13
December
2019
|
09:30
Europe/Amsterdam

MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd Gateshead, the new Angel of the North.

Summary
MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd, the sales and marketing organisation responsible for all MAN products and services throughout Britain, has opened a new start-of-the-art dealership in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The new dealership, located on the thriving Team Valley Trading Estate, will provide support for the complete range of award winning MAN vehicles: Trucks, Vans, Buses and Coaches. The purpose-built dealership is part of a £20m investment programme across the MAN Truck & Bus UK dealer network. Housed within a 3.3 acre site the new from the ground up construction started in January 2019 and was completed in November 2019.

Thomas Hemmerich, Managing Director MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd said: "MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd has operated a wholly owned dealership in Gateshead for nearly a quarter of a century, since 1996, and throughout this time we've both sold vehicles to and supported our customers from our existing facility in Earlsway, Gateshead. However, as our business footprint has grown considerably across both the Tyne Valley and the surrounding areas, so has our requirement for a larger premises.

"This considerable investment in a new purpose built state-of-the-art facility clearly demonstrates our long term commitment to both the North East and to our strong customer base in the area. The new facility will allow us to continue to grow further across the region and we're all incredibly excited to have this opportunity."

Situated some 800 metres off the busy A1(M) and just two miles from the A1(M) / A194(M) junction, the new dealership is overlooked by one of the UK's most recognised landmarks, Gateshead's iconic Angel of the North.

Standing centrally in the 3.3 acre site the new 24,524 sq. ft. building houses 12 workshop bays and an additional MOT ATF test lane. During day to day business 20 Technicians will service and support customers' vehicles across the 12 bay workshop. Ensuring customers maximise their fleet uptime the workshops will open 24 hours a day Monday to Friday as well as offering extensive weekend opening hours. Augmenting the MAN Truck & Bus service and uptime commitment MAN Gateshead will hold a £350,000 parts stock holding, accessible to technicians 24/7.

Ensuring the workshop offers a full range of cutting edge services to customers' vehicles, new workshop equipment has been specified throughout, including new tacho rollers, two new brake testers, new compressors, a new steam clean ramp and a new three ton overhead crane. During the foundation stages 28 metre long inspection pits featuring jacking rails, lighting and air lines, were set into the polished concrete workshop floor. Six new 7.5 tonne Stertil Koni wireless mobile column lifts have also been purchased allowing vehicles, of up to 45 tonnes and multi axle, to be lifted during service.

In addition to the extensive workshop facility visiting customers are met in a light, bright and airy Service and Sales Reception area. Drivers waiting with vehicles have a dedicated and comfortable waiting area featuring a digital television, vending machines for both hot and cold drinks and cold snacks, and mobile phone charging points.

The modern airy theme continues throughout the state-of-the-art office space which includes dedicated sales offices, meeting rooms, administration rooms and hot desks for field based staff. Ensuring staff and visitor welfare is prioritised, the new build boasts a staff canteen and locker rooms, as well as showers and facilities for male and female members of staff. This attention to detail in the design extends to the thought given to ensure that this new building has the highest level of accessibility for both staff and visitors with disabilities.

Looking forward and to address the needs of both future vehicles and customer requirements, the new facility also boasts four double vehicle Electric Vehicle charging points. MAN Gateshead is the first MAN eMobility workshop.

Thomas continued: "We'd like to thank everyone involved with this new facility, from the commitment shown by the developers UK Land Estates to the builders Tri Construction Ltd who have together done a super job; clearly both quality organisations.

"We'd also like to thank the staff who have been so committed to our customers here in the Team Valley in our previous location in Gateshead. They have shown great passion for the MAN brand over the years, and without them this would not be possible. Welcome to your new home."

The new dealership was developed for MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd by UK Land Estates - the largest commercial property investment and development Company in the North East.

During construction and to help ensure a reduced carbon footprint, the building's frame was sourced locally using steel formed in the north of England. The main beams for the structure were sourced locally, while sections were fabricated by Durham-based WRAM Fabrications Limited. In a bid to reduce the buildings carbon footprint both Passive and Active design features have been incorporated, including designing internal layouts to maximise the use of light and high thermal insulation. These combined features, using Energy Hierarchy for non-domestic buildings, show that a 13.88 per cent (6.72 tonnes CO2) improvement is predicted over the baseline energy analysis.

Tim Witty, Development Director at UK Land Estates, commented: "This is a fantastic investment by an international company in the North East, and a real vote of confidence in the region. UK Land estates has partnered MAN Truck & Bus UK in the Team Valley for more than 23 years and we are delighted to have been able to find a suitable location for the new facility within our large portfolio of development land and quickly provide a solution.

"This new purpose built facility has been designed and built to offer MAN Truck, Van, Bus and Coach operators an enhanced level of customer service experience. Being new, everything has been scrutinised and designed to meet the requirements of both todays needs and importantly, well into the future."

The New Gateshead facility will be used to sell, support and maintain the full range of MAN vehicles, from the TGE, starting at 3.0 tonnes, to the 250 tonne TGX heavy haulage tractor and both bus and coach products. In addition to vehicles customers are offered a comprehensive range of customer service options.

Supporting the workshop function are two MAN TGE Mobile24 Service vans, these aid truck, van, bus and coach customers in the unfortunate circumstance of a breakdown. MAN Mobile24 is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.