April 2010
Paragon appoints new General Manager at Thurleigh
Paragon Group has announced the appointment of Ian Crowther as General Manager at its site in Thurleigh, in a move that underlines Paragon’s commitment to meeting customers’ needs both now and in the future.
Ian has worked in the automotive sector in various roles for over 20 years and will oversee all operational activities at Thurleigh. He will be responsible for all elements of fleet management across the site, from preparation to defleet and refurbishment, ultimately ensuring Paragon’s high standard of customer service is maintained. Alongside this, Ian will be in charge of implementing technical improvements at the site and ensuring Paragon’s business objectives are met.
Steve Stanger, Group Operations Director – Paragon Automotive comments: “I am delighted to welcome Ian to the Paragon team at Thurleigh. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise of the automotive sector to the role and will be a key part of the management team. The appointment will see Ian head up all operational activities at Thurleigh and will enable us to continue delivering strong results for our customers.”
Discussing his appointment, Ian Crowther comments: “I am very excited about my recent appointment and joining the Paragon team at Thurleigh. I am looking forward to being part of a company at the centre of fleet management and ensuring we continue to operate effectively and efficiently at all levels.”
Paragon is the UK’s leading fleet vehicle processing and captive fleet management company, providing an integral part of sales support to many vehicle manufacturers and fleet operators.
Paragon Group appoints Group Head of IT to deliver coordinated IT programme
 Paragon Group has announced the appointment of Chris Higgins as Group Head of IT, in a move that underlines the company’s commitment to significantly improving its current IT offering to meet customers’ reporting and automated communication needs.
Chris has more than 15 years experience in various IT roles within the automotive sector and will be responsible for managing Paragon’s IT infrastructure and delivering a coordinated IT programme for the group. The appointment reflects Paragon’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, enabling the company to boost performance and efficiency for customers.
Discussing the appointment, Steve Hucklesby, Managing Director of Paragon Group comments: “We’re aware of the importance of building a dynamic and passionate team, and so are delighted to welcome Chris on board. Chris is a great asset to the team and brings with him a level of IT experience and wealth of knowledge that will be fundamental to the business being able to realise its ambition to develop a efficient and streamlined IT programme for its customers.”
Chris Higgins comments on his appointment: “It’s extremely exciting to join a company at the heart of the automotive industry. I am relishing the opportunity to head up such a team committed to delivering for its customers. Alongside this, I am looking forward to drawing on my experience of the sector and working closely with our corporate customers to understand their IT requirements and provide solutions that deliver tangible benefits and enhance relationships.”
Paragon is the UK’s leading fleet vehicle processing and captive fleet management company, providing an integral part of sales support to many vehicle manufacturers and fleet operators.
March 2010
Renault UK reappoints Paragon to manage demonstration fleet
Paragon has secured a major contract to manage demonstration fleets for Renault across the UK. It includes the preparation of all Corporate Fleet and Press demonstration vehicles, internal training and marketing fleets.
The new agreement will see Paragon managing fleets of several hundred vehicles and organising the preparation, logistics and handover of over 6,000 demonstrations every year.
Renault UK and Paragon have been working together since 2002 and the new contract signals a continuation of this strong partnership. Paragon will manage the delivery, handover and collection of vehicles together with the supporting administration, mechanical maintenance, specialised bodyshop repair and refurbishment work. All vehicles will be defleeted by Paragon, being prepared for Renault UK’s remarketing programmes.
Corporate demonstration fleets provide potential fleet customers with the opportunity to test drive the vehicle of their choice, whilst press demonstration fleets are used by journalists, who test drive the vehicles for reviews in newspapers, magazines and television programmes.
The management of the demonstration fleets will be based at Paragon’s site at Heyford Park in Oxfordshire. The Renault dedicated administration team will be supported by a team of over a hundred and forty specially trained and uniformed delivery drivers. The Technical Team, also based at Heyford Park, will consist of two Renault Technical Experts (RTE) and four other Renault trained specialist technicians.
Steve Maltby, Managing Director at Paragon Fleet Solutions says: “The renewal of this partnership is testament to the relationship we have with Renault UK and we are delighted to have signed the contract. Our in-depth understanding of the high standards that Renault UK expect was a real asset in winning the contract. Paragon’s knowledge and expertise of Renault vehicles is unrivalled and we look forward to developing an ever increasing standard of service into the future.”
Mark Hawkins, Manger, Fleet Field Operations at Renault UK says: “Renault’s demonstration fleet is a vital piece of our marketing jigsaw and we are pleased to be working with the UK’s leading experts in this field.”
Paragon is also preparing to manage Renault UK’s range of electric vehicles over the coming months and in preparation has invested in high-powered electric sources which can recharge a electric vehicle’s battery in just 20 minutes.
12 January 2010
Paragon Fleet Solutions’ Secures Long Term Future at Heyford Park
COMMON SENSE PREVAILS’ AS PARAGON IS GRANTED PERMANENT PLANNING CONSENT FOR HEYFORD PARK, OXFORDSHIRE
Paragon Fleet Solutions, the UK’s leading press demonstration and captive fleet management company is celebrating the news that the Planning Inspectorate has granted the firm permanent planning consent for its operations at Heyford Park, Oxfordshire.
The decision safeguards over 500 highly skilled permanent jobs at the site. If consent was not granted, Paragon would have been forced to consider its future at the site, casting this employment in Oxfordshire into serious doubt.
The planning consent allows Paragon to continue to use the hardened aircraft hangars – previously used to house American Cold War jets and bombers – converted into highly specialised bodyshop and vehicle repair buildings. The news also provides the company with a springboard for the future and gives the long term certainty to invest in new infrastructure at the site.
Steve Maltby, Managing Director, Paragon Fleet Solutions says: “We are absolutely delighted with the Planning Inspectorate’s decision and relieved that common sense has prevailed. This means we can carry on with confidence at Heyford Park and continue to invest in our infrastructure at the site to ensure that we can offer our customers outstanding levels service. There are some conditions to the consent and we are fully confident that we have expertise and flexibility to manage this.”
“Heyford Park is a geographically centrally located, with excellent links to the M40 and all the major motoring hubs in the UK. The existing infrastructure at the site, combined with a highly skilled workforce, meaning we have the largest concentration of mechanical and bodywork refurbishment expertise, apart from motor manufacturers, in the UK. The planning decision means we can continue to provide the best possible service to our customers.
In 2007, Paragon Fleet Solutions submitted plans to Cherwell District Council for the permanent use of 40 acres of the former RAF airbase, near Bicester. The plans were not registered by the Council and therefore we submitted an appeal to the Department of Communities and Local Government. The application was passed to the Planning Inspectorate, which considered the submission, ahead of making a decision.
Paragon Fleet Solutions’ clients include some of the UK’s largest and leading motor manufacturers and daily rental companies. Part of the Paragon Group, Paragon Fleet Solutions supports manufacturers in managing press demonstrator vehicles for journalists’ road tests and media launches. Paragon Fleet Solutions also manages demonstrator fleets, a sales tool for manufacturers.
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