Canter delivers the daily bread for Gibbon

The Mitsubishi Fuso Canter rose to the occasion when Newport-based baker D Gibbon & Sons needed a new delivery vehicle.

The company shopped around before choosing a 3.5-tonne Canter and is so pleased it has since ordered a second, identical truck.

Like its predecessor, the new vehicle will be supplied by Cardiff Mercedes-Benz dealer Euro Commercials – the Canter range is sold and supported by the German manufacturer’s franchised network in the UK.

D Gibbon & Sons’ Canter 3C15 is fitted with a 15ft grp box body by Cardiff Truck & Bus. It has replaced a similarly-sized vehicle by a rival manufacturer.

“We’ve had some problems with our previous vehicles so we decided to look for an alternative,” says Transport Manager Ron Eason.

“The Canter had the right design, with a forward-mounted cab and a truck-style ladder chassis, which means it can take the large body we need while maintaining a relatively compact footprint on the road.

“Euro’s sales executive Luke Hardaker worked hard to convince us the Canter would be a solid, reliable performer and the dealer’s after sales set-up looks very impressive.

“Our drivers have also responded very well to the new vehicle and we’re delighted with it, so we had no hesitation in ordering a second.”

D Gibbon & Sons bakes 2,000 loaves and 40,000 bread rolls, and distributes a further 18,000 loaves of Hovis sliced bread, each day. The 22-strong truck fleet delivers to retail outlets across South Wales and into southern England, as far afield as Bournemouth; the first trucks leave the depot at 7pm each evening, and departures continue at regular intervals until 6am, to ensure fresh bread is on the shelves before its customers’ shops open each morning.