THE car leasing broker franchisee business Network, and the broker business owned by Automotive Leasing, are joining forces to form one supergroup under the LeasePlan umbrella.

Contract hire firm LeasePlan owns both Network and Automotive Leasing.

The new combined broker business – which currently supplies SME businesses in the UK with some  50,000 cars and vans – will relaunch in 2009 with a new corporate identity.

However, Christophe Desplace – the brand director of Network – says as yet there has been no decision taken on a new name for the broker super group.

Tim Hudson, the commercial director of LeasePlan commented: “We have closely examined the logic of retaining two separate brands. Bringing our two broker divisions into one, we will provide an unrivalled solution to the UK intermediary broker sector.” 

Desplace added that the new broker super group would allow the division to bring a more effective car and van selling proposition to the SME market. He also said that it was likely all brokers within the new broker super group would sign up to British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) code of practice guidelines to ensure high standards.

“I have been working behind the scenes with the BVRLA on this code of practice,” said Desplace.