BLACK Horse Vehicle Management Services has relocated to a new head office in a move which forms the foundation for a complete reorganisation and restructuring of the business. The new headquarters bring together Lloyds Bowmaker's Black Horse VMS and UDT's First Service Management under one roof in Harrogate, following the merger between Lloyds and TSB.

This amalgamation of the contract hire and fleet management arms of two recognised specialists in motor finance gives the new operation fresh impetus and fills a surprising gap in the market. The three other high street banks have all had high-profile contract hire operations for a number of years, and now so does Lloyds TSB, which is wasting no time in gunning for a top 10, if not top five, place in the UK contract hire industry by the millennium.

This is unquestionably an ambitious target, requiring Black Horse VMS to more than double its fleet size of about 15,000 vehicles, but there is no doubt the company will be well positioned if the market polarises, as many experts predict.