Author: Matthew Wilkinson

Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ ability to supply a 26-tonne chassis with the low frame height that allows customers to maximise load volumes meant that when it needed a second truck to stay ahead of growing customer demand, PRM Green Technologies had no hesitation in choosing another eye-catching Actros.

The company, which operates from headquarters in Cannock, Staffordshire, provides specialised IT equipment recycling and secure data destruction services for customers from across the commercial and public sectors.

Like its three-year-old predecessor, the new vehicle was supplied by Dealer Midlands Truck & Van. Once again, the operator chose a 2540 LnR model with ClassicSpace L-cab, 10.7-litre in-line six-cylinder engine producing 290 kW (394 hp), and single-tyred trailing axle.

And as before, the curtainside body is by Fred Smith & Sons, of West Bromwich, while the six-wheeler is finished in PRM Green Technologies’ striking livery, its black paintwork – which extends to the colour-coded bumper – having been applied at the Mercedes-Benz factory.

Unlike its established stablemate, however, the new truck is from the fifth-generation Actros range introduced to the UK market in the autumn of 2019. As a result, the most casual of observers would notice the absence of conventional mirrors. Instead, the truck is equipped with MirrorCam, the revolutionary camera-based system that offers much improved rear visibility while also eliminating the forward-facing blind spots caused by mirror housings.

PRM Green Technologies adheres to the WEEE Directive governing the disposal of ‘Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment’ and takes pride in its industry-leading environmental practices, as well as the strict security procedures that protect data confidentiality.

The company relies on a fleet of vans and 7.5-tonne trucks to collect redundant IT equipment from customer premises and return it either to Cannock, or to one of its three outbases, in Alton, Hampshire, Carlisle and Taunton.

A third-party carrier was previously responsible for transporting consignments from those outbases to its headquarters for processing. However, the company acquired its first Actros when the financial case for taking this function in-house became compelling. Continued growth has now prompted the investment in a second truck.

The new Actros has an overall height of 4.2m but thanks to its low frame a loading aperture that is just under 2.75m high. As a result, it is able to carry no fewer than 60 of the Euro containers used by PRM Green Technologies. Stacked in three decks, each container is 800mm-high and has a volume capacity of more than 500 litres.

Tim Hawkins, who founded PRM Green Technologies with his co-Director Paul Mullett in 2009, recalled: “When we started out on this road three years ago we invited quotations from all of the major manufacturers.

“Midlands Truck & Van’s was the best response. It was able to offer the low-height chassis that gave us the headroom we needed, while the finance rates were also very attractive. We thought Mercedes-Benz would be the most expensive, but because the residual value on the vehicle was so high the opposite was true.”

PRM Green Technologies’ Actros drivers also have occasional nights away in their trucks, so the fact that the ClassicSpace L-cab comes with a fold-down bed is another advantage. “It means we don’t have to go for the full-size sleeper that would encroach on our all-important volume carrying capacity,” explained Mr Hawkins.

“The aftersales back-up from Midlands Truck & Van is very good too,” he continued. “The Dealer’s Wolverhampton workshop team look after us very well, and we’ve never had an issue when it comes to getting a truck in.”

The subject of a Mercedes-Benz Finance contract hire agreement, the new Actros has won a resounding ‘thumbs up’ from Alex Melbourne, who splits his time between driving and working in the office as PRM Green Technologies’ Fleet Manager.

“Our first Mercedes-Benz is still a very nice drive but this new model is something else altogether,” he enthused. “It feels more like a luxury S-Class car than a truck, and I really look forward to taking it out.

“I quickly got the hang of MirrorCam and once you’ve done so it’s fantastic. I can see pretty much everything as I’m approaching an island now, because there’s no mirror blocking my view.”

The truck’s radical Multimedia Cockpit replaces traditional switchgear with stylish and intuitive twin screens, and is also a hit. PRM Green Technologies chose the upgraded interactive version, which comes with a larger, 12in instrument panel and extra functionality, including satellite navigation.

“I love the technology on this vehicle, and the fact that you can personalise all of the settings,” added Alex Melbourne. “It helps to make the job a lot less stressful, which is exactly what a driver needs.”

prmgreentech.com

Tamworth truck and van workshop is the new jewel in Sapphire’s crown

Sapphire Vehicle Services – one of Britain’s most successful independent commercial vehicle repairers – has taken the wraps off its first in a national network of all-makes truck and van depots.

Strategically located, right by the busy M42 and A5 arteries, the Tamworth site marks the initial step in an aggressive push for more business – other facilities are already under development and due to open soon.

Sapphire Vehicle Services is already a familiar name to many of the UK’s leading transport operators, looking after the fleets of some of the best-known names in the supermarket sector. The company maintains upwards of 28,000 trucks and vans for its clients, in dedicated Vehicle Maintenance Units across the country. To others, though, it might be ‘the biggest brand you’ve never heard of’.

Although not tied to any truck manufacturer, the new Tamworth site rivals many main dealer workshops. It boasts eight bays, equipped with pits and lifts – one is purpose-built to house an indoor truck wash – as well as a parts store, offices, and comfortable driver waiting area. Crucially, the site also offers ample turning space and enough room to park at least 50 trucks in its huge yard.

With a staff of 14 qualified technicians, led by Manager Ian Evans and supported by Workshop Controller Chris Small and Service Administrator Leigh Darrock, the facility is already taking in business. Following an official launch on 1 July, it will open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year.

For truck operators, from the largest fleets down to owner-drivers with a single vehicle, the advantages that Sapphire can offer are clear.

“We’ve invested a huge amount in setting up this site,” says Ian Evans. “The building has been fully refurbished and is now kitted out with diagnostic equipment and tooling for all leading vehicle brands. We carry a stock of genuine OEM parts, and both the workshop and our pair of fully equipped mobile roadside assistance vans operate around the clock.

“I think customers will be pleasantly surprised at the depth and breadth of the back-up we can offer, on either a pay-as-you-go or contract basis, at highly competitive prices.”

Contact details for the new site are:

• Main reception – 01827 842700, enquiries@sapphirevs.com
• Ian Evans – 01827 842701, 07788 935154, j.evans@sapphirevs.com
• Chris Small – 01827 842702, 07867 176204, small@sapphirevs.com
• Leigh Darrock – 01827 842703, darrock@sapphirevs.com

As well as inspection, maintenance and repair of all trucks, vans and trailers the Tamworth facility offers bodyshop facilities, MoT preparation, and has technicians specifically trained to work on electric vehicles.

Through its parent company, Northern Ireland-based Ballyvesey Holdings, Sapphire can also provide customers with vehicles on contract hire, lease or spot rental, as well as full fleet management and vehicle disposal services.

Sapphire Vehicle Services is led by Managing Director Perry Reeves, supported by Group Operations Manager Dave Williams, and Dean Woods and Grant Tadman, respectively Regional Managers North and South. Together, they share a decades-long track record in the commercial vehicle industry.

“There are literally tens of thousands of trucks and vans out on the roads, which are kept running smoothly by Sapphire workshops,” asserts Perry. “So even customers who have never heard of us can have complete confidence in our exemplary standards of support.

“Our Tamworth site is already generating a great deal of interest in its local area, and we’re looking forward to opening more workshops very soon. To any operators looking for the finest back-up, with exceptional value and a friendly face, I say get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.”

Sapphire Vehicle Services operates 19 busy and successful vehicle maintenance units across Britain. Other divisions of parent company Ballyvesey Holdings work across related sectors including transport and logistics, truck sales and aftersales support, trailer manufacturing, transport industry services, construction equipment sales and property development.

www.sapphirevs.com

www.linkedin.com/company/sapphirevs

Travis Perkins builds for a brighter future with clean, ‘green’ Mercedes-Benz vans from Intercounty T&V

Most customers acquiring fully-electric Mercedes-Benz vans this year will be gaining their first experiences of the manufacturer’s zero-emissions technology – not so Travis Perkins plc.

The leading supplier of materials to the UK building and construction industry has just commissioned two eVito models for operation from one of its branches in Edinburgh. They have replaced a pair of emissions-free E-CELL variants that were based on the previous Vito model range and had been in service since 2015!

Travis Perkins Managed Services is a supply chain partner to local authority and social landlords nationwide. Its contract with the City of Edinburgh Council, on which the new vans are now working, is serviced from a facility in the port area of Leith.

The long L2 eVito variants arrived, like their predecessors, via Intercounty Truck & Van, a trusted partner to Travis Perkins for the last 13 years. They are out each morning delivering materials to contractors responsible for maintaining and repairing the City of Edinburgh Council’s stock of housing and other properties.

Intercounty Truck & Van also provided its high-profile customer with a larger, L2 (medium length), H2 (high roof) eSprinter demonstration unit, which underwent a month-long evaluation at the same depot in Leith, and at another Managed Services location in Stockton-on-Tees.

Introduced towards the end of last year, the 3.5-tonne eSprinter is the latest addition to the Mercedes-Benz Vans range. Given the additional load volume it offers, compared to the 3.2-tonne eVito, it represents a more attractive long-term proposition for Travis Perkins. The eSprinter’s cargo area of 11m³ is identical to its diesel-engined, front-wheel drive stablemate, and half a cubic metre larger than its rear-wheel drive equivalent.

Andrew Hollingsworth, Travis Perkins’ Fleet Business Partner for Scotland and Northern England, explained: “We’ll be running the eVito vans for another year in Edinburgh, but it’s the eSprinter that we’re really excited about.

“We carry a lot of bulky items so tend to be more focused on volume than payload. The eSprinter can take 3.0-metre worktops and longer lengths of timber, as well as 8ft x 4ft sheets of plywood and other materials.

“We’d been looking forward to getting our hands on one and seeing how it performed, and it didn’t disappoint. The vehicle did everything we’d hoped, and the feedback from both of the depots that took part in the trial was resoundingly positive.”

Intercounty Truck & Van’s demonstrator was certainly a hit with the three colleagues at Travis Perkins’ Leith branch who put the van through its paces. Asked to rate its overall drive Contracts Manager Guy Cruickshanks and Gary Halliday both awarded it 10 out of 10, while Thomas Garland gave it a nine. 

The eSprinter is powered by a 114 hp electric motor that drives the front wheels. Its 55 kWh high-voltage battery pack is securely mounted beneath the body, so does not impinge on cargo carrying space. The van will travel 95 miles (combined WLTP with 80 km/h speed limiter) on a single charge, which is ample for the majority of urban delivery and last mile applications; recuperative energy recovered when decelerating supplements the batteries’ output. 

Now superseded, the Vito E-CELL was the world’s first battery-powered light commercial vehicle to be built on-line at a mainstream production facility. As an early adopter of this ground-breaking technology Travis Perkins highlighted its commitment to carbon reduction and support for the City of Edinburgh Council’s environmental targets.

The eVito brings Mercedes-Benz Vans’ electric drivetrain technology up to date. Travis Perkins’ new vans offer 905 kg payload capacities, while sliding doors on both sides, and twin rear doors, provide easy access to up to 6.0m³ of cargo space.

Like the eSprinter, the eVito is powered by an electric motor that produces 114 hp and drives the front wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration is instantaneous. Top speed is restricted as standard to 50 mph (80 km/h), but can be increased on request. The steering wheel-mounted selectors allow drivers to choose between C, E and E+ (Comfort, Eco and Extended range) settings. The eVito will cover an average of 92 miles between recharges; as with the eSprinter recuperative energy captured when braking can extend its range.

Andrew Hollingsworth continued: “We’re really passionate at Travis Perkins about driving carbon out of our own business and our supply chain, and working on a challenging path to reach net zero carbon. We’re already engaged in a number of initiatives designed to reduce our carbon footprint; for example, wherever possible we now buy only electric fork-lift trucks.

“Electric vans are clearly going to play an increasingly important role in our business, particularly in urban areas where low-emission zones are becoming increasingly common. Mercedes-Benz is already our preferred van brand and although the higher mileages involved means range remains an issue for our retail branch operations, the eSprinter looks to be ideally suited to work on Managed Services contracts nationwide.”

Travis Perkins plc is based in Northampton and purchased its 1,000^th Mercedes-Benz van from its local Dealer in March 2018. It has since taken a further 265. The partnership between the two companies is so close that Intercounty Truck & Van’s Customer Service Manager Jason Roberts is dedicated to its Travis Perkins account.

www.travisperkins.co.uk

Leading utilities contractor Clancy has taken a positive step towards a ‘greener’ tomorrow by setting seven battery-powered Mercedes-Benz eVito vans on the road.

The subject of a Mercedes-Benz Finance contract hire agreement, they arrived via preferred supplier Midlands Truck & Van. The operator will now be monitoring their performance and suitability for its various areas of work.

The eVito vans are based at Clancy depots in the south and east of England, and undertake a range of duties, from supporting water meter replacement teams, to delivery of essential parts and materials to construction sites in London, where the eVito’s Congestion Charge exemption translates into welcome £11.50 per vehicle daily savings.

David Janes, head of operations at Clancy Plant, said: “We are working hard to find ways to drive sustainability as we continue towards our goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. Decarbonising our fleet will be crucial if we want to achieve this, and so we are constantly assessing the technology available to support our business activity in a sustainable way. Investing in fully electric vehicles will be an important pillar of our net-zero strategy.

“We plan to install charging points across many of our depots in the next year, to pave the way for the introduction of more electric vehicles. We’ll use them wherever they can meet our operational requirements.

“As the market advances we’ll be keeping track of new developments such as longer-range batteries, and we’re investigating other ways to reduce the impact of our operations on the environment too, for example by using cleaner gas-to-liquid fuel for our diesel-engined vehicles.”

Clancy’s long L2 eVito vans have gross weights of 3.2 tonnes. Five are PURE variants with payload allowances of 905 kg, and an average range on a full battery charge of 92 miles. The remaining two are PROGRESSIVE models, with colour-coded bumpers and wheel covers. All wear specially designed graphics reinforcing Clancy’s ambition to ‘harness green technology for the good of the planet’.

Like its diesel-engined stablemate the eVito has sliding load doors on both sides, providing easy access, in the case of the L2 variant, to up to 6.0m³ of cargo area – the 41 kWh battery is securely mounted in a protective housing beneath the floor, so does not impinge on the available space.

Clancy acquired its first Mercedes-Benz vehicles from Midlands Truck & Van five years ago. In 2020 it took delivery of more than 500 new vans bearing the three-pointed star, including examples from all three core model lines in the manufacturer’s range.

“Our Mercedes-Benz vans are very reliable,” explained Mr Janes. “The fact that they are hardly ever off the road for anything other than routine maintenance is crucial. They’ve also been impressively cost-effective to run across a tough working regime in which each averages around 30,000 miles per year.

“We receive excellent back-up from the manufacturer and its Dealer. Midlands Truck & Van’s Account Manager Erica Stredwick understands our operation, and our specific requirements, while its Service Director Michael Carolan has helped us get the best from the PRO connect fleet management software fitted to the newest vans. In the case of the eVito, for example, the fact that the battery charge status can be checked via an app on the driver’s phone is a small but significant aid to efficient operation.”

Multi-award-winning Clancy is one of the largest privately-owned construction firms in the UK. With a 60-year track record in technical expertise and innovation, the business employs and trains more than 2,400 people to build and maintain essential infrastructure in the water, energy and civil engineering sectors throughout the UK.

Since Clancy placed its order Mercedes-Benz Vans has responded to customer feedback by realigning the eVito range around the PROGRESSIVE trimline. The vehicle now comes with a facelifted, chrome-finned grille and a higher capacity charging cable, as well as additional equipment including a reversing camera and Audio 30 entertainment with DAB radio, an Anti-theft Protection Package and double-locks.

Customers can further upgrade their eVito by choosing the optional PLUS Package, which incorporates extra features such as electrically folding exterior mirrors, 17-inch full wheel covers and PARKTRONIC parking sensors.

www.theclancygroup.co.uk