Rygor delivers TSG’s Mercedes-Benz Citan fleet in double-quick time
It took the team at Dealer Rygor’s Heathrow branch just two weeks to deliver the first 20 Mercedes-Benz Citan vans ordered by contractor TSG Building Services plc after landing a couple of new contracts.
A specialist supplier to local authorities and housing associations, TSG is now running 54 Citans, as well as nine larger Vito models. All are the subject of a CharterWay contract hire agreement from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services under which they will each cover 20,000 miles a year.
The new vans have been allocated to TSG service engineers who work throughout the South and South-East. They will be maintained by Rygor, Britain’s biggest Mercedes-Benz Dealer, at the operator’s headquarters in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, as well as at other locations.
Launched last year, the Citan is the smallest van ever to wear a three-pointed star. It leads the field in terms of fuel efficiency, achieving up to 65.7 mpg and producing CO2 emissions as low as 112 g/km.
TSG’s Citans are all Long-bodied 109 CDIs with 66 kW (90 hp) diesel engines and optional Bluetooth telephony. Rygor fitted their Rhino roof racks and co-ordinated the application by TLC Signs, of Feltham, of TSG’s livery.
Rygor sales executive Bill Cooper also collected TSG’s service engineers from Potters Bar and ferried them in groups to its new bus and coach service facility in Southall, where they were introduced to the controls of their new vans before they took to the road.
TSG Managing Director Ben Thrussell confirms: “This is our first experience of operating Mercedes-Benz vehicles and Rygor have been extremely efficient in handling our enquiry and subsequent order.
“We required delivery of 20 vehicles within just a couple of weeks, as we had won two new contracts and needed our engineers on site with their vehicles as a matter of urgency.
“We also wanted to ensure that our fleet changes were carried out before the onset of winter and the colder weather, to avoid downtime during our busiest period. Rygor delivered the vans efficiently and effectively to a weekly schedule, causing the minimum stress to our drivers and interruption to our operation.”
Founded more than 50 years ago as a small central heating installation business, TSG now offers a broad range of services, from volume domestic and commercial boiler installations to long-term maintenance contracts. The fast-growing company operates 120 vans in total – while roughly half of its new Mercedes-Benz vehicles have replaced older vehicles, the rest represent extensions to its fleet.
Mr Thrussell and his Operations Manager test drove both Citan and Vito demonstrators. He continues: “We chose the Mercedes-Benz Citan for its driver safety, comfort and fuel economy, and for the competitive finance package that the manufacturer was able to offer.
“We were also keen to buy into the Mercedes-Benz brand and image, as its reputation for reliability and high service levels can only reflect well on our own business.”
He adds: “It is imperative that we receive a reliable and efficient day-to-day service with breakdown cover, and we have therefore negotiated an on-site service plan with Rygor.
“This includes the facility for round-the-clock maintenance and provision of a replacement vehicle should it be necessary, thus minimising downtime and allowing us to run our business as efficiently as possible, and provide our customers with the very high level of service they have come to expect from us.”
Rygor’s Bill Cooper says: “The Rygor team worked together really closely with a fantastic spirit to ensure we met the TSG delivery schedule. Its service engineers are clearly delighted with their new Mercedes-Benz vans and we now look forward to providing TSG with an exceptional after sales service.”
For more information, visit tsgplc.com.
