Two are 26-tonne Arocs 2530 models with factory-fitted four-man benches behind the two front seats, which allow each to carry a driver and a crew of five scaffolders in safety and comfort. The third is a 15-tonne Atego 1518.
Family-run Mercer Scaffolding operates from headquarters in Longfield, Kent, and undertakes the vast majority of its projects in London and the South-East.
The new trucks arrived via Sparshatts Truck & Van, Sittingbourne. They are fitted with specialist dropside flat-bed bodies and used to carry scaffolding equipment such as tubes, boards and fittings.
All three vehicles have ClassicSpace cabs – L-cab versions for the two Arocs, an S-Cab for the Atego – which are finished in bright orange. These feature the Mercer logo alongside that of Help for Heroes – the operator is an enthusiastic backer of the charity, which supports servicemen and women injured in the line of duty.
The Mercedes-Benz Arocs range of rigid trucks from 18-32 tonnes GVW and tractor units is purpose-designed for construction-related applications. The Atego, meanwhile, flies the flag in the 6.5-16 tonnes GVW segment; although most commonly used for light- and medium-duty distribution work, it is also a popular choice for operators in the construction and associated sectors.
Acquired with funding support from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, the new trucks are now being inspected and serviced under Mercedes-Benz repair and maintenance contracts by the workshop team at Sparshatts’ Dartford branch.
Mercer Scaffolding’s expanding fleet includes a dozen trucks. Having introduced new management systems and procedures, the company has now set up its transport operation to service larger projects. It achieved bronze accreditation from the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) last year, and sees the new vehicles as crucial to its ambition to secure silver status towards the end of 2017.
Explaining the decision to purchase its first batch of Mercedes-Benz trucks, executive consultant Daniel Clark said: “The business has experienced year-on-year growth and we are now in a position to invest more in the quality of our fleet. Some of our competitors and industry friends swear by their Mercedes-Benz trucks, so that helped to confirm that we were making the right move.”
Mercer Scafolding also has a tractor unit and four trailers, but at 26-tonnes GVW the two construction-specification Arocs models are its biggest rigids to date. “The higher payloads offered by the six-wheelers means they can transport nearly 16 tonnes of equipment, which is proving very useful in terms of operational flexibility,” said Clark. “The fact that the cabs can accommodate a crew of five scaffolders also means we don’t have to send a separate vehicle.”
He continued: “We chose the 15-tonne Atego for its versatility. This truck’s carrying capacity is not much lower than that of an 18-tonner, yet it’s significantly smaller, which means we can send it into the city, where it can get safely in and out of some pretty tight places.”
“We have really gained momentum and these new Mercedes-Benz vehicles are already enabling us to boost turnover by servicing more, and bigger, projects than we could have done previously.”