Essex-based Scammell Commercial has marked its Silver Anniversary by commissioning a clutch of 18-tonne skip-loaders bearing the silver star of Mercedes-Benz.

Founded in 1990 by Managing Director David Scammell, the company made its name as a commercial vehicle maintenance specialist. It has since branched out and now also offers roadside repair services as well as running a fast-expanding vehicle hire operation from its headquarters in Grays.

In recent weeks S & B Commercials has delivered three Arocs 1824s – two are fitted with Boughton Engineering skip-loading equipment, while the other has Hyva gear. The Dealer is also currently processing orders for another two chassis, one of which will be allocated to each bodybuilder.

The muscular Mercedes-Benz Arocs range is purpose-designed for heavy-duty applications. Acquired with funding support from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Scammell Commercial’s new trucks have S ClassicSpace cabs and are powered by state-of the-art 7.7-litre straight-six engines producing 175 kW (240 hp) and driving through smooth Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmissions.

Operations Manager Neil Livermore confirmed: “The Arocs is now our preferred skip-loader chassis. It looks great and offers all of the reliability and durability we’ve come to expect from Mercedes-Benz trucks, which is important given that we rely on them to give us many years of hassle-free service.

“Most important of all, though, the Arocs has been very well received by our customers. They appreciate how comfortable and easy it is to drive, and how well it performs, particularly on rough sites where the raised ride height is a definite advantage. We have a number of long-term hirers and experience has shown that if you provide them with a nice new truck they’re reluctant to give it back. That’s certainly the way it’s looking with the Arocs, which explains why we’ve gone straight back to S & B with an order for another two.”

Scammell Commercial supplies vehicles on a spot hire and contract rental basis to operators across the South-East, but particularly to those working out of Tilbury Docks and along the A13 between London and Southend-on-Sea.

Its fleet of 50 rental vehicles includes refuse trucks, hook-loaders and tractor units, as well as skip-loaders – in addition to the three new Arocs the line-up includes a number of other Mercedes-Benz vehicles, among them 18-tonne Axors, one of which dates back to 2005, low-entry Econics with compactor bodies and a 32-tonne Actros.

David Scammell added: “We’ve come a long way over the last quarter of a century, and are now looking forward to continued growth in partnership with S & B Commercials. Its truck sales executive Steve Thurbon is very responsive and provides an excellent service, while the dealer also delivers Mercedes-Benz GenuineParts to our own workshops on a twice-daily basis should we need it.”