WT Transport, a leading customer for top-quality pre-owned vehicles sold under the
Mercedes-Benz Approved Used banner, has entered an exciting new phase in its development after moving to a smart headquarters in Northampton.
The operator has relocated to the £15-million hub on the town’s Brackmills Industrial Estate which was opened in March by TPN – THE Pallet Network. WT Transport has covered the Milton Keynes postcodes for TPN since it became a member in 2015.
The new facility has 164,000 sq ft of internal operational space and the capacity for 8,000 pallets a night. WT Transport Managing Director Warren Tattersall said: “We’ve taken 40,000 sq ft, which is more than double the amount we had at our previous base and gives us a great platform for further growth.”
Mr Tattersall founded WT Transport in 1997 and ran only vans until 2009, when he acquired his first truck, a 7.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Atego. This marked the beginning of a period of strong, sustained expansion for the general haulier, which today runs a fleet of 40 rigid trucks and tractor units, and 13 vans, the majority of which were sourced through the Mercedes-Benz Approved Used programme.
Key to the success of his business, according to Mr Tattersall, is the relationship he has forged with City West Commercials’ Tim Sutcliffe, recent winner of the Used Truck Sales Executive of the Year title at Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ annual celebration of Dealer excellence.
“Tim sold us our first truck and he’s supplied all but a handful of the vehicles we’ve bought since,” said Mr Tattersall, who runs WT Transport in partnership with his wife Sarah, its Finance & HR Manager. “Tim is our most trusted supplier – nothing’s ever too much trouble, he’s always available, and if ever we have an issue we know we can rely on him to get it sorted quickly and efficiently.
“It’s this commitment to customer service which explains why Sarah and I have come to think of Tim as a personal friend. We were delighted to learn that his achievements had been recognised by the manufacturer; from our perspective, he’s a very deserving winner.”
Within the last 12 months WT Transport has increased the number of pallets it handles each night by 25%. Over the same period it has purchased a further seven pre-owned trucks from City West Commercials, among them an Actros 2545 BigSpace tractor unit with fuel-efficient second-generation engine, which was previously used as a demonstrator by the Dealer – it arrived with only 52,000 km on the clock and is now the company’s flagship.”
The oldest of its recent acquisitions was also a tractor unit, a 2546 model with MegaSpace cab from the previous Actros model generation, on a 12-plate. The remainder were all rigid curtainsiders: a 65-registered 26-tonne Actros which had covered just 25,000 km; three 18-tonners, two Actros and an Axor; and an 8.55-tonne FUSO Canter – Mercedes-Benz Dealers in Britain also sell and support the popular Japanese light truck range.
Like all Mercedes-Benz Approved Used vehicles, each of these trucks had undergone a nut-and-bolt inspection by a factory-trained technician, and been professionally valeted too. They also came with at least six months’ MoT and six months’ Mechanical Breakdown Insurance.
“We’ve always preferred to buy Approved Used vehicles because they represent such outstanding value for money,” said Warren Tattersall. “City West Commercials carry a good used stock themselves, but through Tim I can also access a much wider range of low-mileage vehicles – ex-demonstrators, ‘buy backs’, others that have come off contracts, and so on – which are attractively priced and available within a short timeframe.
“I will let him know if I need anything specific and he’ll always call me if he comes across a vehicle that he thinks is likely to be of interest. I’ll invariably say ‘Yes’, but,” he joked, “Tim then needs to get it past my wife, as she controls the purse strings!”
Mr Tattersall continued: “Our Mercedes-Benz trucks have always been exceptionally reliable and cost-effective to operate. The same is true of the FUSO Canters, which are ideal for urban, multi-drop work thanks to their high payloads, compact dimensions and manoeuvrability. These are proven products that get the job done.
“We employ our own mechanics but Mercedes-Benz back-up, whether in the form of technical advice, roadside assistance or parts supply, is also there whenever we need it.”
Tim Sutcliffe added: “Warren and Sarah have built a brilliant business and are a pleasure to deal with. All at City West Commercials wish them every success in their fantastic new home.”
