GreenThumb UK has taken on 100 Mercedes-Benz Vito vans to support its expanding business. The vehicles will play a role at the heart of the operation, carrying tools and employees to locations throughout the UK.

The first couple of dozen vehicles have already been delivered and the rest will follow in batches throughout the year, as part of a rolling programme to replace the company’s entire fleet.

Stephen Waring, managing director of GreenThumb, which offers a year round lawn treatment service to customers, said: ‘People come to us because they want their lawns to always look their best. It is a very cost effective solution and really is cheaper than DIY.’

GreenThumb now has more than 100 franchisees and tends the lawns of 150,000 customers nationwide, but the investment is part of a massive expansion programme.

By 2010, it expects to have 200 franchisees and one million customers. Waring added: ‘I needed to review the vehicles used. We held discussions with several manufacturers and were particularly impressed with the professionalism of Mercedes-Benz.’