Wheels-ALD Global Alliance Extends Coverage to Japan With Mitsubishi Auto Leasing Partnership

Des Plaines, Ill, April 8, 2020 – Wheels Inc., a leader in the automotive fleet management and services industry, along with its global partner ALD Automotive has entered a partnership agreement with Mitsubishi Auto Leasing Corporation (MAL) as part of their Asia coverage expansion.

The partnership provides automotive leasing and fleet management services to global corporations in Japan. It includes cross-referrals, common participation to global fleet tenders, comprehensive fleet services, such as fuel, insurance, accident management, telematics, and overall support. Transparent commercial terms and global fleet reporting will be available using the ALDNet.com platform. To provide a consistent service delivery to clients, the partnership will share select resources across the global supply chain, where relevant.

“This new partnership with MAL in Japan is a great step forward for our international clients for whom this market has considerable importance in their global fleet. We’re thrilled to offer our clients the reliable fleet services of MAL,” said Dan Frank, president and CEO of Wheels. “The growing footprint of the Alliance in Asia, with the opening in Malaysia, reinforces our leadership position in the geographical coverage we can offer.” 

“Japan is a very large market for corporate leasing and fleet management services where our clients are looking for improved services and a consistent approach to open collaboration, reporting and TCO savings support. We believe that MAL’s strong customer base, quality of services and strategy to internationalize, make them an excellent partner to serve our global clients in Japan,” said Tim Albertsen, chief executive officer of ALD.

“We have been reviewing the business of ALD and Wheels with International Key Accounts for nearly one year, and we believe their innovative approach will be a key differentiator for MAL in serving the needs of global corporations in Japan,” said Keiichi Toma, president of MAL. “In the recently announced ‘MAL Medium-Term Management Plan 2021’, we envision MAL evolving into a Mobility Service Company. The new relationship with ALD and Wheels will not only enable MAL to leverage their know-how and global network, provide high-quality services and deliver new value to international clients in Japan, but also support MAL in its endeavor to grow as a global mobility service company.”    

The alliance was already present in Asia through ALD subsidiary in India, where it has been providing full-service leasing and fleet management services for over a decade. Recently ALD and Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Company Limited, a major shareholder in MAL, announced the establishment of their first joint venture company in Malaysia to establish multi-brand, full-service operational leasing and fleet management business with related mobility products for corporate clients, part of a joint South East Asian strategy. 

About Wheels, Inc.

Wheels, Inc. was established in 1939 as the world’s first automotive fleet leasing and management company. Eighty-one years later, Wheels is one of the largest privately-held companies in North America, featuring a portfolio of more than 325,000 vehicles under management across the continent, capabilities in 54 countries worldwide, and a client base that consists of some of the best-known businesses in the world. In addition to vehicle acquisition and leasing, Wheels provides numerous specialized services that help all sorts of organizations manage their fleets. These include driver/vehicle support functions like maintenance management, fuel cards, and registration processing, as well as strategic account-level consultation to drive optimal fleet efficiency and measure results. For additional information, please contact info@wheels.com.

About ALD

ALD is a global leader in mobility solutions providing full-service leasing and fleet management services cross 43 countries to a client base of large corporates, SMEs, professionals and private individuals. A leader in its industry, ALD places sustainable mobility at the heart of its strategy, delivering innovative mobility solutions and technology-enabled services to its clients, helping them focus on their everyday business. With 6,700 employees around the globe, ALD manages 1.76 million vehicles (at end-December 2019). ALD is listed on Compartment A of Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0013258662; Ticker: ALD) and is included in the SBF120 index. Société Générale is ALD Automotive’s majority shareholder.

About Mitsubishi Auto Leasing Corporation

MAL is a leading non-captive automotive operating lease and fleet management company in Japan. Established in 1972 with a fleet of more than 260,000 vehicles and extensive geographical coverage throughout Japan, MAL provides all fleet management services including leasing, fuel card, insurance, accident management, telematics and business process outsourcing to serve various client needs. MAL is a member of the Mitsubishi group which includes many world leaders in various industries.