Supplied by Scottish Dealer Western Commercial, the wholesaler’s 12 Sprinter316 CDI Long chassis cabs are powered by smooth, responsive four-cylinder engines which produce a sprightly 163 hp and drive through automatic transmissions.
They are fitted with insulated, dual compartment (chilled and frozen)bodies by specialist manufacturer Solomon Commercials, of Rossendale, Lancashire, and Hubbard refrigeration units.
Family-owned Caterite operates from headquarters in Cockermouth. Its distinctive vans have quickly become a familiar site on the roads of the Lake District – where it is a prominent member of the local business community – and south-west Scotland.
Caterite operates a multi-temperature delivery fleet of 24 vans and 18 rigid trucks. All but three of its vans are now by Mercedes-Benz – the latest Sprinters have replaced productsby two other manufacturers–while every one of its heavier vehicles wearsa three-pointed starwith the exception of a single 7.5-tonner.
Caterite’s preference in the past has been for converted panel vans; it ran only one box-bodied example previously. The fact that all of the vehicles supplied by Western Commercial are chassis cabs reflects the growth in demand for its products, and the corresponding need to maximise payloads – each of the most recent additions to its fleet offers a carrying capacity of approximately one tonne.
Caterite Transport Manager Matthew Scott explained: “Twelve vehicles represents a significant investment so it was not one that we made lightly. We did consider a couple of other makes of van, and even tried a demonstrator at one point, though it was quickly discounted as it didn’t ‘cut the mustard’. I doubt very much that it would have lasted the course.
“Ultimately, our preference was always going to be for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, because it’s a tried and trusted workhorse. The roads in this part of the world can be prettychallenging – many of them were built for horses and carts, rather than motor vehicles – and we use our vans pretty intensively for eight years and more, during which they’ll typically cover 50,000 miles a year.
“We know from experience that the Sprinter can take the punishment and won’t let us down. It’s also cost-effective to operate and leads the field when it comes to safety, while our drivers enjoy the experience at the wheel, too. As a complete package, nothing else comes close.”
