Car company targeting new market
Carey, the chauffeured car company, is to launch a new brand in the UK in the New Year.
Embarque will offer a "standard" service for customers below its current premium product.
The new brand, which has successfully been launched in the US, will use Ford Galaxy MPV cars rather than the Mercedes used in the premium product.
There will be a "soft" launch of the new service in mid-January followed by the official launch at the Business Travel and Meetings Show in London in February.
Ian Stazicker, Carey's vp international sales, said the new service would "apply what Carey does at the premium end, the accounting, security, safety and concern for the environment to the new standard service.
He added: "It's a premium service with a standard product."
Mr Stazicker said the market had changed "significantly" over the past 18 months with customers trading down.
"We are at the premium end of the service spectrum and this has meant that we have not been able to provide customers with a both the premium and standard service that they want.
"It is being launched to provide the customers with the solution that covers all their needs. This is not a brand new idea. Other companies already have this product.
"We are doing it because of the demand for it."
He said the service, which will be available only in the south east corner of England, will focus on airport transfers and short point to point trips.
He said the target market would be SMEs although Carey will also be speaking to current and former customers who may want a different service.
Mr Stazicker said the price of a journey with Embarque from London Heathrow to the West End of London would be around £45 plus VAT.
He said the price was based ion a charge of £12 for the first two miles and then £2.50 for each extra mile. This made a trip from the airport to West London about £25.
The new service will be bookable online through a new website www.embarque.co.uk , which is due to be launched later this month, through a link from the main Carey website or by agents through the GDSs.
www.careyuk.co.uk