The Stiegl brewery is very impressed with the new Antos

The year 1492 wasn't just the year in which America was discovered. Much more than that, at the foot of the Mönchsberg in Salzburg, the Stiegl brewery made history with its beer. Back then, a certain Hans Peuntner inherited the company from the widow of his son and established a traditional brand which, over five hundred years later, produces more than a million hectolitres of beer per year and which, with the red staircase in its logo, is one of the strongest brands to come out of Austria. Stiegl also sticks to its own principles concerning brand image and tradition when procuring its fleet of vehicles, thus their close collaboration with Mercedes-Benz is an obvious choice. January 2013 saw the first new Antos with Euro VI engine put to use in the Maxglan district of Salzburg.

A few weeks later, the 18-tonner still looked pristine despite its exposure to ice and snow. Its driver, Franz Sigl – or Franky to his friends – keeps an eye on his new vehicle. Initially, he wasn't at all impressed by having to change to a Mercedes. "I'd been driving a truck from a different brand for years", explains the 48-year-old trucker from Salzburg, "and at the beginning I was a bit disappointed to have to change all of a sudden. I was just used to other things. And routines are sometimes hard to break."

But after a few days in the new Antos 1830 L, he soon began to change his mind. "Then I was actually positively surprised and quickly became impressed", says Sigl. "The vehicle is practical and simple to use, it's nice to drive, easy to change gear and sits firmly on the road. Put simply, the whole package is perfect." Sigl laughs – probably also because his working day is drawing to a close. All that's left to do is load the truck with tomorrow's precious cargo and then it's home time…

As ever, his day began at seven o'clock this morning. Sigl is allowed to take the loaded truck home with him. In the morning, he can then go out of his house door and get straight into his vehicle to begin with the deliveries. "Every day I have between ten and twenty customers on my route: pubs and even petrol stations, every now and again to warehouses or a supermarket." For several years, Sigl's route has included the Straßwalchen region, as well as Oberhofen am Irrsee and Neumarkt am Wallersee. Over the years, many customers have developed a trusting relationship with him and, in some cases, friendships have even developed – perfect for business.

"Our delivery drivers are our most important connection with our customers", says the company's head of logistics, Thomas Gerbl. "Some drivers are almost like a part of the family, they know all about the relationship status of their customers as well as about deaths or more pleasant occasions in the family. Accordingly, they can sympathise or rejoice with our customers. That's why we deliberately try and avoid stress and pressure in this area. Drivers should also have time to chat with our customers. It's an important point for maintaining the quality of our deliveries and our service."