Aberdeenshire ’ s Urquhart Joinery Services enjoys an enviable reputation for the high quality of its work – and demands the same exemplary standards from its truck supplier .

No surprise , then , that when the family-owned firm decided to replace its seven-year-old Mercedes-Benz , its first call was to Dealer BLS Truck & Van for another vehicle from the same model range .

Proprietor David Urquhart established his business 42 years ago , in the coastal town of Portsoy , near Banff . Urquhart Joinery Services now employs a workforce of 28 people and offers a

bespoke design and manufacturing service encompassing a variety of timber products , but primarily staircases , and door and window sets .

The new 13.5-tonne Atego 1321L has a ClassicSpace S-cab and a 5.1-litre engine rated at 155 kW ( 211 hp ). Fitted with a curtainside body by Micra Truck Bodies , of Wakefield , the truck offers a useful extra tonne of payload capacity compared to its 12-tonne predecessor .

Urquhart Joinery Services relies on a fleet of seven Mercedes- Benz vans , as well as its single truck , to distribute products as far north as the Shetland Islands , and south to Scotland ’ s

Central Belt . The Atego is now being inspected and maintained at BLS Truck & Van ’ s Aberdeen workshop , under a seven-year Mercedes-Benz Complete Service Contract .

“ The COVID-19 pandemic has made life extremely difficult for many people , but we were very fortunate throughout 2020 ,” said Mr Urquhart . “ We managed to maintain a significant volume of work , which helped us through the lockdowns – although , of course , we ’ ve introduced new working practices to help keep our customers and staff safe .

“ One thing that hasn ’ t changed , though , is our choice of truck ,” he continued . “ Our previous Atego

has proved over the last seven years to be impressively rugged and reliable . When we stood it down it had more than 300,000 km on the clock , but still looked smart and had never let us down . We ’ ve tried other makes of truck in the past , but none came close in terms of quality .”

The company ’ s insistence on a truck bearing the three-pointed star has the full backing of driver Nick Nelson . “ Nick loves his new Atego ,” said Mr Urquhart . “ The engine has plenty of power for hilly roads , while the cab is well designed and exceptionally comfortable , not least because we specified air suspension on the rear axle – this makes for a smoother , more relaxing ride , as well as helping to protect our products from transit damage .

“ Another key attraction is the customer-focused back-up we receive from the BLS Truck & Van team in Aberdeen . The Dealer is still relatively new to the Mercedes-Benz franchise but has impressed with its investments in people and facilities ,

and commitment to supporting operators like ourselves ,” continued Mr Urquhart .

“ Sales Executive Chris Dyer handled our latest order extremely efficiently . He arranged the competitively priced funding from Mercedes-Benz Finance , and managed the bodybuilding phase on our behalf . We also trust his Service department colleagues to keep our truck roadworthy and operating at peak efficiency .”

Purpose-designed for light- and medium-duty distribution work , as well as construction applications , the Mercedes-Benz Atego range from 7.5-16 tones GVW offers outstanding dynamics , comfort and manoeuvrability . It also enjoys an unrivalled reputation for durability .

“ When we choose a new truck our focus is on the total cost of operation over a seven-year life , and our experience confirms that the Atego is a clear winner ,” Mr Urquhart said . “ With the expert support of BLS & Van , I ’ ve every confidence that like its predecessor our latest Mercedes-Benz will exceed expectations .”