UP to 400,000 company cars are at stake in a series of major global leasing deals, it was claimed this week. Lease Plan International is in a series of negotiations - some preliminary, some advanced - with pan-European and worldwide fleets which run 400,000 vehicles between them, double the size of Lease Plan's own global fleet.

To date 40 fleets have made a commitment with Lease Plan International to work with it across several markets. These have come from all sectors of industry, although the typical profile would be an IT or pharmaceutical company, generally with a US parent. Last year the international vehicle leasing and management specialist established a dedicated operation, called Lease Plan International, to target this burgeoning cross-border market.

Dividing the world into four regions - North Europe, Germanic central Europe, Southern Europe and the United States - the company has four international sales directors aiming for business with fleets which run vehicles in three or more countries.

The idea was to create an umbrella organisation above its regional operations, to co-ordinate cross-border business. This is increasing with the development of high-powered purchasing teams in multi-national companies who are looking to maximise their buying leverage and minimise their internal duplication of administrative effort.