Mercedes-Benz dealer Sparshatt Truck and Van has opened its new facility in Dartford.
A member of the Mercedes-Benz trucks dealer network, the company has invested some £2 million on refurbishing and equipping the 48,000 sq ft building.
The new dealership is located in Kennet Road, not far from the A206, after the Sparshatt team had outgrown its previous base less than two miles away, on Dartford’s Acorn Industrial Estate.
Sparshatt Truck and Van is responsible for sales of Actros, Arocs, Antos, Atego and Econic models, all of which bear the three-pointed star, and of Fuso Canter light trucks. It maintains and repairs vans as well as trucks, and, as a service franchisee of EvoBus (Mercedes-Benz and Setra), buses and coaches too.
A founding member in 1974 of the Mercedes-Benz UK commercial vehicle network, the company operates from headquarters in Sittingbourne, and other branches in Ashford and Tonbridge. In a deal that had the enthusiastic backing of the manufacturer, it was acquired by a new ownership team in March 2018.
The new Dartford dealership incorporates a reception and offices designed to the latest Mercedes-Benz corporate standards, as well as a parts department. Meanwhile, the workshop provides double the capacity for vehicle maintenance and repair operations, compared to the previous branch.
Accessed via six large roller shutter doors, it has 13 truck bays – two of them with pits – and 13 van bays. The 1.8-acre site also offers plenty of space for drivers to manoeuvre and park their vehicles, the extensive hard-standing providing ample room even for tractor and trailer combinations.
Sparshatt’s previous Dartford service department was open 24 hours a day, six days a week, and given the unprecedented levels of demand from customers, the new workshop will also be open round-the-clock from the outset.
Dealer principal Steve Rooney said: “As a business we are investing heavily to support our growth strategy, and this has been a tremendously exciting project.
“Our Dartford workshop has been extremely busy for a long time now, and general manager Sean Bravery and his team have worked heroically in very challenging conditions to ensure that we maintain service levels for operators.
“Colleagues have transitioned seamlessly to their new home, and have been rewarded for their patience and loyalty with facilities that are right up there with the very best in the industry.
“From the ramps and other tooling in the workshop, to the racking in the parts department, everything is brand new – we’ve even installed a professionally equipped, in-house gym for use by staff.”
He continued: “This very significant investment underlines Sparshatt Truck and Van’s long-term commitment to the Mercedes-Benz trucks brand, and reflects our determination to provide our valued customers with the very highest levels of service.”
Sparshatt Truck and Van is holding an open day at its Dartford dealership on Thursday, July 11, and is inviting commercial vehicle operators to take a tour of the facilities and enjoy the refreshments on offer.
Operators interested in attending the open day, should register their interest by emailing info@sparshattgroup.com.
More articles on:
Gareth has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist having started his career in local newspapers in the 1990s. Prior to joining Fleet News in 2008, he worked in the public sector as a media advisor and is currently news editor at Fleet News.
Login to comment
Comments
No comments have been made yet.