Santander Consumer Finance (SCF) plans to expand its presence in the UK leasing sector after acquiring a full-service fleet management company CLM Fleet Management.
CLM has 40 years of experience in managing fleet vehicles for business customers, while Grupo Santander has been working to position Santander as a major provider of leasing agreements for fleets operating company cars across Europe, the companies said on Monday (14 October) press release.
“By integrating CLM Fleet Management’s expertise and resources with our own, we are positioned to offer an expanded range of leasing solutions that cater to a broad customer base and enhance our service capabilities,” Santander Consumer UK Sales Director Adam Harley said in the release.
CLM Fleet Management CEO John Lawrence said in the publication: “The CLM team is delighted to play a key role in supporting Santander Consumer Finance’s growth within the UK leasing sector through our comprehensive range of fleet management solutions.”
In a separate move, Santander extended its small business offering to everyone car dealers using its platform in the US by allowing small business owners and entrepreneurs to finance vehicles through its consumer banking arm.
The program in the US is aimed at companies with fewer than 10 vehicles in their fleet and is designed to address a “significant” market gap, the lender said.
“Retailers have expressed a strong need for more robust financing solutions, and small business owners have often been limited in their choices,” said Santander Consumer President Betty Jotanovic then in a press release. “By offering a full spectrum of vehicle financing options, we’re making it easier for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and for dealers to better serve their customers.”
In August, Santander got together with Amazon to launch a new Amazon Visa card in Germany that enables users to earn rewards while shopping on and off the Amazon Germany website. Rewards can be redeemed from Amazon.
“Cardholders can pay for their purchases quickly, intuitively and securely through Zinia, Santander’s consumer finance platform, and are able to choose between full and revolving payments at any time,” according to a press release issued at the time.