ENGINEERING Group GEC Alsthom has switched its 1,000-strong company car fleet from outright purchase to contract hire. The change will affect all new cars joining GEC Alsthom's fleet in a move designed to improve the company's cash flow, achieve tighter control on maintenance costs and reduce its involvement in the day-to-day running of the fleet.

BCH Vehicle Management has won the sole-supply contract, and its ProFleet division will deal directly with GEC Alsthom's drivers. The Bristol-based leasing and fleet management specialist has used its wholelife cost database to help GEC Alsthom structure its new company car policy, providing a cost-effective benchmarking system to select the most suitable vehicles.