The launch last year of the Mercedes-Benz Citan meant that when Montgomery Refrigeration needed some new small vans, it could turn once again to its favoured supplier.

The Belfast-based supermarket installation contractor has operated the larger Vito and Sprinter vans for several years.

Previously, though, it had no choice but to look elsewhere for its smaller, car-derived vans, as the German manufacturer’s range did not include a vehicle in this class.

Montgomery Refrigeration tested a Citan demonstrator, which Montgomery Refrigeration says impressed with its combination of fuel efficiency, practicality and driver comfort.

As a result, it has just invested in 18 Long-bodied Citan 109 CDIs, along with a Vito 113 CDI Extra-Long and a Sprinter 313 CDI Medium. Their arrival means that all but a handful of the company’s 85 vehicles now wear Mercedes-Benz three-pointed stars.

Montgomery allocates the vans to its mobile engineers and technicians, who install and maintain storage and display units, including large fridges and freezers, at some of the UK’s biggest and best-known supermarkets.

The company provides a range of services to its customers and often acts as main contractor for large installation projects.

“Our vans carry spare parts, tools and equipment but we need different sized vehicles for varying functions,” explained managing director Michael Montgomery.

“Mercedes-Benz has always been our first choice as its vans are solid and dependable, well-liked by our engineers, and economical to operate. We’ve also been very well looked after by the dealer over the years.

“The introduction of the smaller Citan was a very welcome development – it means we can now source all our vans from a single supplier in which we have complete trust, and makes our lives easier because we now have a single point of contact for all our fleet requirements.”