Adam Pumfrey, former fleet and remarketing director at Fiat Group UK, has launched a new business that will fill the void left by the collapse of Camden Corporate Fleet Services earlier this year.

Pumfrey has teamed up with former Camden board member Steve Mennell and refurbishment expert Pete Nunn to launch Freedom Automotive.

The business, funded by bank loans and private investment, provides new vehicle sales, in-life maintenance, refurbishment, remarketing and logistics services to manufacturers, daily rental, corporate fleets and leasing companies.

They can buy individual modules or sign up for a total life cycle management service.

Freedom was born out of Nunn’s original refurbishment company Inter Technique.

It operates from two refurbishment/PDI centres.

It is in talks to acquire a site in Scotland and one in the south-east.

“We want to offer local geographic de-fleet,” Pumfrey told Fleet News.

“It takes out some of the cost because it means fewer vehicle movements.

“We also have cutting edge repair processes where we manage large repairs better and more cheaply.

"It includes repairing rather than replacing parts like bumpers.”

Pumfrey’s immediate priority is winning business from manufacturer and rental clients, although he is already in talks with one corporate fleet of 4,000 vehicles.

“Leasing companies and corporate fleets will come in the second phase,” he said.

For corporate fleets, the focus will be on managing cars over the lifecycle.

It’s about repairing dents and scratches every year and ensuring cars are returned to the leasing company with no recharges.

The company will also remarket cars for corporates and leasing companies, starting four to six weeks before the car comes off the fleet to move it on as quickly as possible.

Pumfrey believes the in-life maintenance service is a key selling point.

“Rental companies, leasing firms and corporates are keeping cars for longer,” he said.

“We are looking at mobile repair and servicing where we go to major fleets so they don’t have to have their cars off line all day.

"We’ll also include overnight servicing to reduce vehicle downtime.”

He added: “We saw an opportunity in the market place with the demise of Camden.

"The timing is right - we believe we can grow rapidly.”

Paragon Remarketing acquired land and vehicle processing facilities at two of Camden Corporate Fleet Services’ sites at Islip and Corby in Northamptonshire in March.