With a business based on time-critical deliveries of highly sensitive loads across the whole of Europe, Wirral-based PDQ Specialist Couriers will trust only one brand of van.
Managing Director Brian Brennan has been relying on the three-pointed star ever since he launched his business as an owner-driver 18 years ago. He now runs a fleet of 23 Mercedes-Benz vehicles including examples from all three model lines – Citan, Vito and Sprinter – which together make up the manufacturer’s award-winning van range.
The latest arrival is a Sprinter 313 CDI chassis cab. Supplied by North-West Dealer Roanza, it is fitted with a twin-compartment insulated box body by Solomon Commercials, and a Carrier Transicold refrigeration unit. Unusually, the vehicle also has a sleeper compartment behind the cab.
PDQ has two more Sprinters on order from Roanza, for delivery before the end of the year, and plans to add a further eight to its fleet during 2016 to cope with ongoing expansion – these are due to be fitted with similar box bodies and will also have sleeping compartments in roof-top ‘pods’.
The operator provides time-critical, temperature-controlled delivery solutions to the pharmaceutical, hazardous goods and scientific analysis sectors – recent commissions included the transit of a biopsy sample from a brain tumour patient, taken by a Harley Street specialist, to a laboratory in Frankfurt.
The exacting nature of its work, and the high level of care and service it provides to customers including NHS foundations and multi-national corporations, helped PDQ lift the Refrigerated Courier of the Year title at this year’s Temperature-Controlled Storage & Distribution Awards
“Working in a field like this, reliable vehicles and reliable back-up are absolutely crucial – failing to arrive on time with a consignment is simply not an option,” asserted Mr Brennan.
“We need to have complete faith in our vehicles, and that’s what Mercedes-Benz gives us. Our vans are worked extremely hard, each covering an average of 100,000 miles a year, but we know we can depend on them. In 18 years of operation the number of breakdowns we’ve suffered is negligible, and when something has failed it’s invariably a minor wear-and-tear part rather than a significant fault with the vehicle itself.
“We know we can rest easy because help is never far away, thanks to the Mercedes-Benz MobiloVan cover which includes first-class 24-hour breakdown cover anywhere in Europe. The manufacturer’s three-year unlimited mileage warranty also means our vehicles are still covered with 300,000 miles on the clock.”
In the past PDQ has bought vehicles from former Mercedes-Benz franchisees Enza and Road Range, which merged last year to become Roanza. Its vans are maintained in the Dealer’s Deeside workshop.
The operator has traditionally used external finance sources but its next two Sprinters will be the subject of a Mercedes-Benz Financial Services funding agreement.
“We’ve always been very well looked by Mercedes-Benz, while its latest finance rates are highly competitive,” added Mr Brennan. “The entire package is so good that I just wouldn’t consider going elsewhere.”
