a stop-gap transport solution, it is vehicle usership and not ownership that is key to cost management.”
For many people, driving for business is the most dangerous part of their job. The Government estimates that 200 road deaths and serious injuries a week result from crashes involving at-work drivers.
Over the years, Northgate Vehicle Hire has earned a reputation for promoting health and safety to employees and customers alike. The fact is underlined by the company having been signed up as a “business champion” under the Government’s Driving for Better Business campaign.
The company has also won a number of safety-related and other awards, including:
* May 2009, a British Safety Council International Safety Award.
* A Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) 2009 Gold Award
* December 2008, named Van Rental Company of the Year.
