JCB Group has launched its new Mercedes-Benz Van Centre Medway following £100,000 investment.

The Gillingham-based centre, located on the main A2 London Road, Rainham, opened on January 2 and is the result of an “exhaustive search” by Mercedes-Benz for the right partner.

The group was chosen due to its retail focus and knowledge of the light commercial vehicle market in Kent, and has already revealed plans to open additional centres in the area.

JCB Group managing director, Jonathan Bischoff, said: “I was struck from our first discussions with the Mercedes-Benz Vans team, by the extent to which we share the same vision.

“JCB’s van sales operations are very car-orientated in terms of the attention we pay to customer care and satisfaction, and our primary focus on retail business and SMEs (small-to-medium-sized enterprises) with up to 25 vans.”

Having served previously as a used car sales facility, the Gillingham showroom has benefited from a £100,000 investment, and has created opportunities for recruitment and the company is inviting applications for a variety of customer-facing, technical, and other roles.

Mercedes-Benz Vans’ head of network operations, Sarah Palfreyman, said: “We put a lot of time and effort into securing the best possible representation for our brand in Kent, and have every confidence that Jonathan Bischoff and his colleagues will now deliver the industry-leading quality of service that our customers are entitled to expect.

“Important though it is, the opening of the Mercedes-Benz Van Centre Medway represents just the first step in the long-term relationship that we are committed to building with the JCB Group.”