30.3.2005
Saint-Gobain awards Vauxhall huge fleet diesel order

Saint-Gobain, Europe’s largest building materials distributor, has renewed a huge three-year, all-diesel contract with Vauxhall Motors worth over £32 million (€46,5 million) at showroom prices.

France-based Saint-Gobain, which has worldwide sales in excess of £22 billion (€32 billion), has ordered more than 850 top-of-the-range Vectras powered by the highly acclaimed 1.9CDTi diesel engine. In addition, Saint-Gobain purchased a similar number of high-specification Astras powered by the equally highly regarded 1.7CDTi. Both engines offer exceptional performance allied to outstanding fuel economy.

Following competitive tender process, which involved nine other manufacturers, Saint-Gobain ultimately decided to reappoint Vauxhall, its incumbent supplier, as the Vauxhall proposal offered the “best value for money”.

Denis Wellfare, Director of Transport at Saint-Gobain, said the final choice had come down to two or thee manufacturers. “But in the end there was only one manufacturer in the running, and on a whole life costs and value for money basis our final choice was again Vauxhall, renewing a business relationship with them that first began three years ago.”