Office stationery and supplies company Lyreco is adding 48 new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 511 panel vans, each fitted with Eco-Start technology, to its 395-strong fleet.
Fraikin will supply the vans on a full-service contract hire deal.
Each van is being supplied on a mix of four and five-year full service contract hire agreements, which are controlled centrally via Fraikin’s dedicated customer service centre in Coventry.
It’s reckoned that Eco-Start technology can help save some ten per cent in fuel on a typical urban distribution cycle, due to the engine’s ability to automatically switch off when the van is stationary.
Each contract hire agreement comprises full servicing, maintenance, repair and MOTs, carried out during evenings and weekends, with collection and delivery of the vehicle to and from the workshop. It also includes road fund licensing, tyres, 24/7 emergency roadside assistance, relief vehicle cover and the provision of monthly KPI & management reports.
Tom Vallings, logistics supervisor, Lyreco, said: “When we took the decision to move the fleet to contract hire, one of our key reasons for partnering with Fraikin was the strength of its service back-up, coupled with an unrivalled level of expertise in the truck sector.
“When it comes to contract hire, vans are either lumped in with cars or trucks, and since more than 60 per cent of our vans are fitted with tachographs and plated between 4.5 and 5.5 tonnes, we favoured a provider with experience at the heavier end of the market.
“Four years down the line, and with more than 90 per cent of the fleet on contract hire, it’s proven a very positive decision for the business.”
