ARI Acquires UK-Based Fleet Support Group Ltd.
Automotive Resources International (ARI) announced its purchase of UK-based Fleet Support Group (FSG) on December 16. FSG, headquartered in Chippenham, England, is Britain’s largest independent fleet management company and will join the ARI family of companies. This move significantly expands ARI’s fleet management offerings in the UK and establishes the foundation for further global expansion.
FSG was founded in 1987 and provides fleet management services to over 55,000 cars and trucks throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Like ARI, FSG is a family-owned business with tenured employees focused on building long-term partnerships with clients and suppliers. FSG Chairman and founder Geoffrey Bray hailed the acquisition as the start of an "exciting new era for our company, staff, and customers." 2012 will mark the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Chippenham-based business, and there will be no change in FSG’s management structure or staff positions as a result of the acquisition.
ARI President Carl Ortell said, "This acquisition is another vital step as we continue to expand the scope of our services and our geographical reach. Everyone at ARI is extremely excited about joining forces with FSG and about the opportunities that lie ahead of us in the European market. Our clients rely upon our unique ability to deliver customized solutions to achieve exceptional results. A growing number need more sophisticated global fleet support. This acquisition gives us more flexibility, capabilities, and proven fleet expertise to serve them."
Mr. Bray added, "Existing FSG and ARI customers will benefit from the expertise, skills, and range of services that we each provide. Both organizations already offer turnkey solutions for public and private sector fleets. Added value for our customers will be achieved through the synergies of our affiliation with ARI."
ARI, a part of the Holman Automotive Group, is the second largest vehicle fleet management organization in North America with a workforce numbering more than 2,000 and offices throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Europe. The company focuses on complex fleets and with the addition of FSG’s 55,000 units, will push its total to more than 850,000 vehicles under management. ARI is headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.