Casemate Atego displays winning performance
Exhibition and display cabinet supplier Casemate has shelved its previous Mercedes trucks in favour of a show-stopping new Atego.
The Daventry-based company stood down its two faithful Mercedes 814s, after 13 years of sterling service, and replaced them with a highly specified Atego 824, supplied by Mudie-Bond, Oxford.
The new truck has a powerful 240hp engine and bespoke body, designed around Casemate’s standard sixes of display cases and fitted with internal cargo bars and a one-tonne tail lift. The truck is finished in a striking red livery.
The company’s glass cabinets are hired to people who want to display their wares at exhibitions, shows and trade fairs across the country – many of Casemate’s customers specialise in ‘high-end’ jewellery and antique products. Casemate has been established for 20 years and is a leader in its field, holding a stock of more than 200 display cabinets, all of which require expert handling.
The decision to stand down its previous trucks was prompted by the introduction of new emissions regulations, banning older vehicles from entering the LEZ area, which covers most of Greater London, where Casemate does much of its work.
“The old 814s have been brilliant workhorses and were still going strong. Of course they would have needed replacing sooner or later, but the new rules meant our hand was forced and we had to get a new vehicle in now,” says Director Simon Moss, who also drivers the new truck.
“We’ve been so impressed by the reliability of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, over the 13 years we’ve been running them, that another Mercedes was the obvious choice. We never even considered anything else.”
He continues: “The new Atego is just as strong and well engineered as our old 814s, but is a quantum leap forward in terms of comfort, ease of use and driver appeal. The cab is a massive improvement and the higher output engine that we specified means it always has performance to spare and never feels as though it needs to strain. She’s a real pleasure to drive, looks extremely smart, and we’ll probably order another one very soon.”
www.casemate.co.uk