NATIONAL Tyre Services has turned to contract hire as the best way of financing an expansion of its commercial vehicle fleet. The company has increased the size of its van fleet from 50 vehicles to 110, and all of the additional vehicles will be operated on full maintenance contract hire with PHH Vehicle Management.

The existing 50 vehicles, which Stockport-based National Tyres owned, are now tied into a PHH-organised purchase leaseback scheme. All of the 60 new vehicles on contract hire are Mercedes Sprinter vans, the majority of which contain specialised equipment including on-board compressors, tyre changers, wheel balancers and cranes.