The nine-bay workshop on the Greendale Business Park at Woodbury Salterton offers a glimpse of things to come for operators nationwide, according to the truck brand. Mercedes-Benz Trucks, in conjunction with its franchised dealer network, is developing new facilities and refurbishing established ones to better meet the requirements of heavy vehicles.
Convenient, easily accessible locations are key. (And it is only three miles from Junction 30 of the M5). Equally important for drivers is plenty of space to manoeuvre and park their vehicles. City West Commercials’ new service centre sits on a 1.8-acre site with extensive hard standing to three sides.
City West Commercials has decided to dedicate its sales activities to Mercedes-Benz trucks – the Actros, Arocs, Antos, Atego and Econic – as well as Fuso Canter light trucks. The dealer’s headquarters are in Avonmouth, near Bristol, and it has other branches in Highbridge, Somerset, and Roche, Cornwall.
Dealer principal Graeson Clarke and his colleagues worked closely with network development specialists from Mercedes-Benz Trucks in drawing up the plans. The comprehensively-equipped, drive-through workshop features two 15-metre-long pits as well as ramps, while the building also incorporates a parts department, a reception with driver rest area and shower, and offices.
Newly-promoted depot manager Joe Casley heads a team of six parts staff and 11 technicians. Two are dedicated to the Mercedes-Benz S24h emergency roadside assistance scheme, while another two are allocated to the dealer’s Service To You programme, and visit customer premises to undertake maintenance and minor repairs.
Initially, the workshop is open from 6am until 11pm on weekdays, and from 8am until 1pm on Saturdays. However, Graeson said that, if demand picks up as anticipated, it will move to round-the-clock operation before the end of the year. The addition of a third shift will necessitate the recruitment of a further three technicians.
Graeson added: “This very modern service centre has been designed with efficiency in mind. It also represents a huge leap forward in comparison to our previous facility in Exeter, which we had outgrown.”