Alstom, one of the world’s biggest rail and infrastructure suppliers, has appointed LeasePlan to provide a range of flexible, low-CO2 vehicle solutions for its UK fleet, supporting multiple large contracts and rapid expansion of its workforce.
The company manufactures and maintains signalling, infrastructure and rolling stock from trams to high-speed trains, and has operations in 70 countries. Its UK business includes five factories and 30 service depots, responsible for building 40% of the country’s mainline fleet and all London Underground rolling stock.
Rapid growth
It’s also growing quickly. In December, Alstom’s 50/50 joint venture with Hitachi was awarded the contract to build and maintain 54 new-generation electric trains for the first phase of High Speed Two (HS2) from London to Birmingham. This closely followed the group’s acquisition of train manufacturer Bombardier Transportation in January, increasing its UK workforce to 6,000 employees.
Aligning Alstom’s policies
Already a supplier to both Alstom and Bombardier, LeasePlan will now provide a range of funding options for the group’s UK fleet of 500 cars and vans. According to Fleet Manager for the UK, Ireland and Sweden, Nadim Mehar, aligning the two policies offered opportunities to share best practice and continue reducing CO2 emissions, supported by the expertise of a single Account Manager as a point of contact.
Flexible rental solutions
With ever-changing demands, LeasePlan Flexible is now rolled out across the business, which reduces the need for long-term rentals. Employees can choose specific low-CO2 cars and vans from stock, available at short notice and with competitively priced contracts from three months to two years. This also supports the company’s wider sustainability goals; average CO2 emissions for its company car fleet are currently 47g/km.
Nadim commented:
“LeasePlan Flexible means we can get people into our business and into cars and vans as quickly as possible, while continuing to reduce CO2 emissions and cost. If something changes, we can return the vehicle after three months. It’s a good product, which works well for us.”
Employees front and centre
Certified by the Top Employers Institute, Alstom’s employees are front and centre of fleet decision-making. With varying demands, commercial vehicles are deployed following a close consultation with employees and unions, and Nadim visits sites across the UK to ensure the fleet is suitably equipped, racked and sign written for different teams.
LeasePlan support has helped secure vehicles and conversions early, share solutions from other customers and kick-started conversations with low-CO2 van manufacturers such as Arrival which could accelerate the company’s ambitions for a zero-carbon fleet in 2030.
Salary Sacrifice scheme
Company car allowances, meanwhile, include a home charging point for plug-in hybrid or electric models, and drivers are encouraged to book demonstrators and share real-world stories with colleagues to ensure vehicles meet their needs. LeasePlan is also implementing Alstom’s first salary sacrifice scheme across 4,500 employees, which Nadim hopes will help attract new talent as the business expands. He added:
“Winning the HS2 contract with Hitachi has gone down very positively. We’ve currently got hundreds of job opportunities in the UK business. Being able to offer the right calibre of company car, and a green salary sacrifice scheme which can make the electric transition affordable, allows people to say this is why they’re working for Alstom.”
Supporting sustainability ambitions
Chris Black, Commercial Director at LeasePlan UK, commented:
“It’s great to be able to support Alstom Group as it looks for sustainable solutions to keep its fast-growing workforce mobile.
“Having worked with many of the UK’s largest fleets, LeasePlan is familiar with the potential challenges a specialist business such as this could encounter. We’re delighted that we can help the group cut costs and CO2, while adding attractive perks for new and existing employees.”
