Dairy Crest needed full-maintenance, contract hire of an additional 1,000 specially adapted Ford Transit milk floats for its 2,500-strong fleet. It also needed a round-the-clock repair service to ensure that vehicle downtime would be minimal.

Transit long wheelbase diesel chassis cabs will be made to Dairy Crest''s own specification, featuring aluminium box bodies suitable for dairy goods. The deal includes emergency repair cover as well as a scheduled maintenance facility with mobile engineers, who attend vehicles at customers'' own premises and at the roadside.

"The next few years are going to be an extremely busy period for our fleet and we believe that this partnership gives us the best of both worlds," said Nigel Carless from Dairy Crest, "Ford was chosen for its sturdy, reliable vehicles and flexible financial solutions and SEV for its ability to provide us with practical solutions and high quality service."

Ford collaborated with Gateshead-based SEV Fleet Maintenance, a division of manufacturing company Tanfield Group. "Dairy Crest''s particular needs required a unique fleet solution, and that''s what Ford and SEV have constructed," said Phil Marsh, corporate development manager, SEV.