Mem UK sales aim:
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8000 in 1975
• Mercedes-Benz plans to sell 800 commercial vehicles in Britain this year, 2000 (worth over Elm) next year, 8000 in 1975 and increasing numbers annually up to and beyond 1977 when the tariff barriers between Britain and the other EEC members will have been completely removed.
This news was given on Monday by Mr Patrick Meaney, chairman of MercedesBenz (Great Britain) Ltd. He was opening the first of a series of new sales and service depots for Mercedes commercials, to be called truck centres; this one is at Borehamwood, Herts, just off Al at the "Thatched Barn" turning.
The new depot has 41,000 sq ft covered, in two 80ft bays, and features tiled under-floor pits in a workshop area; engine and component reconditioning shops; and a spare parts store. A 24-hour breakdown service is operated (tel: 01-953 8111). This new London truck centre is intended to set a pattern for the facilities which Mercedes is establishing to support its sales drive. The Borehamwood depot will operate as a main dealer for the sales and servicing of Mercedes commercials in London and the Home Counties.
The sales target figures given by Mr Meaney include vehicles under 3+ tons gross as well as the heavies, and on Monday the chief executive of Mercedes-Benz GB commercial vehicle operations, Mr Peter Yates, said that as well as the lightweight machines and specialized vehicles such as dumpers soon to be imported, a further complete range of medium-weight trucks "remained to be brought in as soon as the tariff barriers had been removed".
Mr Yates commented that removal of tariffs would enable Mercedes trucks to compete on price as well as quality.