COMPANIES are once again recognising the value of fleet managers, after suffering a loss of control when outsourcing their fleets. This is the view of gamekeeper turned poacher turned gamekeeper again Martin Hannan, who this month joined London-based IT company Logica as car fleet manager for its 800-strong user-chooser fleet.

He said many companies were now regretting the lack of in-house influence on their fleets, and believes the future for fleet managers is looking far brighter, spelling an end to the trend of three and four years ago when companies were getting rid of fleet managers in favour of outsourcing arrangements.

Hannan himself was the victim of such an outsourcing deal in 1993 when he lost his job with Henkle, where he had been fleet manager for about 300 vehicles, and where he won the 1993 Fleet News Awards for Fleet Manager of the Year (medium fleets).

He then moved to contract hire company Motorent as commercial manager, seeing life on the other side. He said: 'I don't know if Henkle is regretting it now, but I know a lot of other companies are shedding a few tears after outsourcing their fleets.

'As a result the trend is certainly cooling down, and even if companies do outsource they are keeping some in-house control. This is more of a controlled situation than about four years ago when companies were giving up everything. Outsourcing has got its place, but I think it is fair to say there is now a big future in fleet management.'