Plantforce has equipped its Sprinters with welding equipment and a sink, in addition to a wide range of spare parts

The construction trade is known for giving its equipment a hard time — on and off the road. That applies to service vans too, which have to cover big miles and work on building sites where conditions are more suited to a JCB than a 3.5t road vehicle.

Given this, it’s no surprise that West Country plant hire specialist Plantforce has been impressed with its first three Sprinters, which recently joined the company’s fleet and are expected to cover up to 60,000 miles per year on a five-year maintenance contract.

Plantforce was founded 14 years ago by Managing Director Claire Trott and its growing fleet now extends to some 380 pieces of equipment, which its hires out to customers on a self-drive or operated basis.

“We rely on our mobile engineers to keep our machines up and running when they’re out working in the most challenging of conditions,” she says. “It’s a tough job and their vans will be worked hard, covering up to 60,000 miles a year, so they must be able to last the pace.

“Our engineers are delighted with their Sprinters, which represent a big step forward for us in terms of specification and cab comfort.

“Given the mileages they’ll be covering the fact that these new vans offer better fuel economy than our previous vehicles was another big attraction, as were the many high-tech safety systems that come fitted as standard.

Plantforce’s Sprinters are 313 CDI medium-wheelbase models, which carry a wide range of tools and spare parts, in addition to welding equipment and a sink. Two fo the vans are based at Plantforce’s headquarters in Bristol, while the third is based at its Exeter depot.