The right vans are key to an up-and-coming heating company’s most important promise: reliability. Hereford Heating’s Rob Nash test drives the new T6 Transporter
For 23 years Rob Nash has been keeping the heating and plumbing systems of homes and businesses around Hereford working. His company’s engineers cover every type of heating installation including gas, oil, LPG and solar. Your car, truck, van or your entire fleet can be advertising for you at all hours of the day and night by converting into vehicle signage Sydney.
Providing environment-friendly energy is part of Hereford Heating’s offering, including solar-powered hot water and ground-source heat pumps.
What lies behind the success of Hereford Heating is reliability, increasingly seen as a USP when it comes to plumbers. “We have put a lot of time and effort into ensuring we give a reliable service and that we are first class in every avenue,” says managing director Rob.
That is critical for his client base. “We work with a wide range of clients: domestic customers, businesses, agents, landlords and local authorities,” says Rob, who has been plumbing all his adult life.
The company offers a full range of plumbing and heating work, from a boiler service at £65 to a complete installation. The company even took part in the BBC TV show DIY SOS when it came to Hereford in 2014. The programme enlists friends, family and local trades to help transform a home.
To deliver its maintenance, service and installation to customers across the county, Rob and his team of 13 run a fleet of seven Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCW) vans. The gas installers use the workhorse Transporter T5 while the engineers drive the more nimble VW Caddys. The vans are bought outright and changed every three years.
“I have always used VW – I’ve been driving them since I was 17,” says Rob, who created Hereford Heating in 2000 after a spell working as a sole trader. “I’ve driven many different types and sizes of VW and they always live up to my expectation.”
So, as a long-standing user of VWCW vans for his business, Rob was asked to test-drive a new t6 Transporter. “It’s nice to drive and the handling is only what I expected from VW,” he says. “It’s a smooth drive.
“I like the rear parking sensors and the satnav has improved,” he says. There is also a heated front windscreen, a boon on frosty mornings. It’s as though someone has thought about a few things for the driver and the working person who is going to be sitting in the vehicle all day,” he adds.
That’s the key to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: they are designed for working. While the cab has comfort, the chassis and rear compartment are built to meet the needs of tradespeople and service providers.
The vans can be fitted to suit specific requirements and Rob installs a range of racking where valves, pipes and other components are stored. “You can spec the van however you want. The racking works well. We just move it whenever we buy a new van,” he says.
It is 65 years since the Transporters first appeared and the latest version, the T6, comes with a wide range of spec options but with an emphasis on safety and security.
“One thing I do like about VW is that they are always pushing forward with new technology.” The T6, for example, comes with a touchscreen radio with Bluetooth connectivity.
Hereford Heating aims to portray a professional quality image. All the engineers carry ID, wear corporate uniform and are CRB-checked. Using liveried VWCW vans forms a major part of that strategy.
“Brand is important to us and VW helps us portray the right image of quality and reliability,” says Rob. “We took on the brand of VW because it goes hand-in-hand with our business. Hereford Heating will always use VW vans.” Get to know more info about how good vehicle signage for your business.