Fork-lift truck manufacturer Jungheinrich, which has its UK headquarters in Milton Keynes, has taken on its first vehicle from the new Mercedes-Benz Vito range.

The company employs a team of field-based engineers and operates a fleet of 3.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, as well as a number of small Citans.

Jungheinrich has allocated the Vito to a Norfolk-based engineer for trial. Supplied by East Anglian Dealer Orwell Truck & Van, the ;ong-bodied 111 CDI is fitted with the operator's purpose-designed racking to carry tools and spares.

Most of the 280 vans which Jungheinrich operates in the UK are of a similar size to the new Vito.

They are used by engineers who visit the premises of customers to undertake scheduled maintenance and rapid response repairs on its full range of electric- and engine-powered fork-lift trucks.

The company also operates approximately 70 vans at 3.5 tonnes gvw to support customers for its larger, diesel-engined and gas trucks.

Most of these are now Sprinters. Orwell Truck & Van has supplied 30 new short- and medium-length 313 CDIs over the past 18 months with a further 20 vans due for replacement this year, while the remaining vehicles which do not wear three-pointed stars will be phased out over the next two years.

Jungheinrich¹s Citan 109 CDI longs, meanwhile, are used by site engineers who are 'embedded' with customers and need a small van to flit between multiple points at the same location.

"Parts would be delivered direct to the workshop so these guys don¹t need a big vehicle," said Steve Clarke, purchasing manager for Jungheinrich.

"But they may still need to carry their tools between four or five units on the same industrial park.

"We have 24 vehicles of this size and most are now Citans."