Six Month Trial Leads To 523 Movano Van Order For Vauxhall

LUTON – November 4, 2008: An order for 523 Movano panel vans has been won by Vauxhall Commercial Vehicles following an intensive six-month evaluation exercise involving 58 vehicles and carried out by the UK’s largest dedicated home collection and delivery company.

Liverpool based Home Delivery Network Limited, which runs 2,600 vans, put a variety of makes through the comprehensive and demanding evaluation process. They monitored all key aspects of performance from reliability and fuel economy to ease and cost of maintenance. Whole vehicle life cost was also calculated and driver feedback obtained. At the end of the exercise Movano emerged as the overall winner.

Brian Wheadon, Director of Fleet and Facilities Management at Home Delivery Network Limited, said: “Our priority is to deliver the very best of service to our customers; we have therefore chosen to work with Vauxhall due to the reliability of their vehicles and ability to keep vehicle downtime to an absolute minimum.

“These vehicles have been extremely well received by our depot managers and drivers and we believe will enhance our corporate image both out on the road and at the customer’s doorstep.”

Mr Wheadon added that the availability of good service back-up through the UK-wide Vauxhall Commercial Vehicle dealer network had also been an important consideration. Service support for the Movanos will be split equally between HDNL’s own workshops and the dealers and Mr Wheadon said that solid relationships had been formed between the HDNL engineering team and the dealerships.

He particularly praised the help given by Deborah Stewart-Downs, Corporate Sales & Development Manager, GM UK Fleet in forging these relationships and in ensuring that HDNL’s experience as a customer met their high expectations.

Delivery of the new Movanos is already underway to the 58 depots across the UK from which they will operate. From these HDNL delivers to 1,760,000 UK postcodes in 120 postal regions. The company has a further four specialised operation sites which distribute heavy and large items and two national sorting centres in Oldham and Droitwich.

Both long and short wheelbase models are being supplied through Pentagon of Derby. All are powered by the 2.5 CDTi diesel engine developing 100ps. Prior to going into service they are being ply-lined and having decals applied by Botts SVO at their fitting centres in Bude and Ashby-de-la-Zouch.