Masterlease reports fuel management a boardroom issue
Released
on: September 24, 2008, 6:20 am
Press
Release Author: Lucy Dorman
Industry:
Transportation
& Logistics
Press
Release Summary: Masterlease reports global vehicle fleets have
seen their fuel bills rise by as much as a third in the last year,
making fuel management a boardroom issue
Press
Release Body: Global vehicle fleets have seen their fuel bills
rise by as much as a third in the last year according to research
by international leasing company Masterlease.
With
vehicle manufacturers' continuous improvements in fuel efficiency
now being swamped by escalating fuel prices, global businesses
have to face the reality of increasing costs to their fleet
management.
While
average diesel prices have soared by a third in the last year,
the story is not quite as grim for unleaded petrol - although
globally it has still increased on average by 18% since 2007.
Despite
the overall increase in fuel prices, the latest research by Masterlease
shows some interesting differences between the countries. The
most expensive countries to purchase fuel from are the UK, Norway
and Sweden, although the price increases over the last year have
not been as dramatic as in others.
At
the other end of the spectrum, Australia remains the cheapest
place to purchase fuel - although over the last twelve months
the price of diesel has increased by 33%. However, the country
that has endured the biggest price hike is Austria, with diesel
prices rising a staggering 42%.
Masterlease
carried out the survey in all 17 countries in which it operates
to get a true picture of how much fuel is really costing global
customers. The research was conducted in Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, The
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
As
well as the global price hikes on fuel, one factor that has a
big impact on global fleet fuel bills is the provision of free
private fuel to company car drivers. In nine out of the 17 countries,
this is a taxed benefit, while in five of the countries surveyed
(Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Australia), free private fuel
is not taxed.
Nowhere
is this more apparent than in Australia, where as one of the highest
emitters of carbon in the world, contributing on average 27.54
tonnes to the atmosphere every year per person, many businesses
are looking at measures to compensate by investing in formal carbon
offsetting activities.
Nick
Brownrigg, CEO of Masterlease Group, commented: "While
the fuel issue may not be particularly new, the relative cost
of fuel has been the biggest recent talking point in fleet management
and it would come top, or close to the top, with every fleet decision
maker, wherever they are in the world. As a result, the continuing
volatility in fuel prices has emphasised the importance to the
fleet industry of effective fuel management and accessibility
of information to help control costs at every stage.
"It
is important for global businesses to understand exactly how much
they are spending on fuel across all of their country operations,
so that they can look for cost saving opportunities.
Once there is an understanding about the total fuel bill, businesses
should then consult an independent expert to advise them on how
to reduce these costs. There are enormous benefits to businesses
that can demonstrate efficiency in terms of meeting these challenges.
It simply means more effective measurement of MPG, fuel and fleet
costs, and to achieve this, businesses need to make fuel
management a boardroom issue."
Ends
About
Masterlease Group
Masterlease is one of the fastest growing funding and vehicle
fleet management companies in Europe, offering business to
business all makes full service car
leasing.
With
15 operations in Europe and plans to expand into other countries,
its strong geographic presence and consistent branding enables
Masterlease to offer a cohesive service across the Continent.
The company manages around 210,000 vehicles.
Web
Site: http://www.masterlease.net/
Contact
Details: For further information please contact
Lucy Dorman
Smarts
9 The Apex
6 Embassy Drive
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 1TP
0121 456 3199
2009
