The Swedish ambassador to the UK has cut the ribbon on a new commercial vehicle centre for Scania.

Her Excellency Nicola Clase inaugurated the new £6 million building, just off Junction 6 of the M20, at a ceremony today attended by about 100 transport operators.

The 2.5 acres site near Maidstone is the first of a new generation of UK premises for the truck retailer and will provide a range of services for haulage and logistics companies.

About 35 technicians, parts and admin staff will work at the centre.

Scania (Great Britain) managing director Claes Jacobsson said: “Scania Maidstone is a clear statement of our intent to continue building for the future and to provide our customers with the highest possible levels of quality and service.

“Together with our purpose-built Inverness premises, which opened earlier this year, Scania Maidstone represents the latest major investment in our UK network infrastructure.

“The programme will continue in 2016 with the upgrading of several existing Scania UK sites now either planned or underway.”

The premises, which will be fully operational in mid-December, include five drive-through workshop bays and a DVSA-authorised testing facility.

There will be a full Scania parts service and the site will also house new and used truck sales operations.

Gallagher Group, based in Maidstone, carried out the construction of the site, known as Brooklyn Park.

Chief executive Nick Yandle said: “It posed a few technical challenges for the team with the site surrounded by roads on all three sides, including the M20 to the south, motorway slip roads to the north and west, and Chatham Road A229 to the east.

“Thanks to a significant amount of planning, the cooperation of Highways England, and use of directional drilling technology, we were able to drill two small ducts under the M20, avoiding any disruption to traffic, to bring power, water, gas and telecommunications to the site.

“Brooklyn Park clearly shows that Maidstone can bring jobs and investment to the town when it makes the best use of its motorway junctions.”