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Some of Britain’s leading commercial vehicle operators joined senior representatives of the manufacturer for the formal opening of Britain’s newest Mercedes-Benz truck and van dealership.
The flagship facility has been developed on a five-acre site in Balby Carr Bank, Balby Carr, Doncaster, by Northside Truck and Van, the Mercedes-Benz franchisee for South and West Yorkshire.
Forty sales and after sales staff are based at the stunning, £4.6-million dealership, which boasts a showroom for up to seven vans, offices, and a comprehensively stocked parts department.
The state-of-the-art workshop, meanwhile, comprises 10 service bays, four of which are long enough to swallow a full-length articulated tractor and trailer combination.
Northside Truck and Van, which has headquarters in Bradford and other dealerships in Leeds and Sheffield, was recently named Mercedes-Benz Commercial Dealer of the Year for 2006.
And there was more good news when, within the last few days, Northside beat off the competition from franchised agents representing all commercial vehicle marques to win Professional Van and Light Truck magazine’s Light Truck Dealer of the Year Award.
Lanarkshire-based parent SAH Ltd purchased the company as recently as the summer of 2005. Opening the new facility, Ian Jones, Commercial Vehicles Managing Director for Mercedes-Benz in the UK, told VIP guests: “The new management team at Northside have made a real difference to the customer focus and culture of this business.
“It was a remarkable achievement when, after only their first full year of trading, they beat 21 other franchisees to win our highest accolade of Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle Dealer of the Year.
Now they have demonstrated their commitment to our brand, and their confidence in its long–term future, in the best possible way, by opening this magnificent new dealership.”
Northside Truck and Van Managing Director Tim Ward added: “The Mercedes-Benz truck and van range is the finest on the market. As sales have taken off, so, too, has demand from operators in the Doncaster area for our repair and maintenance, and parts services.
“This major investment underlines our determination to provide our customers with the very highest levels of service, as befits the legendary three-pointed star.”
Northside also staged an open weekend with the twin themes of Formula One and a traditional Victorian funfair, at its new Doncaster dealership. Attractions that proved a big hit with the young, and the young at heart, included a McLaren-Mercedes Formula One simulator, a giant slot-car race circuit, and a circus corner.
Northside is currently raising money for Cancer Research – for every Mercedes Vito Sport van model sold until the end of May, the dealer is donating £50 to the charity. Thirteen vehicles were sold over the open weekend, boosting the total by £650, while a raffle netted a further £68.
To date, nearly £1,500 has been raised, and anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by visiting |
Northside Truck and Van is responsible for the sale and servicing of new and used Mercedes-Benz vehicles, ranging from the award-winning Vito and Sprinter vans, to the mighty 44-tonne Actros tractor unit, as well as the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter light truck range.
The service department at its new Doncaster dealership is open from 7am until 10pm on Mondays, and from 7am on Tuesdays through to 2pm Saturdays. This allows operators to take advantage of out-of-hours vehicle maintenance, which means their vehicles are always available for work during the day.
After Sales General Manager Andy Hiscott and his team offer a full range of vehicle repair and maintenance services, including brake testing, which is done on a rolling road, and tachograph calibration, which is undertaken in a dedicated bay. Department of Transport certification due imminently will allow them to carry out Class 4 and 7 MoT tests in another dedicated bay.
Northside also provides truck and van users with round-the-clock Mercedes Service 24h roadside rescue and recovery support, 365 days a year, while its fleet of PartsExpress vans are on the road constantly, delivering to customers’ premises up to three times a day. |
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