Close Brothers Vehicle Hire launches new municipal rental offering

By Andrew Baxter

27 November 2019

Close Brothers Vehicle Hire, part of Close Brothers Group, has launched a new municipal rental offering.

The business will offer contract hire, flexi-lease and daily rental options on a range of municipal vehicles, including refuse trucks, sweepers, hook and skip lorries, gulley emptiers, gritters, tipper grabs, brick grabs and cage tippers.

This is supported by a service, maintenance and repair (SMR) offer, including 24-hour breakdown support and a nationwide service network.

The municipal rental initiative is led by Philippe Harding (pitcured) in the role of municipal director. Harding brings 25 years’ experience in the truck rental and contract hire sector. In his previous role, he held the position of managing director at Gulliver’s Truck Hire and was responsible for more than 1,500 municipal vehicles.

Harding said: “I am delighted to join Close Brothers Vehicle Hire at this exciting point in its evolution. As we expand to offer municipal vehicles, our priority will be to continue to deliver the service excellence and expertise the business is known for.

“These specialist vehicles have a vital role to play in keeping our towns and cities clean and safe, and I look forward to working closely with local authorities, private contractors and the various agencies that require them.”

Terry Ottey, managing director at Close Brothers Vehicle Hire, said: “Close Brothers Vehicle Hire’s ability to provide bespoke vehicles and tailored customer service is something we pride ourselves on. Our new product will allow more organisations to access the municipal vehicles they need.

“We’re pleased to launch the product and welcome Philippe as our Municipal Director. His extensive experience, alongside strong relationships with manufacturers and suppliers, will be a huge asset as we develop this specialist arm of the business.”

Close Brothers Group plc is a UK merchant banking group, providing lending, deposit taking, wealth management and securities trading.

In 2015, Commercial Vehicle Solutions, the truck and van contract hire and rental division of Close Brothers, rebranded as Close Brothers Vehicle Hire.