CONTRACT hire and fleet management specialist Fleetlease has reported a 35% increase in pre-tax profits for the year to March 31, 1999. The Hitachi Credit-owned company achieved pre-tax profits of £3,228,000 (1998: £2,392,000) on turn-over up 20% to £54.473million (1998: £45.289m). Managing director Rob Whalley said: 'We have achieved another healthy financial year despite 12 months of difficult market conditions.'

The company has signed up 77 new customers since last April, including Honeywell Control Systems on an outsourced maintenance contract, and has seen total fleet size grow to 17,000 vehicles from 13,500 in March the previous year. 'The personal leasing division has done particularly well with interest in both private and public sectors,' added Whalley.