Brit European secures Mercedes-Benz contract extension

Brit European Transport has won a three-year contract extension with Mercedes-Benz for the UK logistics of all its heavy trucks, Sprinter and Vario vans.

The deal will be welcomed by the Crewe-based car transporter, which reported an annual pre-tax loss for the year ended 31 December 2010 of £453,258 on a turnover of £20,082,412.

Predicting a boost to business for 2011, Brit European says it has “ invested further in sales resources in the last quarter of 2010 to capitalise on the expected upturn in market volumes, which will correspond with a tightening of supply chain capacities during 2011 and into 2012”.

The extended contract, which the car transporter first secured with Mercedes in 1997, sees Brit European collecting vehicles from docks at Purfleet, Essex and Killinghome, Lincolnshire, before onward delivery to dealerships and bodybuilders across the UK.

Ed Beresford, Brit European group marketing manager, says: “We’re  delighted to have retained this very important piece of business, and look forward to building further on our long and successful partnership with Mercedes-Benz.”

Last year, Brit-European announced it had won a contract to transport VW, Audi and Skoda cars, as well as VW commercial vehicles, from an import centre in Grimsby to parts of the dealer network. It also secured work with car-maker Porsche to move cars from Sheerness to its dealer network and head office in Reading.

To celebrate the contract renewal, the company has taken delivery of two new 460hp Actros 2545 tractor units, which it says will work on the Mercedes contract, as well as being fully equipped to full ADR specification for Brit European’s bulk chemicals division.

Beresford adds: “The Actros is an excellent heavy truck, superbly reliable, highly fuel-efficient and well-liked by our drivers.”