Vertical Markets

Van choice for installer

by Mark Rowe

Abel Alarm Company has switched its make of vehicle after sounding out a fuel-efficient small van. The Leicester-based firm, one of the UK’s largest privately owned providers of electronic security systems, bought its first three Citans from the local Mercedes-Benz dealer Mertrux. All long-bodied 109 CDI models, they have joined its fleet of 55 light commercial vehicles.

Abel’s Fleet Administrator Lisa Smith says the company plans to buy more Citans as its other vans fall due for replacement. She says: “We’ve been sourcing our fleet from another manufacturer for a long time, but last year conducted a comprehensive evaluation of all the alternatives. We trialled demonstration units from various suppliers and gave them a thorough workout. We also turned some over to our engineers, and asked them to rate the vans against a series of criteria, with scores of one to five.

“Most of the vehicles we looked at scored highly in some areas, less so in others. But the Mercedes-Benz Citan stood out, achieving fours and fives across the board. It was far and away the best and most popular choice, and definitely the most cost-effective van we could buy.”

Launched last year, Mercedes-Benz says that the Citan marks its entry into the small van market. The range combines fuel efficiency of up to 65.7 mpg with CO2 emissions as low as 112 g/km, and comes with features such as a folding bulkhead, to provide load length besides driver protection.

Lisa Smith adds: “Fuel economy and overall running costs were high on our list of criteria. As well as returning excellent mpg figures, the Citan offers long service intervals which translate into lower maintenance costs and less downtime. Another benefit is the standard three-year, unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty. Our engineers cover the whole country from a network of 13 depots throughout the UK, and they each rack up around 25-30,000 miles per year. It’s reassuring to know their vehicles are fully covered, no matter how far they drive. The service we received from Mertrux was excellent too – sales executive James Rowley was very attentive throughout the process and nothing was too much trouble.”

About Abel Alarm Company

Established in 1965, Abel Alarm Company provides security systems to large businesses and public sector organisations such as universities and hospitals, as well as small- and medium-sized enterprises and residential customers. It numbers sports and media personalities among its clients. Visit www.abelalarm.co.uk

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