Vanaways partners with Holman to win John F Hunt fleet deal

Major construction industry player John F Hunt has switched to a new van supplier, in the shape of independent broker Vanaways.

Since moving its acquisitions to the Bristol-based specialist earlier this year, John F Hunt has already taken delivery of more than 100 new vehicles – and more are arriving all the time.

All are supplied via funding partner Holman, the two companies having worked closely together to meet their client’s requirements. Vehicles delivered so far include Ford Ranger and Nissan Navara 4×4 pickups, and 3.5-tonne and smaller car-derived vans from Citroen, Ford, Fiat, Peugeot and Volkswagen. They have joined a 350-strong fleet, spread across the UK.

John F Hunt Group Finance Director Ian Saville said: “Historically we’ve tended to source our vehicles direct from manufacturers but following supply chain issues in the post-pandemic period, we decided to look at alternatives. It turned out to be a wise move.

“As an independent supplier, with a web of sourcing avenues, Vanaways has been able to come up with the vehicles we need very quickly and with minimal hassle or headache. The fact that they’re not tied to any one manufacturer also means we have access to models from a wide variety of brands, all in one place.”

He continued: “This flexibility means we can get vehicles in without delay, when we need them, which is very advantageous when taking on new contracts or adding recruits to our teams. Speed of delivery is often among the most important considerations, more so than a specific make or model.”

Many of the vehicles supplied so far have gone to John F Hunt Power, which hires generators and temporary back-up power solutions to a wide range of customers and applications.

“Some of these generators are small enough to be delivered in a van, but many are much larger,” said Mr Saville. “In all cases, though, our teams perform regular inspection visits to keep the sets running smoothly, refill them with fuel and top up our Stage Five generator tanks with AdBlue.”

Other vehicles within the Group service the John F Hunt Regeneration and Concrete Cutting businesses, where they are used in roles including site management and the supervision and maintenance of heavy plant.

“This is where the 4×4 pickup is often the vehicle of choice, especially when we’re working on construction sites that could be as big as 400 acres,” he added.

John F Hunt comprises a multi-dimensional group of 21 companies and divisions working across the construction industry, through specialist engineering and plant hire businesses.

With a full range of civil engineering, construction and demolition services, the Group’s activities also include related plant, equipment and fuel provision, workwear supply, IT support and specialist functions such as nuclear decommissioning, as well as the operation of an 18-hole parkland golf club in Essex, near the group’s headquarters in Grays.

Vanaways Business Development Director Liam Nicholas said: “We were delighted to win this significant piece of business and to forge a successful partnership with both John F Hunt and finance provider Holman – through which we’ve demonstrated our ability to deliver the right vehicles in double-quick time, regardless of the size of the order. We’re also helping to streamline the process of remarketing John F Hunt’s older vehicles, through our online part-exchange platform. We look forward to building on this relationship, going forward.”

Holman Business Development Manager Gareth Hanvey added: “The success of this arrangement is a prime example of how stakeholders can collaborate towards a unified objective – the customer’s satisfaction. John F Hunt required flexibility from their funding package with Holman’s model fulfilling this need exceptionally well.

“Partnering with Vanaways to source the vehicles, meanwhile, allowed us to devise a very straightforward solution with commitments that we know will be upheld. The strength of our relationship lies in the foundation of trust, giving our clients the peace of mind that comes from knowing our words are backed by action.”