THE rapid expansion of Vardy Contract Motoring (VCM) has seen the division reach a landmark as it took its fleet to beyond 10,000 vehicles.

It reached the figure after only five years of operations as the contract hire, fleet management and personal leasing division of Sunderland-based Reg Vardy plc.

Mike Roe, VCM's operations director, said: "We are delighted to have reached the landmark figure of 10,000 units, which is down to the excellent performance of our sales force and the flexible and professional service the support team provides.

"We have a diverse range of customers, from individuals opting out of company car schemes to large PLCs, but we work on building relationships with them and strive to ensure that everyone receives a personal service."

VCM's purchasing, disposals, fleet maintenance and sales support team teams are based in Sunderland, while regional sales consultants work across Reg Vardy's eight key trading regions - the East and West of Scotland, Tyne and Wear, Tees Valley, East Midlands and the North-West, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the South.

Further expansion of the division, which employs 42 people, will see the regional sales force grow from eight to 12 in the coming weeks.