ASHINGTON-based electrical company Bals Engineering believes switching to contract hire for its 50 strong fleet will save around £89,000 over three years.

The company carried out a comparative costing of various funding and maintenance mechanisms and calculated that contract hiring its solus Vauxhall fleet through Vauxhall Master Hire will produce considerable savings over its current acquisition method of outright purchase.

All the vehicles - Astras, Vectras, Omegas, Combos and Midi vans - will be provided by Vauxhall Business Centre Millburn of Ashington, which had already impressed Bals Engineering with the servicing of its previous fleet.