Asbestos management specialist Merryhill Envirotec knows all too well about the importance of safety in the workplace – which helps to explain why it relies entirely on Mercedes vans.
Merryhill Envirotec is licensed to provide a full suite of services relating to dangerous asbestos, including surveys, removal and disposal, as well as training and consultancy. It is also one of the UK’s foremost fire and flood recovery contractors, cleans and decontaminates buildings and other environments, and deals with other hazardous materials such as lead, sharps and needles, guano and beryllium.
The firm is based in Romsey, near Southampton, and sends its Mercedes-Benz vans as far afield as Cornwall, Kent and Lincolnshire on call outs. Most are 3.5-tonne Mercedes Sprinters – it has just bought four new clean, ‘green’ 313CDI models – although the 11-vehicle line-up includes four vans from the smaller Mercedes Vito range.
Merryhill Envirotec typically replaces its vehicles every three years and the latest examples arrived, like their predecessors, via south coast dealer Pentagon Commercials, which has been supplying the company since 2002.
To cope with the extreme nature of the work, the operator has adapted its Sprinters so that as well as being used to carry tools and equipment, they also feature air-tight compartments in which waste can be securely transported. Anything that is too large for a van goes into a sealed skip on site.
The Sprinters also tow decontamination units to and from job sites. Merryhill’s operatives use these units to remove their protective clothing then take showers before dressing again.
Merryhill Envirotec Operations Director Andrew Dart confirmed: “As a fully licensed asbestos removal contractor we are proud of our safety record, and of our strict adherence to the latest industry guidelines and best practices.”
Mercedes-Benz leads the market in terms of vehicle safety and its Sprinter and Vito van models are equipped with a comprehensive array of active and passive features as standard. Among them is Trailer Stability Assist, a clever system works with the vehicle’s Adaptive ESP® electronic stability program to detect any swaying motion in the trailer, and intervenes automatically to bring the combination back into line.
Merryhill Envirotec’s new Sprinter 313CDIs are powered by state-of-the-art 129hp common rail turbodiesel engines which as well as meeting the latest Euro 5 emissions limits are also impressively frugal; in fact, CO2 emissions from this unit are 13 per cent lower than those of its Euro 4 predecessor, while the 313CDI is also 15 per cent more fuel efficient, this equating to an extra 4.5 miles per gallon.
“Our Mercedes-Benz vans have always proved unstintingly reliable and are very popular with our operatives, who appreciate the fact that they are so comfortable and car-like to drive,” confirmed Mr Dart. “Pentagon also provide a high-quality service.
“But safety is of paramount importance to our business so it’s the fact that Mercedes-Benz is ahead of the competition in this vital respect, which above all others makes its vans a perfect match for us.”
Like all Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Vito vans retailed through the manufacturer’s official UK dealer network, Merryhill Envirotec’s latest vehicles are covered by a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty and came with a free Service Package (terms & conditions apply) covering all labour, materials and lubricants required in routine servicing at an official Mercedes-Benz workshop for up to five years or 60,000 miles, whichever is reached first.
Tags: Mercedes Sprinter