As Britain's leading manufacturer and supplier of electrical and mechanical workshop equipment, Clarke International knows all about first-class machinery - and in the new Mercedes-Benz Actros it's found just that!

The company has marked its 40th anniversary by taking delivery of four premium specification 4x2 Actros 1841LS MegaSpace tractors, all of which are equipped with Daimler FleetBoard telematics systems.

Clarke International's head offices are in Epping, Essex, but its new trucks are based on the site of its production and warehouse complex in Alfreton, Derbyshire. From here, they deliver the company's huge range of tools and machinery to retailers and distributors nationwide, aboard tandem-axle box trailers with tail-lifts.

The first Mercedes to wear Clarke's colours were supplied by East Midlands dealer Mertrux, which is servicing them under a free, two-year Mercedes-Benz repair and maintenance contract at its Mansfield workshop.

The Actros have replaced Swedish-built units and joined a fleet of tractors and 18-tonne rigids. Plated for operation at just 28 tonnes, the low-emission BlueTec® Euro 5 Actros were soon into their stride - fuel returns in excess of 11mpg within their first few weeks on the road quickly put them ahead of the competition, and the figures continue to improve.

"We talked to four other truck-makers before placing this order with Mercedes-Benz," says Paul Walmsley, General Manager at Clarke International. "Though by no means the cheapest, the Actros seemed to us to represent the best value for money overall, and to offer the best long-term reliability and durability.

"That's an important factor because although they run relatively light, we do expect to get at least 10 years' service from them, during which they will each cover in excess of one and a quarter million kilometres."

He continues: "We've rewarded our best drivers by giving them the keys to these new Mercedes and, of course, they're thrilled with them. The Actros is very comfortable, the cab exceptionally well laid out and nicely finished - it's obvious that Mercedes-Benz involved real drivers in the design process."  

Mr Walmsley is also hugely impressed with the Daimler FleetBoard telematics hardware, which monitors fuel consumption and analyses driver performance, taking into account a host of factors including the degree of difficulty of the route, over-revving, braking behaviour, stops and fuel consumption.

"It's telling me exactly how the vehicles are being driven and highlighting where the drivers might be going wrong," he says. "Our Distribution Supervisor Dayle White gives them daily feedback and as a result we've been able to achieve some significant improvements, for example by cutting down on a lot of avoidable idling."

"We like what we've seen so far of the dealer too," adds Mr Walmsley. "Mertrux are clearly a professional operation and their truck sales executive Gary Millhouse is easy to work with - our new Actros arrived on time and exactly as ordered."