Fraikin won a competitive tender involving three other providers to deliver 49 3.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans into Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services on a three-year, full-service contract hire agreement. This is the first time the companies have worked together and Fraikin’s flexible approach and ability to facilitate a host of additional extras was a defining factor.

The new vehicles will be joining a 150 strong fleet and will be replacing older variants from a previous contract hire. The vans will deliver and collect linen from hotels, restaurants and sporting venues in the UK.

“Our vehicles are on the road 11 hours a day as part of an intense delivery operation. Vehicle uptime is paramount to our business and we need our fleet in the best possible condition at all times,” said Phillip Martin, Transport Manager at Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services. “Fraikin quickly understood this and, unlike other suppliers, was able to tailor an agreement which would help to continually lower the age profile of our fleet on an annual basis. It was an offer too good to turn down.”

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans have been specified with a forward-facing camera that allows real-time footage and will monitor driver behaviour and assist with any potential insurance claims. In addition, the content will be used for in-house driver training.

The vehicles will be spread across Johnsons’ depots in Glasgow, Grantham, Milborne Port, Shaftesbury, Southall, Sturminster Newton and Wrexham, expected to clock up 70,000 miles a year. All maintenance and servicing will be managed by Fraikin through its approved third-party network on a collection and delivery basis, with work scheduled out-of-hours to minimise any disruptions to the business.

“From the outset, the Fraikin team offered a level of support that made them stand out from the rest. We have complete confidence in them and will certainly look at growing our working relationship together as we replace more of our older vehicles,” concluded Martin.