Pre-bodied FUSO Canter hammers the competition for Country Carpentry
Its garden buildings are highly bespoke, but Country Carpentry was only too happy to branch out by purchasing an off-the-shelf, pre-built FUSO Canter dropsider from Ciceley Commercials.
The Leeds-based operator’s new 3.5-tonne Canter 3C13 has replaced its previous dropsider, which was based on a French van chassis. For Director Aidan Jackson, the difference has been a revelation.
“The Canter is a proper truck, with a far more robust design and higher standard of build quality,” he said of Country Carpentry’s first FUSO. “By contrast, the vehicle we stood down just didn’t have the toughness we need. It wasn’t in the same league.”
In addition to its rugged construction and appetite for hard work, the company’s first Canter has impressed with its fuel efficiency, manoeuvrability and cab comfort. Mr Jackson also praised the Dealer for supplying the vehicle within a very tight timeframe.
Aidan Jackson“Ciceley’s Sales Executive Peter O’Grady was excellent from the outset,” he recalled. “He understood what we needed in terms of specification, and was able to supply a Canter from stock that met our requirements perfectly. The order was handled very professionally, and the truck arrived on time and in perfect condition. I called Peter the day after we took delivery to let him know how pleased I was, and to confirm we’d definitely made the right decision.”
Ciceley Commercials is a long-standing member of the Mercedes-Benz franchised network. Mercedes-Benz is part of the Daimler family, and so, too, is FUSO. This explains why Mercedes-Benz Trucks Dealers also sell and support the Canter light truck range in Great Britain.
Canter customers can choose ready-to-work 3.5-tonne platform dropsiders and tippers, and 7.5-tonne tippers, pre-bodied at FUSO’s main European production facility in Tramagal, Portugal, by the highly regarded Italian manufacturer Scattolini. This programme allows customers to put their new vehicles to work a lot more quickly than would be the case if chassis were sent to third-party bodybuilders. Finished trucks are also covered by single invoices, simplifying administration and reducing associated costs.
Country Carpentry’s Canter 3C13 has a day cab and is powered by a high-torque 3.0-litre engine that produces 96 kW (130 hp) and is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox – the 3C13 model is also available with a dual-clutch DUONIC automated transmission. Customers needing a more powerful 3.5-tonner can choose the Canter 3C15, which employs a 150 hp version of the same turbodiesel and the DUONIC system only.
Fuel-efficient and exceptionally manoeuvrable, the smaller Canter shares its 7.5-tonne stablemate’s ladder-frame chassis design, which gives it truck-like strength and durability. Most of its competitors in the 3.5-tonne GVW segment have van-based underpinnings, so these attributes appeal particularly to builders and others whose trades place heavy demands on vehicles.
Unusually for a dropsider, Country Carpentry’s Canter is fitted with a roof-mounted air deflector, to counter the aerodynamic drag caused by the tall timber panels it frequently carries.
The entire process, from initial order to delivery, was completed within just two weeks. After a month on the road, the truck has lived up to Aidan Jackson’s positive first impression. “I’m delighted with it,” he confirmed. “We’re not a transport firm so we don’t measure fuel consumption obsessively, but the Canter is clearly more economical than the vehicle it replaced.
“The cab-over-engine design means that even with a 12ft body, its overall footprint is no greater than that of our previous 3.5-tonner, which had a 10ft platform. The cab is far more spacious than I’d imagined, too. I’m 6ft 4in tall, and most of our crew members are big guys, but the Canter can seat three of us in comfort. I can’t say a bad word about it.”
Country Carpentry offers a wide range of garden buildings, from compact tool stores to large, fully lined and insulated offices, gyms and summer houses. All are designed and constructed from scratch in the customer’s choice of materials, to fit the plot available.
The company’s teams have worked as far away from home as London and Newcastle, but undertake the bulk of its work within a 50-mile radius of Leeds.
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Another amazing review for our Blackburn Service Team who continue to deliver outstanding customer service and creating a welcoming experience for every customer who visits us.
From expert support in the workshop to the all-important coffee ☕ — it’s great to see the team’s hard work recognised!
BRAND NEW DIESEL OFFERS - AVAILABLE NOW!
Explore the latest offers across the Mercedes-Benz diesel van range at Ciceley Commercials
Whether you’re looking for efficiency, practicality or dependable performance, there’s never been a better time to upgrade your van.
https://www.ciceley.com/ciceley-vans/offers/diesel-offers/
For more information and full T&Cs, please visit our website.
Making new best friends at the APSE event in Aviemore. Fleet, Waste and Grounds Seminar. Proud to have partnered with @fzuk.fleetservices for this event. #municipal #council #wastemanagement #truck #mercedesbenz
HAPPY WORLD BEE DAY! Have a Bee-rilliant day 🐝 #worldbeeday #mercedesbenz #greenerbusiness #bees #honey
We’re excited to be attending the APSE Scotland Fleet, Waste & Grounds Seminar 2026 this week, at the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort!
You’ll find us on Stand 32, where our team will be on hand to chat all things fleet, commercial vehicles and support solutions. We can`t wait to meet everyone.
#APSE #FleetManagement #CommercialVehicles #WasteManagement #GroundsMaintenance #Networking
⚡ OUR NEW ELECTRIC OFFERS HAVE ARRIVED ⚡
Thinking about making the switch to electric? Now’s the perfect time to explore the Mercedes-Benz electric van range at Ciceley Commercials
Designed to keep your business moving with zero-emission driving, lower running costs and trusted Mercedes-Benz reliability.
https://www.ciceley.com/ciceley-vans/offers/electric-offers/
For more information and full T&Cs, please visit our website.
Proud to see the first Mercedes-Benz Actros 2453 LS ProCabin Stream tractor unit delivered to R J Rich & Son Ltd by Richard Wilson, Truck Sales Executive at Ciceley Commercials 🚛👏
Designed for the highly specialised bulk powder sector, this impressive new vehicle will be transporting materials including sand, cement, sawdust and crushed glass — supporting the demands of local industry with a specification tailored perfectly to the job.
Featuring the 13-litre engine and a twin PTO setup to power both blower equipment and hydraulic pumps, this Actros is built to handle demanding operations efficiently and reliably.
The ProCabin StreamSpace configuration is still a relatively new addition to the Mercedes-Benz Trucks range, making this a standout addition to the R J Rich & Son Ltd fleet and a fantastic example of modern truck technology adapted for specialist regional applications.
Congratulations to the team at R J Rich & Son Ltd — we wish you many safe and productive miles ahead! ⭐
DISCLAIMER: Our Service Managers Are Lovely! #service #mercedesbenz #apex #chemicalbrothers #officehumour
🏆 Double Award Success for Ciceley Commercials 🏆
We are incredibly proud to announce that we have been awarded both Daimler Truck Dealer of the Year and Customer Service Team of the Year at the Daimler Truck Dealer of the Year Awards held at the Voco Hotel in Leicester.
These awards are a fantastic achievement for our business and recognise the commitment, professionalism and teamwork demonstrated across every part of the organisation.
Head of Network Development at Daimler Truck UK, Leonhard Niemann, commented:
“I’m really proud of Ciceley Commercials – they truly deserve this. They’ve worked incredibly hard, consistently delivered strong customer satisfaction scores, and are investing significantly in the future.”
Ciceley Dealer Principal, Andy Heys, added:
“I am incredibly proud of the Ciceley team and everything they continue to achieve in such a challenging and demanding industry. Their passion, commitment and drive to continually improve and do more for our customers is what makes this business so special.”
These awards not only recognise what has already been achieved, but also reflect the exciting future ahead for the business. Development of our brand-new Eurocentral site is progressing exceptionally well and remains firmly on track to open in October — another major step forward in our continued growth and investment in the future.
Thank you once again to every member of the Ciceley team for your continued hard work, and thank you to our customers for your trust, support and for continually inspiring us to raise the standard in everything we do.
#CiceleyCommercials #DaimlerTruck #DealerOfTheYear #CustomerServiceExcellence #Teamwork #TruckIndustry #CustomerFirst #Eurocentral
We’re thrilled to share that the team at our site has received another incredible customer review!
Positive feedback like this is a fantastic reflection of the hard work, dedication, and excellent customer service the team provides day in and day out.
If you need to book your van, truck, car or bus in for a service or repair, or if you require parts support, please get in touch with the team today — they’ll be more than happy to help.
www.ciceley.com
Plato Racing heads to Brands Hatch this weekend!
Following an impressive debut weekend at Donington Park, where the team secured a historic Qualifying Race victory and multiple top ten finishes we wish the best of luck for Round two of the 2026 BTCC season for Plato Racing.
Take a look back at the action from the opening race weekend below 👇
https://youtu.be/NPRR5KZVdwI
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