Carpenters, plumbers, electricians and builders can now order a fully equipped van of their choice from Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle solutions.
Called “Trade Ready Solutions” the new offering, which the firm claimed breaks new ground, sees Hitachi’s leasing business team up with its Power Tools division to provide converted vans with all the tools needed for traders to go about their business for one monthly payment.
“If you decide tomorrow to be a plumber, we can offer you everything you need to be a plumber. We’re not limiting our vans – anything in our range is available for Trade Ready and we can offer you as little or as many power tools as you need,” said a spokesman for Hitachi.
Hitachi’s move to offer vans with industry specific internals follows the recent Lex Autolease Driveaway scheme that is claimed to be 20% cheaper than leasing and converting a van. The Hitachi offering is said to offer further potential savings by including the tools.
Hitachi hopes the offering will be a hit with small businesses as well as individuals who will be tempted by spreading the cost of obtaining, operating and racking a van as well as securing tools in a single monthly payment – meaning the vehicle and tools are off the balance sheet.
Trade Ready can also be scaled up as the business expands, new vans or tools can also be offered mid-lease and the length of the leases for both van and tools are negotiable from a minimum of two years.
Jon Lawes, Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Solutions, boss said: “There are obvious synergies between power tools and commercial vehicles that make this new, no-risk service offering for customers a powerful proposition.”