The company is running two new Sprinter 313 CDIs with insulated Long bodies, which join another eight Mercedes vehicles on its 16-strong fleet.
Production director Steve Simpson said: “Our vans start work at 3am, which is not a time you want a van to break down, so reliability and top-quality back-up are of paramount importance.
“Our Sprinters have proved to be extremely tough and dependable. If ever we have even a minor problem the service team at Northside Truck & Van are very flexible, and will always do their utmost to fit us in at short notice. They’re real ‘commercial vehicle people’ and understand the needs of a business like ours.”
The company is also paying a fixed monthly fee for its Mercedes-Benz Service Care contracts, which offer the peace of mind of knowing that all costs incurred in routine maintenance are covered.
Commenting on the new service contracts, Simpson added: “This is a new system for us. We’re trialling it, and have been impressed with what we’ve seen. The rates are highly competitive and the regular payment makes our running costs much more easily predictable.”
Like their predecessors, the new vans feature food-grade insulated conversions by GRP, of Leeds. This time, though, they have no refrigeration units – instead, each is fitted with a small chilled compartment kept cool by removable ice packs, which are frozen overnight at the bakery.
“Our delivery runs are quite short – typically taking no more than two hours – and the ice packs are well capable of maintaining temperatures between 2 -5oC within that time window,” explained Simpson. “It’s a simpler, more cost-effective system, and well suited to our operation.”
He added: “We’re delighted with our Mercedes-Benz vans, and will continue to replace the remaining vehicles from our previous supplier with more Sprinters.”
