The company has previously used rental services for its vans, in order to cope with expansion and contraction of client demand.
However, managing director Steve Herman says that growth, coupled with planned expansion of its Dover-based European operations centre, has prompted the change.
“Ours is a challenging business model so we’ve always preferred to run our vehicles on either a short-term or spot rental basis,” confirms Herman.
“I’m confident, however, that we’ll be able to keep these vehicles out on the road and earning more or less constantly.”
Both new vans were supplied by dealer Sparshatts of Kent, with funding support from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, and each is backed by Mercedes’ Service Plan maintenance package.
The Special Carrier is a long-term user of Mercedes-Benz vans, particularly Sprinter vans. “The Long-bodied model is the perfect size, while we work our vehicles hard and can typically put 3,000 miles on the clock in a single week,” comments Herman.
“The Sprinter has proved outstandingly reliable over the years, but on the handful of occasions when we have had a breakdown on the Continent, the Mercedes-Benz MobiloVan response has been outstanding,” he continues.
“The MobiloVan team have also kept us fully in the picture, liaising with us on the best – which invariably means the quickest – way to get the vehicle fixed and on its way again,” he adds.
Herman says his drivers would always choose Sprinters and adds that, in his opinion, Mercedes-Benz vans are the “safest on the market”, which is another crucial factor given our duty of care obligations.”