MHW Magazine News and stories from the Materials Handling Industry
When St Helens-based Cheshire Mouldings needed a pair of new trucks, local Mercedes-Benz dealer Enza was able to supply two very different vehicles that fitted the profile perfectly.
One is an 18-tonne Mercedes-Benz Axor 1824, the other a 3.5-tonne Fuso Canter 3C13 – the popular Fuso light range is sold and supported by the German manufacturer’s franchised network in the UK.
Truck Craft, of Stalybridge, fitted the Axor with a curtainside body with flush-fitting rear doors, and the Canter with a 14ft aluminium dropside body with A-frame cover.
Both vehicles were funded with support from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and will be serviced at Enza’s Warrington headquarters – the Axor is the subject of a six-year Mercedes-Benz repair and maintenance contract.
Cheshire Mouldings manufactures and supplies an extensive range of stair parts and moulded timber profiles, in both traditional and contemporary styles, as well as a variety of wooden decking products.
Deliveries, most of which are made to builders’ merchants and DIY stores, have previously been entrusted solely to the company’s six Axor rigids, a combination of 18- and 26-tonners.
But its first Canter has now added extra flexibility to Cheshire Mouldings’ transport operation.
Office Manager Jacquie Capper explained: "We wanted something smaller, for ‘panic’ deliveries and visits to sites, and also for delivering point-of-sale marketing materials to some of the retail outlets we supply.
"The Canter was competitively priced, as well as being easy to drive and very practical – had we chosen a box van we would have severely restricted in the length of items we could carry, whereas the Canter chassis is able to take a much longer body. It also has a reputation for being economical to run and extremely reliable."
"Our Axors, meanwhile, have served us very well over the years," she continued. "They’re well-liked by our drivers, cost-effective to operate, and project a smart, professional image when out on the road or delivering to our customers.
"Having sourced all of our Mercedes-Benz trucks from Enza, we have developed a strong working relationship with the dealership team – our vehicles are always delivered on time and in perfect condition, and the overall service is extremely professional."
