CHAS chooses Vanaways as preferred van supplier for over 30,000 members

left to right: Alex Minnett and David Turner of CHAS, with Liam Nicholas of Vanaways

Pioneering vehicles broker Vanaways has announced a partnership with Veriforce CHAS, giving the Bristol firm direct access to more than 33,000 potential business customers around the UK.

CHAS, taken over by supply chain risk management experts Veriforce a year ago, is the UK’s leading provider of risk prevention, compliance and supply chain services for contractors and hiring clients in construction, facilities management, the public sector and other sectors.

Since inception as a department of the London Borough of Merton it has built a strong reputation for simplifying health and safety pre-qualification and raising standards of risk management. Now it is poised to add discounted vehicle purchasing, financing and maintenance to its suite of member benefits, through its relationship with Vanaways as the recommended van supplier.

CHAS will promote van deals offered by Vanaways, including around electric vehicles, as well as offering each new purchaser a branded FleetPack including tailored advice, technology and safety equipment. The three year deal was developed by Liam Nicholas, director of business development at Vanaways, with CHAS’ new head of marketing David Turner.

It followed an introduction by Murray Ambler-Shattock of award-winning South Wales civil engineering firm KM Group, who is a CHAS member and a long-term customer of Mr Nicholas.

“Of our 33,000 members, 60 per cent are of 10 vans or fewer, then we go up to firms with 5,000 people or more with huge fleets,” Mr Turner said. “When I came in to this role I was looking at how we can support our membership and improve the services and impactful benefits we provide.

“Vans are critical to our members’ livelihoods – if they can’t drive, they can’t get to their worksites – so we wondered how we could help those companies too small to have fleet managers, as well as the larger fleet owners,with buying, financing and maintaining their vehicles. With costs rising in all areas of their business, we wanted to give our members the collective buying power of a major membership base to help them get the best deal.

“We were introduced to Vanaways via one of our long-time members and they came very highly recommended. They’re brilliant, because they’re not tied to any manufacturer. That’s key, as different companies need different types of vehicle.

“And this relationship with Vanaways brings our members the benefit of their huge buying power, as well as good financing options. Our members know they’ll be getting the best solution backed up by service programmes and contracts which work for them.

“We have more than 33,000 members with hundreds of thousands of vehicles across the country, so it’s great to give Vanaways this opportunity to offer our  membership the benefits of bulk purchasing and independent buying. This partnership provides our members with something they wouldn’t be able to get themselves, so it benefits both parties.”

Vanaways is itself undergoing spectacular current growth, having moved into new offices in Ham Green near the M5 at Bristol early last year. Company turnover has risen dramatically in 2023, while staff numbers have risen to 72 and the business is on track to deliver sales on more than 6,000 vehicles in 2024.

Working with a vast network of suppliers across the UK, none of which Vanaways is tied to, the company offers free delivery with a digitalised sales process which enables quick fulfilment of the customer’s fleet needs.

“Partnerships like these are going to enable Vanaways to kick on its unique offering to the next level,” said Liam. “We really like helping smaller businesses grow and take advantage of benefits usually only available to the larger companies with bigger buying power. We’ve been on that journey ourselves so we empathise entirely.

“So this relationship with CHAS is perfect, giving tens of thousands of smaller business access to our services and offering, which can only be good for our business as well as theirs.

“We’re grateful for the introduction to David and his team and we’re looking forward to helping companies on their own growth journey as they invest in their fleet.”

CHAS members looking benefit from the relationship will follow a link through the member portal, for which a dedicated landing page will be phased in with the Vanaways website.

They will have access to Vanaways’ offers on prices and financing, as well as free delivery anywhere in the country.

Mr Ambler-Shattock said: “It’s important for all businesses which run vehicles to have a supplier who understands their needs – not only the type of vehicle and the cost, but also the speed of delivery and the financing options too – then places those needs above their own interests.

“I had no hesitation in suggesting Vanaways as the recommended supplier for CHAS members. This is the partnership of two brand name industry-leading high quality service providers that I use, endorse and advocate and recommend.”