Activity at leading Midlands Iveco and Fiat specialists Sherwood Truck and Van is proving that businesses are still moving forward where exceptional products and quality of service are in evidence. The introduction of Iveco's brand new Eurocargo has attracted a huge amount of interest since its launch in October and Sherwood already boast a healthy order book for the latest version of the medium-weight, state-of-the-art truck.

One of the most popular commercial vehicles on the market, the Eurocargo covers the 7.5-18 tonne range, and is as robust as it is easy and comfortable to drive. Garry Nelson, Truck Sales Executive at Sherwood's Nottingham site, sold the first of the new models to one of Sherwood's most valued and long-standing customers, Peter Smythe, of Peter Smythe Transport Training in Mansfield.

"The Eurocargo is ideal for HGV training because of its easy driveability," says Garry. "I actually learned to drive with Peter in a Eurocargo, so I know they're perfect for the job. For starters, they have a draw bar – a pivoting part in the middle – which makes it easier to reverse and ideal for the learner driver.

"Iveco have made improvements to the new, updated model in all the right areas. The best features from the larger Stralis have been added, so when someone gets out of a Stralis, they're familiar with the way the Eurocargo drives. The finish has improved, too. There's a new, better quality dashboard and internal layout. And the styling, such as the front grill, has changed. Plus – even though Peter’s new bespoke truck has a manual gearbox for use in his driving school, all new Eurocargos are fully automatic or semi automatic as standard, which is ideal for long-distance use."

But the product itself isn't the only reason Peter Smythe Transport have maintained their relationship with Sherwood for so many years. Quick and efficient service is essential to Peter's business. After all, if a vehicle breaks down for any period of time, it can cost the company dear in terms of time and money.

"I've had Eurocargos before and I like the simplicity of them," says Peter. "Each truck is uniquely built, so if I have one off the road I can't just go out and hire one. But the back up is excellent at Sherwood. They understand the need of getting the vehicle back on the road quickly."