A Gateshead motor industry veteran with nearly three decades of experience is launching a new business aimed at transforming customer service in fleet management and has already secured a major nationwide contract within weeks of opening its doors.
North Star Vehicle Management founder Gavin Hewitt has launched the company from Blaydon Business Centre after spending 27 years working his way through the ranks in the commercial vehicle sector.
Starting his career in 1997 at Bell Truck and Van in Birtley, Gavin began as a service advisor working with Mercedes commercial vehicles before progressing to aftersales director and eventually truck dealer principal. He then moved onto Northside Truck and Van and operated as Aftersales Director before running a fleet management company MaxAssist.
Now, he says he is taking his three decades of experience to “the customer side” of the industry.
Gavin said: “After serving customers for the past 27 years, I saw a real gap in the marketplace. A lot of the big fleet management companies have lost that personal touch. Everything is hidden behind video calls and automated systems.
“We want to bring back proper customer service, face-to-face communication and hands-on support, while also using bespoke software and AI technology to improve the whole process.”
Based in Blaydon, North Star Vehicle Management offers businesses a fully managed service for commercial vehicle fleets, handling everything from repairs and defect management to compliance documentation and live vehicle tracking.
The company’s bespoke portal allows customers to monitor vehicle uptime, repairs and compliance in real time, helping businesses keep vehicles on the road and reduce costly downtime.
Gavin explained: “If a business has five vehicles or 500 vehicles, our job is to take the hassle away. We deal with defects, bookings, repairs, customer communication and reporting. We track trends, identify recurring issues and work proactively to improve fleet performance and compliance.”
Despite only recently launching the business, North Star has already landed a major first contract with cash transportation company Loomis, covering 450 armoured vehicles across the UK.
Gavin said: “I set myself a target of managing 1,000 vehicles within the first 12 months, so to secure a contract of this size so early on is overwhelming.
“It’s a nationwide contract, from the top of Scotland to the south coast, and we’ll be making sure those vehicles are compliant, roadworthy and operating safely.”
A spokesperson from Loomis said: “Loomis UK has selected Northstar Vehicle Management as its fleet management provider due to its industry expertise and extensive knowledge of dealer networks. They will oversee the operational vehicle fleet, delivering comprehensive support across maintenance, tyres, security systems and more, with a phased approach towards full fleet management responsibility.”
Gavin’s company will provide Loomis UK with end-to-end fleet management solutions that enhance visibility, reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency. Their technology-driven customer centric approach, structured processes and risk-underwritten maintenance model will help ensure the fleet remains safe, compliant and operationally effective across the UK.
Alongside fleet management, the company will also offer consultancy services to garages and dealerships, helping improve customer service, profitability and operational systems. Gavin is also working with an IT development partner to create bespoke software solutions for the motor industry.
North Star Vehicle Management currently employs three people in the North East, with plans to grow to between five and seven staff by the end of the year as further contracts are secured.
Gavin added: “We’re proud to be based in Gateshead and want to keep that North East heritage as we grow. There’s a huge amount of talent in this region and we want to create opportunities locally.”
Looking to the future of the industry, Gavin believes electric commercial vehicles will play a major role. He said: “The whole sector is changing rapidly towards EV technology, particularly electric trucks, and that’s an area we’re very interested in developing expertise in.”
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Photo: Gavin with a Loomis vehicle (The Bigger Picture)
Photo 2 Lee Hewitt, Glen Lang (Loomis Fleet Engineer, Gavin Hewitt
Andy Pattinson (Loomis Transport Manager) (The Bigger Picture)
PR and media keith@highlightspr.co.uk 07814 397951