Buta Singh says that he’s “a perfectionist” who will only taken on a commitment if he can deliver “a top-quality service”.

It was with this approach in mind that Mr Singh recently launched Wolverhampton-based van hire firm Eastgate Commercial Ltd with his sister, Baljit Johal. The launch event took place at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux Stadium, where Eastgate carries advertising.

The pair already run a commercial property business and say that demand from their customers prompted their decision to launch the new venture. Mr Singh is certainly starting big. Having recently taken delivery of 130 new Mercedes-Benz Vito 109 CDI vans, the firm has already placed an order for a further 100 Vito 111 CDI models.

According to the firm, the firm’s first 130 vans were all allocated to customers before their arrival. Most are now being used by contractors working as couriers for online retail giant Amazon.

All the vans carry Eastgate branding on their rear doors and are fitted with a remote shutdown facility. This will enable the vans to be disabled remotely if any are reported as being driven irresponsibly, a facility Mr Singh says his customers “have welcomed wholeheartedly”.

The company is already looking forward to the next phase in its development. “We want to grow, but in a controlled and sustainable manner,” continued Buta Singh. “We have no plans to rival the biggest players in the rental market, of course, but we are aiming to have between 500 and 1,000 vans on the road by 2019.”