Customers and staff members of Quality Marking Services were invited to suggest names for the award-winning company’s two new Mercedes-Benz vans. The result: ‘Kate’ and ‘Pippa’ have now taken to the road.

The road marking and specialist surfacing business is based in Newton Abbot, Devon, and purchased its fuel-efficient Sprinter 313 CDIs from Exeter Dealer City West Commercials, with funding support from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.

Both are from the latest Sprinter range launched late last year. The new model has improved fuel economy and safety. Safety features available include Crosswind Assist system, which detects sudden strong gusts of wind and helps to prevent the van drifting out of its lane by applying individual brakes on one side of the vehicle.

"We like to name all of our vehicles," explains QMS operations director Greg Clark. "And given that we asked customers and colleagues to offer suggestions for a pair of sisters, I suppose the result was inevitable – the Duchess of Cambridge and Pippa Middleton won by a landslide."

Founded in 2001, the family-run firm also operates seven rigid trucks of various sizes, three of which wear Mercedes-Benz stars. It has a smaller Vito van on order too.

The medium-length, high-roofed Sprinters arrived in Highway Yellow – local specialist A-Signs then applied their liveries.

"These new vans are a great mobile advertisement for our business, and are turning heads wherever they go," says Clark.