The vehicles, all fuel-efficient 109 CDI models, are supplied on contract hire; most are long-bodied versions, although the order also includes seven compacts and a couple of extra-longs.
The Newport-based provider of mechanical and electrical services used to lease vehicles, latterly from independent businesses. But, says Gavin Thomas, Whitehead’s managed services manager, the firm needed to revisit its fleet arrangements to meet growing business demand.
“We emailed our tender request to four suppliers and from the outset Euro Commercials’ response was the most professional,” he says.
“In fact, throughout the process the Mercedes-Benz team have bent over backwards to provide all we’ve needed and more. This is in marked contrast to the other vehicle providers we approached – I had to chase them!”
Euro Commercials provided a Citan for a week’s trial and, says Thomas, “it ticked all the boxes in terms of driver comfort – a vast improvement on our previous vehicles – space, payload and fuel-efficiency”.