Fleetpool GmbH looks after the fleets of large national and international companies. For their trackday on BILSTER BERG, they also brought a whole fleet with them.

You brake, you lose – something that applies at the Fleetpool GmbH trackday at Bilster Berg is just as much the motto of founder Gert Schaub. When he started his own business back in 2008, the banking crisis and the car scrappage bonus threatened to put the brakes on the young entrepreneur. The idea was to take over vehicle procurement and management for companies. The companies, however, were reluctant at first. “I could have closed the business right away,” says Gert Schaub. Giving up, in any case, was not an option for the entrepreneur from Cologne, Germany. After all, prior to founding his start-up, he had been an employee, and at some point the frustration about the limited opportunities prevailed. In his position as sales manager of a large car importer, he repeatedly observed that many opportunities and resources were left unused when it came to dealing with major customers. At first Schaub also worked as an external consultant in order to be able to tackle the task of self-employment. This was a feat of strength, according to Schaub, but one that should pay in the end.

Out of the woods

The Cologne-based company currently looks after the fleets of numerous large national and international companies. “We support our customers in purchasing and organising their fleets,” says Schaub. “We now employ 65 people and deliver and arrange well over 5,000 vehicles to our partner companies every year.” Also, under the brand name “EazyCars”, Schaub holds its own pool of now 2,000 vehicles to serve the short-term and temporary mobility needs of its customers. “We were always confronted with the situation that a vehicle was only needed for a certain period of time,” says Schaub. For example, a company has temporary peaks in demand or new employees. “But you don’t know whether the growth will continue in the long run,” the entrepreneur explains. Buying a new car or committing to a leasing contract in these situations is always risky due to the uncertainties. “EazyCars is our own mobility programme that combines the advantages of leasing and renting, so to speak. The customer receives a new car ready for immediate use at short notice and actually only has to refuel,” says Schaub. The cooperation partners really appreciate the flexibility: “In summer, for example, they can drive a family van, in winter a SUV.” In addition to small cars, station wagons and vans, Fleetpool also has some fun-to-drive treasures in its portfolio for special occasions – such as a Porsche Cayman, a Jaguar F-Type or a Maserati Ghibli.

At the Bilster Berg, Fleetpool was also all about driving fun: “More than 50 customers and business partners experienced a fast-paced day with us on the racetrack,” says Schaub. With the support of SEAT Germany, Fleetpool had brought along 30 new SEAT “Leon Cupra Performance” vehicles. “Accompanied by an experienced instructor, even newcomers were able to experience fast, safe and precise driving on the track,” enthuses Schaub. He himself acted as a race taxi driver in a Porsche GT4 Clubsport and took one or two participants over the BERG.

Text: Nicole Thesen (Zimmermann Editorial)