Prestige Italian kitchen appliances manufacturer Smeg has taken delivery of seven Mercedes-Benz Atego rigids with high-roofed, air-conditioned sleeper cabs.
The trucks – five 13-tonne 1324 models and a pair of 7.5-tonne 816s – were supplied by Fareham dealer Pentagon Commercials, while the box bodies and tail-lifts were the work of Solent Bodybuilders & Repairs. A third Atego 816 is due to enter service next month.
Shaun Watford, Smeg UK's head of logistics, says that all have been acquired under a four-year contract hire deal with Mercedes-Benz CharterWay.
"Our first batch of Ategos [when Smeg set up in Portsmouth in 2006] were first class," says Watford. "They were well liked by the drivers, fuel-efficient and very reliable. And we also received lots of positive comments from our client base about how good they looked."
Watford also praises Pentagon for its back-up, making the point that the dealer services its trucks through the night to cut out downtime. And he also rates CharterWay highly, commenting that if there are any issues, he only has to pick up the phone.
"Smeg offers its customers 'Technologia che arreda', which translates as 'Technology with style'. Like Mercedes-Benz, we're a premium brand whose products not only do the job but look good as well," says Watford.