Commercial fleet services business Fraikin has placed a £6 million order for 135 Mercedes-Benz Atego 7.5-tonne trucks to add to its 1,000-strong rental fleet.
The trucks were supplied by dealer Midlands Truck & Van and are all 816 models with S day cabs, fuel-efficient 160bhp engines and six-speed manual gearboxes.
The Ategos also feature the standard-fit MSS (motor stop start) system, which switches off the engine when in neutral and stationary for more than three seconds, restarting it automatically as soon as the driver depresses the clutch.
The trucks' box bodies were supplied by West Midlands firm JC Payne, which also fitted their Dhollandia 1-tonne column tail lifts.
It's the largest order that Fraikin has placed for its rental fleet in recent years, according to Nick Solomon, head of procurement and supply chain.
"We have a lot of experience of the Mercedes-Benz product and the 7.5-tonne Atego certainly offers the performance, fuel economy, payload and exceptional levels of driver comfort that our customers look for in a rental truck," comments Solomon.
"From an owner's point of view, the whole life costs over the minimum five years that we'll run these vehicles are also highly attractive."
Coventry-based Fraikin's rental fleet includes a range of vehicles, from vans to 44-tonne tractor units, and includes specialist equipment such as dropsiders with cranes, as well as refrigerated trucks and vans.
