Inspectors from the Driver and Vehicle Services Agency (DVSA) have begun conducting truck MoT tests at Mercedes-Benz Dealer Orwell Truck & Van’s new Authorised Testing Facility in Newmarket.
The ATF bay is a key element of the flagship, £1-million dealership on the Pines Industrial Estate in Exning, which was opened by the company in February.
DVSA inspectors are now testing all makes of truck, on Tuesdays from 7.30am – the early start time is proving popular with operators keen to minimise vehicle downtime. As demand grows Orwell expects to extend the service by adding extra days.
The new workshop is three times the size of the one at the Dealer’s previous base on the same estate. As a result, not only has Orwell been able to introduce truck MoT and tachograph services for the first time at Newmarket, but it has also reduced lead times and is achieving quicker vehicle turnarounds.
The first vehicle to go through the MoT process – and pass first time, having been prepared by Orwell’s technicians – was a 6x2 Actros 2543 drawbar rigid belonging to Getinge Group, a Swedish-owned supplier of specialist medical equipment for the health and scientific markets.
The Dealer marked the occasion by presenting Getinge Transport Manager Mark Chennells with a bottle of champagne. Mr Chennells, who also runs two other Mercedes-Benz vehicles, a 12-tonne Atego and a Sprinter van, from the company’s base at Waterbeach, near Cambridge, is delighted to see the investment that Orwell Truck & Van has made at Newmarket.
“Having been prepared by Orwell our trucks were previously taken to Downham Market for MoT testing, so the opening of its new ATF bay means we’ll now get them back a lot more quickly,” he said.
“Our Actros is now more than 15-years-old yet it still runs regularly down to Toulouse and continues to be very reliable. This speaks volumes for the quality of Orwell Truck & Van’s service.
“What I really appreciate is that although we only have three vehicles, Newmarket Branch Manager Lee Seager and his colleagues treat us exactly as they would a major fleet customer – everyone knows my name and they’ll do whatever it takes to keep us moving.
“The Mercedes-Benz brand is very strong but Orwell’s excellent quality of service is every bit as important to an operator like me. Lee and his dedicated team have worked incredibly hard to get their new dealership up and running, and I wish them every success. As for the champagne, it’s come from special people, so will be kept for a special occasion.”
As previously, Orwell also undertakes MoT tests on vans and passenger carrying vehicles in the Class 4, 5 and 7 categories at its Newmarket dealership.
The former City Link distribution centre additionally incorporates a larger and better-stocked Parts department, plus a smart, comfortable reception area and office accommodation that meet the latest Mercedes-Benz standards.
The Mercedes-Benz Dealer for East Anglia, Orwell Truck & Van operates from headquarters in Ipswich – home to its first ATF lane – and other branches in Colchester and Norwich. Dealer Principal Jonathan Ager declared. “Our superb new facility in Newmarket represents a huge step forward and is enabling us to provide locally-based operators with an even more responsive and focused service.”