Records management specialist Deepstore is using a new fleet of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans to collect and deliver important documents and other assets for clients in and around London.

Deepstore is part of the Compass Minerals Group and so named because its main, archival storage facility is a salt mine, 150 metres beneath the ground in Winsford, Cheshire. With over 1.8 million square metres of available space, the mine offers unrivalled protection from natural disasters and security risks, making it ideal for storing all types of archives, including business-critical data.

However, Deepstore also operates two active storage facilities, both of which are above ground, in Bromley-by-Bow, East London, and Wallington, Surrey. It is from these locations that the company’s six new Mercedes-Benz Sprinters operate.

Supplied by dealer SG Smith, of Sydenham, South London, all are Long-bodied 313 CDI models. Their fuel-efficient, 129 bhp engines are mated to quiet and smooth-shifting six-speed manual transmissions.

Deepstore has taken advantage of contract hire funding through LeasePlan and its Sprinters will be maintained by the workshop team at SG Smith’s Croydon depot.

Chris Gamble, UK logistics manager for Deepstore, said: “Our new vans replace a previous batch of Sprinters that were nearly eight years old but had proved exceptionally reliable. They were a great testament to the Mercedes-Benz brand.

“It’s crucial that our uniformed drivers should feel safe and confident in their vans so we listened carefully to the feedback we’d had from Bow and Wallington before deciding to go with the Sprinter again.

“They’re certainly big fans of Mercedes-Benz and take great pride in their vehicles. That’s important because given that they spend most of their time working in the centre of London, if they weren’t treated with the utmost care  these vans could easily suffer a lot of damage.”

Deepstore offers same-day and two-hour retrieval services for documents and other material kept at Bow and Wallington. The company uses trucks to trunk nightly between these two facilities and its Cheshire headquarters, from which it delivers items on a next-day basis.

Gamble added: “This was the first time our vehicles have been supplied by SG Smith and the dealer handled our order in an exemplary fashion. The communication from sales executive Tim Cripps was first class and the vehicles were delivered on time and in perfect condition.”

Alongside two-tier (quick access and long-term) record storage, Deepstore also offers electronic media storage, artefact preservation and secure destruction services, while staff members have undergone specialised document handling training from the National Archives Collection Care Department.

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