What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

Mercedes-Benz Vans has launched a service to help SMEs fund new vans. Andy Eccles, who has 30 years of experience in the contract hire and leasing market, heads up the new National Business Development team, having joined Mercedes in May.

One-in-three new Mercedes vans are now funded via Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Its approval rate is 85%, some 43% more than high-street banks, according to Mercedes.

The new service is focused on SMEs and is split from the German car and van maker’s larger fleet team.

Mercedes believes that the Citan and Vito vans will be the most popular with SMEs, although a company spokesman insisted the team will treat each customer individually. No sales numbers were available as What Van? went to press, but the spokesman predicted that they would grow over time.

Mercedes’ UK vans boss Steve Bridge slammed banks for failing to help small businesses grow.

“It is staggering that while business van drivers contribute almost £44bn
to the UK economy, and make up around 10% of the country’s total employment, their significant contribution to the economy is almost certainly forgotten when it comes to Britain’s banks,”
he said. “In order to ensure these businesses grow, whether they are sole traders or SMEs, high-street lenders need to wise up and give back to such an important part of the economy.”