Dunlop Agencies, in Northern Ireland, has added the Citan small van to its fleet.

The two 109 CDI Long models are assigned to a couple of the company’s six sales representatives, who previously drove car-derived vans by another manufacturer. 

Founded 30 years ago by managing director Barry Dunlop, the Carryduff-based company supplies an extensive range of branded non-food products to the grocery, forecourt, hardware, electrical and pharmacy sectors. The list includes everything from batteries to bulbs, car care to confectionery, household goods to hardware, and shoe cleaning materials to smoking requisites.

Dunlop placed his order after a week-long trial of one of Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI)’s demonstration models. “The mpg returns were in the late 40s, which represented a significant improvement on the vans we’d been using,” he recalled. “The guys were also really impressed with the comfort and all-round quality of the Citan.”

“Their vans are effectively mobile offices in which our employees spend several hours each day, so we like to provide them with vehicles they’re going to enjoy driving,” he continued. “In return, we expect them to take a professional pride in their vans, and to look after them as if they were their own.”

Dunlop Agencies’ Citans are each contracted to clock-up 25,000 miles a year and will be maintained by Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) under a Service Care agreement; this covers all labour, parts and lubricants required in routine servicing, in return for a fixed monthly payment.