Sold and support by Mercedes’ dealer network in the UK, the Canters arrived via Warrington Mercedes-Benz dealer Enza. One is fitted with a tipping body by Lancashire Tippers, of Bolton, and has joined Thorncliffe’s fleet of delivery vehicles, which operate from three builders’ merchant sites in Abergele, Ewloe and Rhyl.
The other is equipped with skip-loading gear by Marshalls Spares & Services, of Manchester, and has joined the Thorncliffe Skip Hire and Waste Management Division.
The tipper was to have replaced a 2004-model Canter, but the truck is still going so strong that Thorncliffe has decided to keep it for local runs and as a spare in case of sudden spikes in demand for deliveries.
‘The Canter has proved itself over many years to be the ideal vehicle for this kind of work,’ said managing director Tim Harper.
‘For a 7.5-tonne truck the chassis is extremely light, yet also very strong. This means that even with a tipper body we achieve a payload not far short of four tonnes, and fully loaded it is still stable and easy to drive.
‘It also has a very compact “footprint” for a vehicle in this weight class, which is a big advantage when making deliveries or dropping skips in places like domestic driveways, where access can be very tight.’
Thorncliffe Building Supplies invested in its first Canter in 1999.
‘We’ve always found them to be very reliable – the engines are just bullet-proof,' said Harper.
He added: ‘Enza’s service is very good too. Sales executive Dave Lee knows our business well and always looks after us, while the dealer supports our in-house workshop with daily deliveries of parts.’
X
