The replacement programme, part of a £5m partnership with commercial fleet provider Fraikin, is expected to be completed over five years, with the first 81 being delivered across the company’s 14 UK depots during the next few weeks.

Antalis logistics director, UK & Ireland, Nick Thompson said: "They’ll be rolling in between now and the end of August and the drivers will be trained on the new vehicles as they come in.

“It’s a one-to-one replacement programme for the whole fleet. It's fairly standard across the industry to replace vehicles at around the seven-year mark.”

Thompson said the new DAF Euro VI vehicles, which feature printed curtain sides, had been chosen above others because of their “impressive” range of new technologies, safety features and reduced environmental impact.

“We’ve had a mixture in the past of DAF, MAN and Mercedes but DAF came out the strongest this time, particularly because of things like automatic braking, which shows a real reduction in accidents, the automatic cruise control, cameras and lots of additional safety kit,” he explained.

David Hunter, Antalis regional managing director for UK, Ireland and Southern Africa, said: “Our business is built on delivering excellence to customers and we feel it’s important to uphold this culture through our logistic operations.

“Our new fleet means that we can offer customers a market-leading service and enhanced vehicles that will make a real difference to every stage of their delivery.

“Above all else, safety is our number-one concern and these new vehicles are equipped with technology that will help protect our employees, customers and other road users. It’s a significant investment for Antalis that will enable us to provide an even better service to our customers, aiding future business growth.”