Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Fleet Keeps Cartwright Trailers On The Road
Leading commercial vehicle body and trailer manufacturer Cartwright relies on Mercedes-Benz Sprinters to provide its customers with high-quality, dependable back-up.
The company’s Fleet Services division was launched just over a year ago and now operates 22 Sprinters, all of which were delivered by Ciceley Commercials, the reigning Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle Dealer of the Year.
The latest to arrive were six Long-bodied 313 CDI models, which are kitted out as mobile repair units. The vehicles’ racking systems were fitted by Ciceley technicians and are used to carry extensive stocks of spare parts as well as tools, generators and compressors.
Based at the Cartwright Group’s headquarters in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, the Fleet Services arm offers bespoke agreements covering maintenance authorisation, cost control, e-compliance and documentation management services via customer-dedicated web portals, and currently looks after well over 8,000 trailers which are in service with operators nationwide. As well as its 20 mobile workshops and a couple of express parts delivery vans, it operates a six-bay maintenance and refurbishment facility in Wythenshawe.
Fleet Director Lawrence Todd said: “When we set up the mobile repair service in May 2013 the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was our first choice of van because of its excellent reputation for reliability and fuel-efficiency, and its class-leading safety and comfort specifications.
“Since then we’ve also found the level of service provided by Ciceley Commercials, and Mercedes-Benz nationally, to be exemplary. Having purchased vehicles from the dealer and manufacturer in previous roles I was confident this would be the case. As expected, our orders have been handled smoothly and professionally, while the fact that Ciceley’s workshop is open round the clock also helps us to keep our own vehicle downtime to an absolute minimum.”
He continued: “Ciceley also worked with our mobile engineers to develop and improve the internal racking on these latest vehicles, and it certainly made our lives easier to have one single supplier for the finished vehicles.”
Cartwright’s new vans are the subjects of Agility funding packages from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Agility offers all the benefits of conventional hire purchase with a Guaranteed Future Value (GFV) – including low monthly repayments – but gives operators extra options at the end of the term. The customer can choose whether to pay off the final lump sum and keep the vehicle, use the vehicle as a part exchange for a brand new one, or return it free of any further obligations, apart from an excess mileage charge if the initially agreed limit has been exceeded, and damage charges over and above fair wear and tear.