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A new fleet of Mercedes Atego rigids are now being used to deliver premium brand cookers, fridges, dishwashers and washing machines to retailers and direct to customer’s homes.
They are the first vehicles to be operated ‘in-house’ in the UK by Smeg, the Italian manufacturer whose products are highly prized by those for whom a kitchen should be stylish as well as functional.
Smeg set up its own, Portsmouth-based transport operation after its third-party logistics supplier went into receivership.
Its new fleet comprises four 7.5-tonne Atego 815s and four 13-tonne Atego 1323s. All have high-roofed, air-conditioned sleeper cabs – the 13-tonners also have Autotrans automated transmissions – with Solent Bodybuilders box bodies and tail-lifts.
The trucks arrived via Fareham dealer Pentagon and are the subject of four-year Mercedes-Benz CharterWay deals.
More than 12,000 new Smeg appliances arrive at Portsmouth every month. Most are distributed to retailers’ RDCs and stores. However, a significant number are supplied to builders for installation in new homes, while others go direct to customers.
Smeg uses its own trucks to undertake the majority of deliveries, hiring additional vehicles from Mercedes-Benz CharterWay, the manufacturer’s in-house vehicle finance arm, and from Ryder to support the distribution operation. Smeg’s fleet size varies according to the order profile but it rarely operates with fewer than 15 vehicles.
Shaun Watford, who worked for the previous logistics supplier, was recruited by Smeg to set up its transport arm as Head of Logistics.
He says: “Smeg offers its customers ‘Technologia che arreda’, which translates as ‘Technology with style’. This is a philosophy that could just as easily be applied to Mercedes-Benz. Both are premium brands, whose products are built not only to do the job, but also to look good as well.”
Certainly Smeg’s new Atego have attracted plenty of attention since taking to the road, thanks to their modern design and striking black liveries, featuring different appliance graphics.
Mr Watford continues: “I ran Mercedes trucks with my previous company so I know the Atego to be a first-class vehicle that’s well proven in operation over a number of years. The drivers love them too, particularly the big, air-conditioned cabs, which is important since they regularly spend nights away.
“I also enjoy an excellent relationship with Pentagon, whose after sales back-up is second-to-none. They collect our vehicles when they need servicing so I don’t have to worry about drivers’ tacho hours, then do the work overnight so they’re ready to roll again the next morning.” |
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