There's a new name for Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles in the West Midlands - but as far as customers are concerned it's very much 'business as usual'.

That's because the staff of newly-formed Midlands Truck & Van Ltd are the very people they've been dealing with and entrusting their vehicles to, in some cases for years. And they work from the same dealership locations in Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.

Midlands Truck & Van sells and supports the award-winning range of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles, as well as popular Fuso Canter light trucks. The new company was formed following the acquisition on 1 April of former franchisee Gerard Mann Commercial Vehicles by privately-owned Ballyvesey Holdings Ltd.

The announcement comes on the eve of the industry's premier showcase event, the Commercial Vehicle Show, which returns to the Birmingham NEC today (Tuesday 12 April) after a two-year gap following the dramatic slump in the truck and van market caused by the global economic downturn. 

Ballyvesey Holdings has a wide range of trading subsidiaries that include property development, management and investment businesses.  However, its main activities are concentrated in transport and logistics, trailer manufacturing, transport industry services and construction equipment.

The parent company is also heavily involved in the commercial vehicle sales and service arena, and its impressive portfolio already includes another, highly successful Mercedes-Benz dealer, Intercounty Truck & Van, which has headquarters in Wellingborough and other facilities in Milton Keynes, Peterborough and Toddington.

Midlands Truck & Van employs 187 sales, service and parts specialists, and administrative staff, across its three locations. All are now looking forward to a bright future under the leadership of a new dealer principal, whose appointment is to be confirmed soon.

Nigel Birkmyre of Ballyvesey Holdings said: "Our focus across all of our businesses is on operational excellence and delivering an outstanding customer experience, never forgetting that our customers have a choice. So to support our vision for Midlands Truck & Van we will continue to invest in our commercial vehicle dealership premises, as well as in staff training and technology, to ensure that we provide the very highest levels of service."

And he added: "We have inherited a first-class team of people and are proud to have been entrusted with this new franchise for Mercedes-Benz, surely the world's most iconic automotive brand, in this, its 125th anniversary year."