Reading-based security and fire systems specialist, Westronics, has switched its fleet of 50 vehicles to Volkswagen under a new contract hire package supplied by Volkswagen Group Leasing.

Westronics is moving away from LPG-fuelled vehicles supplied by Vauxhall due to lack of Government support for the greener fuel and limited availability at the pumps, and instead selecting diesel-powered Passat saloons and estates for its sales and engineering based workforces.

Westronics, which installs and maintains security and fire systems primarily in the south and south west, operates a mixed fleet of 50 cars and vans, the majority of them being vans for installation engineers, with 13 cars which will now be the new Volkswagen Passat , with 1.9 TDI estates for engineers, or 1.9 or 2.0 TDI saloons for sales staff.

The Astravans currently on the fleet will be switched to Volkswagen models from next year when the new Jetta estate becomes available.

The cars, which have been supplied by Volkswagen Ridgeway of Reading, are funded via contract hire packages with full maintenance provided by Volkswagen Group Leasing. They will be operated on global three year/90,000 mile contracts, which take into account the complete mileages driven by all the cars on the fleet and then pool them all together to produce a global mileage figure.

Westronics managing director Graham Miller said the company had changed course because it was disillusioned by the lack of commitment to LPG from the Government and had also decided to switch brands as his own company was going through a re-branding exercise.

“We had wanted to be seen to be green and support LPG. But reduced Government tax incentives and poor supply meant that it was no longer really viable for us.

“We evaluated four different car makes before opting for Volkswagen, which is a very strong brand compared to the others and epitomises our own very strong brand in our area of speciality. Our customers have commented that it is a very good business decision,” he said.

Graham Wheeler, Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Leasing, said: “We are delighted to be supplying, funding and maintaining the Westronics fleet and look forward to a long and mutually rewarding business relationship.”

Volkswagen Group Leasing recently rebranded from Europcar Fleet Services in a strategic decision to bring the Milton Keynes-based operation into line with those of other European countries.

Volkswagen Group Leasing operates as the leasing arm of Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited, and offers contract hire, leasing and other fleet services related products for all-makes of vehicles.