Ciceley Commercials has played a key role in delivering a new fleet of 33 bespoke Mercedes-Benz vans to Swissport, the world’s leading aviation services provider, helping improve sustainability for employees and passengers across some of the UK’s busiest airports.
Working in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, Ciceley Commercials led on the specification, coordination, and delivery of vehicles custom-built for airside operations. The vans have been fitted with specialist airside conversions, allowing crews, equipment, and International Catering Waste (ICW) to be transported safely and efficiently directly to and from aircraft during time-critical turnaround.
These locally converted vehicles have been designed to reduce emissions across airport aprons while improving operational efficiency for ground staff working in demanding 24/7 environments.
Swissport commissioned Mercedes-Benz Vans to supply a fleet of electric and low-emission vehicles purpose-built for airside duties. Ciceley Commercials supported the project by ensuring each vehicle met strict operational, compliance, and conversion standards required for use within secure airport environments.
The fleet features:
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Sprinter Crew Chassis models fitted with purpose-built box bodies for transporting catering waste and cleaning crews
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Fully electric eSprinter models supporting maintenance tasks and staff transfers
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Compact eCitan electric vans providing versatile day-to-day support across airside operations
Collectively, the vehicles reduce emissions, improve operational efficiency, and support safe, reliable airside working practices across 12 major UK airports, including Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham.
This project forms part of Swissport’s wider sustainability strategy, which aims for 55% electric ground support equipment globally by 2032. As the aviation industry’s largest investor in electric fleet and carbon-reduction technology, Swissport holds EcoVadis Platinum status, placing it in the top 1% of organisations assessed globally.
In addition to vehicle delivery, Mercedes-Benz Vans provide authorised aftercare and maintenance for Swissport’s eSprinter and eCitan fleet through integrated service plans and specialist support – ensuring maximum uptime where reliability is critical.
Lee Haworth, Fleet Van Sales Executive from Ciceley Commercials played a central role in coordinating the project from start to finish, providing consistent account management throughout, being a single point of contact for both Swissport and Mercedes-Benz Vans UK. Lee managed the full process, from initial quotations and vehicle ordering through to delivery, working closely with approved bodybuilders to ensure each vehicle met the exact airside conversion requirements and overseeing the livery process. This end-to-end involvement ensured a smooth rollout and gave Swissport a true “one-stop shop” for everything relating to the fleet.
Andy Heys, Dealer Principal at Ciceley Commercials, said:
“Delivering vehicles for airside operations requires a deep understanding of compliance, conversion quality and operational reliability — particularly as fleets transition to electric.
“This project shows how strong partnerships can turn sustainability objectives into practical, day-to-day operations. Our role was to ensure every vehicle was correctly specified, converted, and delivered ready for the unique demands of airside work, backed by the aftersales capability needed to keep vehicles moving where uptime is critical.”
Iain Forsyth, Managing Director at Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, added:
“This once again shows how Mercedes-Benz Vans supports customers operating in challenging, highly pressurised environments. Working alongside partners like Ciceley Commercials ensures customers such as Swissport receive the expertise and service needed to meet strict operational and sustainability requirements.”
Karen Cox, CEO of Swissport, said:
“This partnership demonstrates Swissport’s commitment to turning sustainability goals into operational reality across our UK operations. Working with trusted partners gives us the reliability and innovation needed in demanding 24/7 airport environments while significantly reducing our environmental footprint.”
Through this project, Ciceley Commercials has helped Swissport turn its sustainability ambitions into practical, day-to-day operations, ensuring the fleet is fully supported, compliant, and ready to perform in demanding airside environments.
