Hurst Plastics expects savings from new fleet of Mercedes-Benz Sprinters

Door manufacturer Hurst Plastics has found the key to more flexible, cost-effective fleet operation, with a little help from Mercedes-Benz Vans’ Retailer of the Year.

The Hull-based company acquired its 15 new Mercedes-Benz Sprinters from the local branch of Dealer Northside Truck & Van, which represents the three-pointed star in Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. All Long-bodied 314 CDI models, they are now being used to deliver doors to builders and other construction industry customers throughout the UK.

For many years Hurst Plastics contract-hired delivery vans from a vehicle rental provide, but on this occasion it has purchased the entire fleet. The new Sprinters are the subject of a Mercedes-Benz Service Care agreement with Northside, which covers all routine maintenance requirements.

Transport manager Jon Brake said: “We’d favoured contract hire for its ease and convenience. However, a detailed ‘number-crunching’ exercise indicated that given the Sprinter’s competitive purchase price and low whole-life running costs, as well as its excellent warranty and breakdown cover, it made financial sense this time to buy our vans outright.”

Each of the vans is expected to cover 100,000 miles annually. Hurst Plastics intends to run the vehicles for three years, then assess their condition and decide whether to keep them on the road for longer.

The new Sprinters are powered by a 140PS, 2.1-litre engine which employs both Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and BlueTEC Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology to clean exhaust emissions. Like all Mercedes-Benz vans they came with three-year, unlimited mileage warranties and MobiloVan cover, which includes free roadside assistance.