Pictured: It's a family affair… Neil Partridge with wife Caroline, daughter Rebecca, and one of their new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans

Mercedes-Benz vans are 'delivering the goods' in every sense at family-run Partridge Transport Services, which is now running its first five low-emission Euro 5 Sprinter models.

The Staffordshire-based haulage company bought its first Sprinter vans in 1999 and now runs a fleet of 16, which it uses to carry everything from food products and flat pack furniture, to personal protective equipment and vending machines, nationwide. 

Partridge Transport Services' latest Long-bodied Sprinters are 313CDI models and were supplied by Wolverhampton dealer Midlands Truck & Van. Power comes from a clean, 'green' 129hp engine that meets the latest Euro 5 emissions regulations - it is 15 per cent more fuel-efficient than the unit it replaced, this equating to an extra 4.5 miles per gallon, while CO2 emissions are down by 13 per cent.

Proprietor Neil Partridge drove trucks before starting the business he now runs with wife Caroline and their eldest daughter Rebecca from premises on Burntwood Business Park.

He said: "Between them our Mercedes-Benz vans clock-up many hundreds of thousands of miles each year and have proved to be highly reliable workhorses. So I have no doubt that these new Euro 5 models will prove to be every bit as dependable, while also helping us to cut our fuel costs and reduce our carbon footprint."

Also key to the 3.5-tonne Sprinter's appeal is its comprehensive safety armoury. This includes the latest Adaptive version of the ESP® electronic stability system pioneered jointly by Mercedes-Benz and Bosch, which takes account of a vehicle's changing load status. 

"We are highly conscious of our Duty of Care obligations not only to our own staff but also to other road-users," continued Mr Partridge. "So it's very important to us that we should be operating vehicles with class-leading safety credentials."

And he added: "The service from Midlands Truck & Van is excellent. Everyone is very helpful, especially the dealer's sales executive Stuart Bachelor; he is not too 'full-on' in his approach, which is something I appreciate as I don't like being pressured but prefer to be given the time to make a considered decision." 

Partridge Transport Services also offers storage and warehousing facilities at its 35,000sq ft facility and operates a home delivery division, as well as being a member of The Pallet Network.

Mr Partridge founded his business in 1993 and initially ran it from his home in Burntwood, before moving to a yard and office in Cannock Wood. Continued growth saw the company move to its current base.