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

As the clocks go forward and we begrudgingly lose an hour of sleep, at least there is warmer weather to look forward to. Best get those gardens in order! Well, as spring gets into full swing, the IVECO DAILY MISSION AWARDS is celebrating the FORESTRY & GROUNDS MAINTENANCE sector. With roots in this mission long established, the Daily continues to provide a winning formula for the green-fingered with its multiple seating layouts, bodywork compatibility and drivetrain options, including the extremely capable Daily 4x4. With its class-exclusive gross weight range from 3.5t to a unique 7.2t, and ready-to-roll arboricultural and caged tipper bodies as part of the driveaway scheme, the Daily works harder so you can work smarter. The judges have carefully pruned the entries, and these are the three that caught their eye…

GMCB – NOMINATED BY AM PHILLIP

A true example of the Daily’s flexible and mission-ready nature, the latest of GMCB’s fleet of 10 Dailys takes on a multitude of roles. Based upon a twin rear wheel 35C14 chassis for improved traction and weight spreading on snow or soft ground, the 3,450mm wheelbase makes for a highly manoeuvrable and stable vehicle when towing up to 3.5t. The judges were impressed by its flexibility, utilising a high-sided
dropside body for summer and snowplough mounting for winter, where its bodywork
is also stripped of its sides to create a flat surface for the mounting of gritting
equipment secured through eyelets in the flooring. Usually replacing vehicles on
a five/six-year cycle, GMCB plan to run the Daily longer thanks to its reliability and durability. Special mention also goes to GMCB’s charity work and its recruitment policy, attending local careers fairs and participating in school work experience schemes to attract new talent.

Down to Earth Trees – NOMINATED BY NORTHERN COMMERCIALS 

Covering the south-east of England, Down to Earth Trees is in the midst of growing the number of Dailys within its fleet. This is owing to successful reductions in vehicle downtime and TCO, as well as utilisation of out-of-hours servicing so as not to impact the working day. Its latest 35C16 features a lightweight arboricultural tipping body with secure tool lockers and ladder racks over heavy-duty rear suspension. The 160hp 3.0L diesel ensures optimal power when fully-laden and pulling anywhere up to 3.5t of equipment behind. The judges were impressed by the company’s utilisation of IVECO’s truck-aligned aftersales support and high levels of operational safety, including choosing the correct vehicle specification, training on dangerous machinery and working at height, undertaking the greatest care for the environment and guaranteeing top customer satisfaction. Additionally, the support and promotion of environmental charities, such as Tree Aid in Africa and Fund4Trees closer to home, was noted.

Westfield Tree Services – NOMINATED BY SHERWOOD WALTON SUMMIT