Stefan Thyssen, managing director of MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd, said: “Doubling its footprint, when compared to the existing site, the new facility will offer a greater range of compelling customer service solutions and increased workshop throughput, which means we can react even quicker and more efficiently to customer and vehicle service requirements.”
MAN Truck & Bus have had a presence in Stockton-on-Tees since 2002 when it purchased the Bowesfield Lane site from ERF Northern, the long-established ERF dealer.
“We’ve seen a continual level of growth in the volume of road transport requirement across the North East of England and have had plans in-place to re-develop the existing Stockton-on-Tees site for a couple of years” commented Stefan Thyssen, managing director of MAN Truck & Bus UK. “We purchased a parcel of land directly next to the existing site in 2019 which, due to its roadside position, made it an ideal proposition.”
Measuring 2.3 acres once complete, the new Stockton-on-Tees facility will be used to sell, support and maintain the full MAN vehicle offering, from the TGE Van range, starting at 3.0 tonnes and going right up to the 250 tonne TGX heavy haulage tractor and both bus and coach products.
Once built, the facility will house 10 vehicle repair points, a new service reception and parts counter area, customer meeting points, dedicated sales offices and hot desks for field-based staff. Drivers waiting with vehicles will have a dedicated and comfortable waiting area featuring a digital television, with vending machines for both hot and cold drinks and cold snacks, as well as mobile phone charging points.
To guarantee the new facility is future-proof, its design incorporates the most modern building techniques and materials. These include using energy-efficient insulation methods and rain water harvesting systems and in time the instillation of solar panels. These measurers mean that once the building is operational it will be net-zero. Onsite electric charging points will offer customers charge facilities while their vehicles are being serviced, or are on site.
Ensuring staff and visitor welfare is prioritised, the plans for the new build boasts a staff canteen and locker rooms, as well as showers and facilities for male and female members of staff.
The yard, to both the side and rear of the new facility, will offer parking, electric vehicle charging points, a dedicated vehicle washing bay and a new roadside vehicle display area.
The maintenance workshops will operate six days a week. Vehicle emergency breakdown coverage will be provided through MAN's 24-hour breakdown service, Mobile24.
Thyssen added: “Two years ago, in December 2019, we opened a brand new facility in Gateshead on the Team Valley Trading Estate directly aside the main A1.”
The newly-built dealership is part of an ongoing £20m investment programme across the MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd dealer network.