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IN THIS ISSUE

Iveco and Nikola unveil the electric TRE

A new challenger in the abrasion -resistant steel market

Maintaining forklift safety

HOW TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS IN TRAILERS ARE BRINGING SAVINGS TO FLEET MANAGERS

TRAIL BLAZERS

JANUARY|2020

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2020 VISION

s we head into a new year, it seems only right to look ahead at what 2020 may bring.

The pace of change in the commercial vehicle is

at arguably unprecedented levels currently, with developments in alternative fuels and connectivity changing the landscape for commercial vehicles and those that operate them. This is only going to continue as the technology develops and matures.

For instance, electric seems to be the way forward for LCVs and buses. Many of the leading van manufacturers are launching electric versions of popular diesel/petrol models in 2020, in response to increasing demand from operators.

Certainly for urban work, it is becoming an increasingly popular choice – and it is now up to manufacturers to keep up with demand. With clean air zones on the horizon in many UK cities, the numbers being bought is only going to go one way. But there has been talk of long waiting lists for some electric vehicles, which will need to be addressed.

However, electric still isn’t a viable option for long-distance haulage work. Yet. There are signs that this could be changing: Nikola, in partnership with Iveco, recently launched the TRE, which is claimed has a range of up to 400km. See page 8 for more on this. In the US, Telsa is claiming the Cybertruck could go up to 500 miles.

Whether this turns out to be a viable alternative to diesel for long distance work remains to be seen. There are other alternatives in the mix, such as LNG and HVO while there is ongoing research into making diesel engines even more clean. Certainly, if electric is going to be the solution to zero emissions travel, then the charging infrastructure will need to be extensively developed – as I have written about before in this column – by the government.

Speaking of which, with the new Conservative government elected with a large majority earlier in the month it seems certain that the UK will leave the EU at the end of January. While this may give a degree of certainty to operators – something they have been asking for since 2016 – we still don’t know what sort of Brexit we will get as the trade talks will only begin in February and the threat of ‘no deal’ is still there if a deal isn’t agreed before the end of 2020.

What effect that will have on the sector remains to be seen. But before any potential Brext effect is considered there is already talk of truck sales being down in 2020 after operators pulled planned purchases forward to 2019 due to Brexit uncertainty. However, that said, there is still some bullishness from manufacturers as to next year’s prospects. But then they would say that, wouldn’t they? Time will tell…

Dan Parton,Editor

A

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4 JANUARY 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER

20

6>> POINTS OF VIEWBandvulc’s Arthur Gregg on the importance of tyre casings; Eddie Park takes issue with WLTP’s stance on streamlining LCV bodies.

8-9>>NEWSIveco and Nikola unveil the battery electric TRE truck; Scania changes brand name for its S-series.

10>> NEWSAIR Index reveals emissions on some best-selling LCVs are worse than officially stated.

12-14>> NEWS Volvo launches concept heavy duty trucks; ISS launches anti roll-away safety device; Goodyear unveils new tyre range; Renault Trucks upbeat about 2020 prospects.

CONTENTS


24

15>> FLEET NEWSSamworth Brothers take on 48 new Actros tractor units.

16>> FLEET NEWSBibby Distribution invests in advanced tankers for delivering chocolate.

17>> FLEET NEWSExeter takes on new RCVs with bin weighing technology; Nottingham completes upgrade to fully euro VI bus fleet.

20>> HARD ENOUGH?A new challenger is emerging in the abrasion-resistant steel market.

24>> BLAZING A TRAILTechnology and innovations in trailers are bringing savings to fleet managers.

29>> STAY SAFEThere is much still to be done to improve the safety of forklifts and those who operate them.

32>> NEWS FROM THE NORTHThe Truck Advocate dispenses more sage advice; review of the Volvo FH Lite and whether going for payload compromises total cost of ownership.

37>> PEOPLEA graduate working in Uganda for Transaid, chief executive of ADL receives CBE, plus latest appointments by JC Payne, Volta Trucks and HELLA.8

CONTENTS


WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AFTER TYRE CASINGS

yres are incredibly valuable assets to any commercial fleet, influencing about 40% of all vehicle operating costs. If

treated correctly, they can be professionally regrooved and retreaded to extend the life of the tyre. In addition, safety is also a key aspect as the tyre is the only part of the vehicle in contact with the road.

The reason Bandvulc is so heavily invested in retreading is because it is proven to be cost-effective for operators to get even more from their tyres. With retreads, fleets achieve 95% mileage at 70% of the cost of a new tyre, offering excellent value for money and significantly reducing running costs in a competitive fleet market. The process also saves 80% of the materials required to manufacture a new tyre and therefore significantly reduces the impact on the environment.

However, if operators are to make the most of these benefits, a good quality tyre casing is crucial. This is why it’s so important to take care of casings and have an effective tyre management policy in place. Through ongoing inspection and appraisal, tyre management also shows operators where they might need to adapt driving behaviour or modify their tyre policy.

Once a tyre casing has reached the end of its initial life, it should be inspected for two reasons. Firstly, to determine whether the casing can be retreaded, and therefore offer the fleet operator significant cost savings. Secondly, to see if the operator and its drivers have been using the tyre correctly and making the most of its potential.

These checks show us, for example, if the tyre has been placed on the wrong axle, misaligned or under- or over-inflated. In any of these scenarios, the cause of damage can be determined from the state of the tread. It is also clear whether the operator has been using the correct tyre for the application.

Following this assessment, the operator can address any application issues, therefore boosting fleet performance, efficiency and safety. In certain situations, we might recommend that the operator fits an entirely new tyre. Ultimately, by refining driving behaviour or adapting their tyre policy, the fleet operator is able to save significant amounts of money.

After inspection and appraisal, the information can be captured in a casing report, which acts as a diagnosis or health check for the operator’s casings. By seeing exactly how many casings and retreads were accepted and rejected, as well as the reason why they were rejected, the operator can adjust their tyre policy as necessary and address any issues with driving behaviour across the fleet. The reasons for rejection can range from bead damage and shoulder wear to a punctured tyre and visible steel belts. It’s also useful to know exactly where on the vehicle the tyres are failing. Perhaps the driver is accelerating too quickly causing the tyres to spin and chunk: in which

case, it may be necessary to introduce additional training to improve driver behaviour across the fleet.

By having their tyre casings regularly inspected and given the attention they deserve, commercial fleet operators are one step closer to unlocking the full potential of their fleet.

Arthur Gregg, managing director of Bandvulc

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POINTS OF VIEW

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WLTP BRINGS QUESTIONS ON STREAMLINING FOR LCVS

Most readers will be aware that streamlining of custom bodies for light commercial vehicles has

come a long way in recent years thanks to new designs, new materials and new ideas. There has been a lot of innovation.

These features designed to reduce the drag of a van can have a worthwhile impact on fuel consumption - typically, this might be 3-5%. Taken across a fleet, this means not just lower costs through reduced fuel use but improved emissions, too. It’s a win-win situation.

However, there is a possibility that new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) rules for vans, which was introduced for all new vans in September, could potentially disincentivise fleets from adopting these fuel-saving designs.

Let me explain the situation. The fundamental problem is that the WLTP data being used for converted and bodied chassis only take into account the frontal dimensions of the vehicle and do not include any other streamlining measures fitted by body builders of the type that are now commonplace such as aerodynamic collars and bulkheads.

While streamlined designs produced under these conditions would still bring benefits in terms of the real-world miles per gallon figures achieved by fleets, it would not be reflected in the WLTP figures. The concern is that the overall picture would potentially become muddled through a lack of consistency.

In our view at Arval UK, if the measures undertaken by body builders to improve fuel consumption are not recognised in the WLTP figures, then there will be no widely accepted third party evidence of the positive effects of streamlining, which could ultimately have an impact on levels of adoption. For something that we know works in the real world, this would be a loss.

The issue is likely to affect Luton and box bodied commercial vehicles that are commonly used by businesses ranging from individual traders through to major fleets, so the implications are potentially quite widespread.

At Arval UK, we are very supportive of WLTP in general and believe that its introduction for LCVs will be a positive move. It provides buyers of vans, whether they operate one or 1,000 units, with a much better guide to how their vehicle will perform in actual operating conditions, which is something we very much welcome.

Also, the introduction of WLTP for LCVs has been much smoother than for cars thanks to lessons learnt by manufacturers at that time, especially when it has come to the overall supply of

vehicles. These are major positives and we applaud them.

However, only including the frontal area of the vehicle in the WLTP data produced for body builders doesn’t recognise the value of streamlining when it comes to fuel consumption and emissions. We believe there is a strong argument for revisiting the subject.

Eddie Parker, Product Manager, LCVs, Arval UK

Arval UK, part of the Arval Company, provides vehicle funding, fleet management and mobility solutions. Owned by BNP Paribas, with substantial buying power, Arval funds more than 165,000 cars and vans in the UK.

POINTS OF VIEW

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veco, FPT Industrial and Nikola unveiled the maquette of the Nikola TRE, a battery electric vehicle (BEV) with a

range of up to 400km. The Nikola TRE is first vehicle

resulting from the joint venture between CNH Industrial and Nikola. It is based on the Iveco S-Way truck, which was launched in July. The Nikola TRE integrates Nikola’s advanced

electric technology and new-generation proprietary infotainment system.

The integration of the Nikola design on the Iveco S-Way was carried out by Nikola and Italdesign in its headquarters in Moncalieri, Turin.

Gerrit Marx, Iveco’s president commercial and specialty vehicles, said that the Iveco S-Way is: “the bones of the Nikola TRE and marks the beginning of a new journey towards zero-emissions trucking, providing the platform for us

to introduce disruptive features that will change the transport industry.”

The vehicle shown is a maquette of the Nikola TRE 4×2 tractor for regional operations, with a range of up to 400km and performance equal or better than a diesel equivalent model, according to the companies.

It will feature a modular battery system with a total capacity of up to 720kWh, which can be tailored to match customers’ missions. The electric driveline will

IVECO AND NIKOLA UNVEIL BATTERY-ELECTRIC TRUCK

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NEWS


deliver 480kW continuous power output with 1,800Nm peak torque.

The Nikola TRE will also be available in 2- and 3-axle rigid versions, with GVW ranging from 18 to 26 tonnes for urban distribution and municipality missions.

In addition, the Nikola TRE will feature a new infotainment system based on Nikola’s proprietary operating system that integrates infotainment and navigation functions, as well as controls for the bulk of the vehicle’s functionalities. The system’s features include climate control, mirror adjustment, suspension height adjustment, 360-degree camera system, navigation, Bluetooth audio system, comprehensive vehicle settings and admin vehicle diagnostics.

The vehicle uses Bluetooth low energy technology to create a secure link between the vehicle and the customer’s mobile device, creating a hands-free media experience. This also enables a smart keyless entry system to unlock as the driver approaches the vehicle. The system can even adjust settings such as ride height and climate temperature to driver preference.

Iveco, FPT Industrial and Nikola have adopted a modular approach in developing their electric offering for the European market. Nikola said the fuel cell will be the starting point for the design of the electric battery, so that the Nikola TRE BEV can be converted to fuel-cell technology.

The partners are taking a long-term approach, bringing both technologies on stream now to pursue BEV and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in their offering in the next few years.

The Nikola TRE will be launched at the IAA 2020 exhibition in Germany and Nikola World 2020. The plan is to deliver the first units to customers in 2021, while the FCEV will be available to customers by 2023.

wedish truck manufacturer Scania has renamed its S-Series truck, after coming to an

agreement with rival manufacturer Daimler AG, parent company of Mercedes-Benz.

From now, instead of the letter S followed by the horsepower, the new trade name will be the horsepower followed by an S, like 450 S or 730 S. The reversed naming order applies only to sleeper cabs with a flat floor and will be introduced on S-series trucks ordered from now and does not affect any other trucks.

Alexander Vlaskamp, senior vice president, head of Scania Trucks, explained the reason behind the change. “By making this adjustment, we fulfil an agreement we have made with Daimler,” he said. “We are keen about protecting our brands and recognise why Daimler, with their long-standing S-class passenger car history, had an issue with the S-series trade name.”

Scania’s current way of naming trucks by the cab series followed by the engine power was introduced back in 2004 with the introduction of the PGR series.

SCANIA CHANGES TRADE NAME FOR ITS S-SERIES

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NEWS


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NEWS

MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN HAS WORST EMISSIONS OF EURO VI LCVS

ercedes-Benz’s Citan model has the worst emissions of the best-selling LCVs in the UK, with real-world NOX emissions far

higher than its official laboratory results, according to new testing findings.

The findings, published by the AIR Index, an international, independent and standardised rating system that reveals accurately how much pollution a vehicle produces when it is used in towns and cities, found great variation between real world emissions of Euro VI diesel vans and laboratory-based legal limits. The 2019 Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 Blue Dualiner 1.5-litre official limit is 105mg/km of NOX

but it was found to produce 902mg/km of NOX by the AIR Index.Meanwhile, the 2019 Volkswagen Crafter CR35 LWB High Roof 2.0-litre was the cleanest Euro VI van tested based on real-world emissions – with 53mg/km of NOX – emitting 17 times less pollution than the Citan, yet both vehicles conform to the laboratory-based legal standards of 125mg/km NOX.

The AIR Alliance commissioned tests for 10 of Europe’s best-selling diesel LCVs using scientifically robust, on-road vehicle testing according to the latest CWA17379 methodology to give each vehicle a simple A-E colour-coded AIR Index rating, showing the difference between clean and dirty vehicles.

Volkswagen’s 2018 Caddy C20 Highline TDI 2.0-litre and Peugeot’s 2019 Partner Asphalt 1.6-litre both got an ‘A’ rating from the AIR Index, as their on-road emissions fall below the 80 mg/km laboratory-based light van limit.


In terms of urban road traffic, van emissions have a major impact on air quality simply because they are used far more than cars. The average parcel van travels between 20,000 and 30,000 miles a year, while grocery home delivery vans can cover up to 50,000 miles. Vans are also the fastest-growing traffic segment, accounting for 70% of the growth in road-miles over the last 20 years. As internet shopping continues to grow, so do light van sales and their use on our roads. Every day there are 65,000 unique LCV journeys into London alone and vans contribute 15% of London traffic – and a higher proportion of diesel vehicular traffic.

As AIR noted at the launch of the AIR Index for cars earlier this year, a number of Euro VI cars still emit significantly more NOx on the road than in the laboratory test used for their type approval and there is huge overall variation between cars despite them all complying with in-laboratory Euro VI emissions standards.

Massimo Fedeli, co-founder and operations director, AIR, said that as LCVs play a vital role in moving goods quickly and efficiently around our cities and beyond – especially with the growth in internet shopping – “it’s crucial that only the cleanest vans are allowed to enter urban areas.”

He added that as with passenger cars, there is a “shocking” variation in actual emissions compared with the official results based on laboratory tests.

“AIR is calling on cities to supplement the use of Euro VI standards for low emission zone entry – such as London’s own ULEZ – with the AIR Index database of real-world emissions results, to identify the dirtiest vans which are otherwise slipping through the net. By doing so, we believe the AIR Index could very quickly bring most European cities in line with air quality targets.”

Nick Molden, co-founder of AIR, added: “The results of these van tests for the AIR

Index continue to hammer home the fact that current policy can’t do enough to prevent damage from high emitters and treat low emitters more fairly. This is impacting air quality across in cities across Europe and is potentially costing many thousands of lives. The AIR Index gives policy makers and fleet managers information they’ve never had before enabling informed decisions about the consequences of vehicle choice.

“The 10 Euro VI diesel vans we tested represent just under half of the annual sales across Europe. If just those rated D or E were prevented from entering the centre of urban areas the AIR Index could bring all European cities into air quality compliance.

“But the ultimate responsibility to implement change lies with the manufacturers. With simple service-led engine management updates, it is possible to make vans much cleaner, dramatically reducing emissions immediately.”

NEWS

Make Model Year AIR IndexRating

Fuel Type Official NOx limit*

Euro Standard

Actual Urban NOX mg/km

Volkswagen Crafter CR35 LWB High Roof 2.0

2019 A Diesel 125 mg/km Euro VI 53

Volkswagen Caddy C20 Highline TDI 2.0

2018 A Diesel 105 mg/km Euro VI 70

Peugeot Partner Asphalt 1.6 2019 A Diesel 80 mg/km Euro VI 73

Volkswagen Transporter T30 Highline TDI Bluemotion 2.0

2018 B Diesel 125 mg/km Euro VI 100

Mercedes Vito CDI 114 LWB 2.1 2017 B Diesel 125 mg/km Euro VI 147

Ford Transit Custom 300 Limited 2.0

2019 C Diesel 125 mg/km Euro VI 260

Vauxhall / Opel Vivaro CDTI 2900 1.6 2019 D Diesel 105 mg/km Euro VI 401

Citroen Relay L3H2 Enterprise BlueHDi 2.0

2018 D Diesel 125 mg/km Euro VI 557

Mercedes Vito CDI 111 LWB 1.6 (pre-update)

2017 D** Diesel 125 mg/km Euro VI 566

Mercedes Citan 109 Dualiner 1.5 2019 E Diesel 105 mg/km Euro VI 902


olvo Trucks has unveiled its electric concept trucks for construction operations and regional distribution.

With these electric concept vehicles, Volvo Trucks will explore, demonstrate and evaluate different solutions, and measure the level of interest in society and the market.

Volvo has recently started selling electric trucks for urban transport and the company believes that electrification can also become a competitive alternative for heavier trucks.

“We see great potential for heavy-duty electric trucks for regional transport and construction in the longer term,” said Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks. “With our concept trucks, we aim to explore and demonstrate different solutions for the future while evaluating the level of interest in the market and in society.”

Alm added that for demand for electrified trucks to increase, the charging infrastructure needs to be rapidly expanded. “While stronger financial incentives must be created for hauliers who act as pioneers by choosing new vehicles with a lower environmental and climate footprint.”

Volvo is aiming these concept trucks at the construction and regional distribution markets. In construction, the low noise levels and zero exhaust emissions can improve the environment for construction workers. This can also have a positive effect on construction projects in cities, where air quality is of increasing importance.

A reduction of the overall climate impact of the transport sector is possible by using heavy electric vehicles in regional distribution, according to Volvo. Most goods distribution by truck within the EU is regional.

“In Europe there is an enormous number of trucks used for regional goods transport that have an average annual mileage of 80,000km,” said Lars Mårtensson, director environment and innovation, Volvo Trucks. “This means that increased use of electric vehicles for regional distribution would result in significant climate gains, provided the electricity is fossil-free.

“The speed of electrification will depend on a number of factors. On the one hand, an extensive expansion of the charging infrastructure is needed, and on the other hand it’s necessary to ensure that

regional power networks can deliver sufficient transfer capacity in the long-term. Financial incentives are necessary to induce more hauliers to invest in electric vehicles. Transport buyers can also contribute by offering longer contracts and being more willing to pay for sustainable transport. Many haulage operators have very small margins, so every new investment must be profitable.”

Volvo Trucks’ plan for electric heavy-duty trucks for construction and regional distribution is to start by having selected customers in Europe pilot a small number of future electric vehicles. More extensive commercialisation will follow at a later point.

But Volvo is not abandoning the internal combustion engine. In parallel with electrification, there will be ongoing improvement of the efficiency of combustion engines.

“Today’s truck engines are efficient energy converters that can run on diesel or various renewable fuels such as liquefied biogas or HVO, and the technology still has potential for further development,” said Mårtensson.

NEWS

VOLVO UNVEILS HEAVY DUTY CONCEPT TRUCKS

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NEWS

oodyear has launched its OMNITRAC Heavy Duty tyre range for mixed service

trucks operating in severe conditions. The new range has been developed

for tippers and other heavy-duty trucks driving short distances on public roads but predominately operating in construction sites, mines and quarries.

The new tyres are designed to cope with sharp stones, wet surfaces, muddy roads, steep slopes and potholes, as well as specific applications requiring high torque such as steer tyres on hydro-drive vehicles.

The new OMNITRAC Heavy Duty offers excellent traction combined with enhanced fuel efficiency and connectivity. Featuring DuraShield technology, they focus on robustness for long tread life and include technology such as an exclusive top belt for extra resistance to casing damage and corrosion, resulting in improved retreadability.

Compared to their predecessors, the new tyres provide enhanced performance in the areas of stone holding resistance, chipping and chunking resistance, connectivity and durability, while rolling resistance and fuel efficiency are maintained or improved in line with new developing legislation, according to Goodyear.

The Three Peak Mountain Snowflake marking means an improved level of winter performance and compliance with increasingly stringent winter tyre regulations.

GOODYEAR ROLLS OUT NEW HEAVY-DUTY TYRES

ISS LAUNCHES ROLL AWAY AND DRIVER ID SOLUTION

S afety technology specialist ISS has launched a new safety device, IDClear, which aims to prevent

vehicles from rolling away or being stolen when standing idle during operations.

Certain vehicles such as refuse vehicles need to remain in use when stationery, to enable the continued operation of bin-lifting mechanisms and other equipment. Without safety mechanisms in place, these vehicles can be stolen or roll away.

IDClear incorporates anti-roll away and driver ID solutions, with the ability to lock the park brake as the driver exits the cab.

As a result, the vehicle is unable to roll away and immobilised until an authorised driver has been identified. This can be done using RFID, a keypad or a covert actuator.

A safety control unit includes safety features and monitoring systems protect against external influences, internal component failure and sabotage.

The IDClear system has been designed to ensure that only authorised and identified drivers are able to manoeuvre specified vehicles.

ISS’ development partner, Amey, and other waste operators, have taken part in trials of the technology.

IDClear includes a customisable, programmable audio warning system inside the cab to relay warning messages to drivers as well as a secondary external speaker to alert vehicle operators and the public.

An onboard data recorder logs more than 50 different event types including critical CANBUS data from the vehicle for up to three years. This data can be received remotely by transport managers via ISS’ live CCTV, tracking and telemetry solutions.

Gavin Thoday, CEO of ISS said: “Analysis of the trial data showed exactly how much the system was being used and quickly confirmed the imperative to install it to vehicles. IDClear can be fitted to multiple vehicle marques and integrates with all our other systems.

“This means operators can adopt one system and one common reporting platform for all their vehicle safety equipment, which improves both the safety and efficiency of their operations.”

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UPBEAT RENAULT TRUCKS READY FOR DEFLATED UK TRUCK MARKET IN 2020

NEWS

While the number of UK truck registrations looks set to grow in 2019, demand is expected to fall again in 2020, according

to Renault Trucks UK.The 2019 annual total of UK truck

registrations at 6.0 tonnes GVW and above looks like reaching about 50,000, up 16% on the 2018 figure of 43,103. But much of this growth has been the result of operators bringing forward acquisitions for fear of being caught by steep price rises following the UK’s departure from the European Union.

As a result, demand for new trucks is expected to fall sharply in 2020 according to James Charnock, commercial and services director at Renault Trucks UK.

“In 2020 we expect the market to again be influenced by the political agenda and, given the size of the market in 2019, it is almost certainly going to be smaller,” said Charnock in London, speaking a week before the general election and referring to the latest registration statistics, for the first 11 months of 2019 from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

“We know that some of the orders placed this year were for trucks that may normally have been placed in 2020. That said, our ambitions at Renault Trucks are to continue to increase in volume and market share and we have plans in place to deliver on both.”

SMMT statistics for the first nine months of 2019 show the UK truck market up nearly 19% on the same period

in 2018. DAF Trucks head the rankings by a comfortable margin as usual, with registrations up nearly 31% year-on-year, followed by Scania (up 55%), Volvo Trucks (up 7%), and Mercedes-Benz (down 13%).

Unofficial figures for the UK market until the end of November 2019 suggest overall registrations are up 14% year-on-year, according to Charnock.

“At Renault Trucks our sales are up 18%,” he says. “This means we are outpacing an inflated market and looking to finish the year with an increase in market share. We believe this growth is due to the activities we have been working on, focusing on the requirements of customers at a sector level, an increasing confidence in our products, and excellent back-up from our dealer network.”


FLEET NEWS

emperature-controlled distribution specialist Samworth Brothers has taken delivery of 48 new Mercedes-Benz Actros

tractor units, having been impressed with the fuel efficiency and uptime of the 18 units it bought a year ago.

The latest additions to the Leicester-based fleet are all from the new-generation Actros range and arrived, like their predecessors, via East Midlands dealer Mertrux Truck & Van.

Most are Actros 2545 models with flat-floored StreamSpace cabs and 12.8-litre in-line six-cylinder engines which produce 450hp. But 10 are Actros 2546 variants with 460hp 10.7-litre ‘straight sixes’. They have 2.3m StreamSpace cabs, the narrower of the two widths available, and 320mm engine tunnels.

All feature MirrorCam, which replaces conventional mirrors and represents a major safety advance, while also offering improvements in fuel economy due to the streamlined profile of the camera housings. They also include the Multimedia Cockpit and enhanced versions of the Active Brake Assist and Predictive Powertrain Control systems.

The new trucks line-up alongside the 18 Actros 2545 StreamSpace units that have impressed since they entered service with Samworth Brothers in December 2018.

Samworth Brothers operates more than 120 trucks, as well as bout 230 semi-trailers of various configurations – it also supplements the fleet with rental vehicles. The bigger, flat-floored units are on nationwide distribution work, much of which entails pulling double-deck trailers. The smaller models are assigned to more local duties.

“We make a lot of collections from production facilities in and Leicestershire,” said Samworth Brothers operations

director Paul Marrow. “The fact that the 10.7-litre Actros are so much more compact, and offer better low-down visibility, makes life easier for drivers. These trucks are interchangeable between shunting and distribution activity, though, which means we have the flexibility we need within the fleet.”

Marrow added that the company has good relationships with Mertrux’s fleet truck sales manager Bob Holt and his colleagues, and with Mercedes-Benz’s strategic account manager Matt Lee. “Mertrux are very supportive, while we’ve felt from the outset that Mercedes-Benz really wanted our business and had a fantastic vehicle which could meet our high expectations,” he said. “So it’s proved.”

The operator maintains its trucks in-house but relies on Mertrux for technical assistance and management of parts stock. “The feedback I get from my vehicle maintenance and transport managers is really positive,” continued Marrow. “In the 12 months we’ve been

running them our first clutch of Actros have proved totally reliable and haven’t spent anything like as much time in the workshop as other vehicles we run. The dealer’s response times, meanwhile, irrespective of whether the query relates to service or parts, are always very good.

“We spend a lot on fuel, so economy has obviously been a huge factor in our decision-making process. We’re getting a better mpg performance from our first Actros than we do from other, comparable vehicles, and I’m very excited about the additional benefits in terms of further reductions in diesel consumption which the new models offer.”

SAMWORTH BROTHERS TAKE ON 48 NEW ACTROS TRACTOR UNITS

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multi-million pound investment in 12 of the most advanced ISO-tanks ever used in the UK for bulk

liquid chocolate transport has seen Bibby Distribution secure a new long-term partnership with Mars Wrigley.

The tankers, which are fitted with a live tracking and monitoring system, provide continuous updates to Bibby Distribution’s food and ingredients team, who can remotely monitor and adjust the temperature of the load and manage stirring schedules as required – the first time such capability has been implemented in the UK food manufacturing industry.

The technology minimises the chance of any drop in agreed set point and ensures

the chocolate delivered for Mars Wrigley arrives in optimal condition.

The new ISO-tanks also provide an 18% increase in payload, allowing Bibby Distribution to reduce the number of journeys required – shrinking the supply chain’s carbon footprint.

Rob Sharpe, Mars Wrigley’s UK factory logistics manager, said: “We work with partners who share our focus on sustainability and Bibby Distribution’s investment in this equipment proves they’re committed to helping us reduce our environmental impact.

“As well as cutting food miles, Bibby Distribution gives us complete supply chain traceability and upholds our very high food quality standards.”

The new tankers will operate from its Droitwich site, and plans are already in place to add more to the fleet in 2020, specified with the same temperature management, stirring and tracking capabilities.

BIBBY DISTRIBUTION INVESTS IN ADVANCED ISO-TANKS

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FLEET NEWS


E xeter City Council has bought seven new Dennis Eagle refuse collection vehicles with Terberg lifts – five of

which have a bin-weighing system fitted.The vehicles are all Elite 6×2 narrow rear

steer with Olympus 16 bodies and Terberg’s OmniDEL Electric bin lifts, provided by Specialist Fleet Services as part of a seven-year contract hire agreement.

The vehicles with bin-weighing technology have a dual purpose: to give Exeter a better understanding of its existing waste collections so it can improve efficiency, and future proof the fleet with changes to waste collection and recycling on the horizon.

Exeter City Council’s cleansing and fleet services manager, Simon Hill, explained: “It would really help us to know the costs of collection and disposal.

“We charge a basic rate per bin at the moment, but the bin weighing system will give us a clearer idea of the costs. We’re not considering charging by weight but we would initially like to identify customers with bins that are consistently too heavy so we can look for other solutions.

“Another development bin weighing will help us undertake is the tracking of manual handling issues. If we know where and

when bins are likely to be heavier, we can manage our resources more efficiently.

“For instance, garden waste is a very seasonal collection and can be very heavy.

“A third initiative is being able to tell customers what happens to their waste. That is something increasing numbers of them want to know. For instance, we’ve just won a new contract with Exeter University and they’re keen to know how much waste we’re collecting in different streams.

“This will help them understand how good they are at recycling and where they can improve.

“Bin weighing will help us inform customers and also understand our own strengths and weaknesses. Two vehicles will be assigned to trade waste collections but the other three will be available for use elsewhere and could help us look at how different parts of the city are participating in all aspects of recycling.”

The vehicles were specified to be as narrow as possible for Exeter’s tight streets. In addition, the lifts are electric to cut emissions and reduce noise levels.

“Things we’re keen to address,” Hill said. “And by having all the trucks as standard – a ‘one-truck-fits-all’ approach – it makes them easier to manage and maintain.”

EXETER CLEANS UP WITH NEW DENNIS EAGLE REFUSE COLLECTION VEHICLES

ottingham City Transport (NCT) has completed its upgrade to a fully Euro-VI

fleet, in accordance with Nottingham City Council’s clean air plan, with the purchase of 10 Enviro200 buses from Alexander Dennis (ADL).

The new single deck vehicles began service in November on the busy urban Bridgford Bus routes from West Bridgford into Nottingham city centre.

The buses feature on-board Wi-Fi, USB chargers, comfortable seating and double passenger information screens, which NCT are currently trialling.

NCT will operate a fully Euro-VI fleet from January 2020, completing a programme of upgrading that began in May 2017.

The new buses also reduce the average age of the fleet from six years to four and a half years, which brings with it the benefit of reliability, easier maintenance, increased uptime and higher passenger satisfaction.

NCT has a long-standing relationship with ADL, having exclusively bought ADL products for the past six years. NCT’s managing director, Mark Fowles, said: “We chose the Enviro200s because they best met our requirements in terms of specification and they came in at the right price point. The support we receive from ADL as a long-term partner is brilliant.”

NOTTINGHAM CITY UPGRADES WITH ADL BUSES

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FLEET NEWS


NGC LOGISTICS GOES ELECTRIC WITH RENAULT MASTER Z.E.

GC Logistics, an Amazon delivery service partner, has taken on the first Renault Trucks Master Red Edition Z.E. delivered to a customer in Europe – as well as the company’s first all-electric vehicle.

Operating out of Amazon’s Northampton Delivery Station, these 3.1 tonne Master Z.E. L2H2 panel vans provide a fully electric service to customers in Northampton and Milton Keynes undertaking the same number of deliveries as traditional diesel engine vehicles.

NGC is the first Amazon delivery service partner in the UK to put a fully electric van into service. “This investment into electric vans is entirely led by our customers; with Amazon clearly stating their intention to become carbon neutral and consumers becoming more aware of their impact on climate change,” explained Kevin Savage, NGC’s operations director. “The need to change without slowing the supply chain or significantly increasing cost was paramount and has been achieved through cooperation with everyone involved delivering the program in time for the busiest period of the year.

“With the ever-increasing demand for environmentally-friendly vehicles and the introduction of more low emission zones, we decided to not only invest in electric vehicles but also to set ourselves a challenging deadline of a Black Friday [29 November] launch to market.”

In NGC’s new electric blue livery, the Master Z.E. is powered by Renault Trucks’ all electric 57kW Z.E. engine with 33kWh lithium-ion battery and automatic gearbox, offering a range of up to 120km.

This is the first of four Master Z.E’s to join NGC’s mixed fleet of more than 50 Renault trucks and vans, from LCVs which include CitiLoader curtainside and EasiLoader Luton box bodied vehicles, to Range D rigids at 18 and 26 tonnes and Range T380 tractor units, plus 10 trailers.

Graeme Wilson, group sales director, Allports Group, which supplied the van, said the company was “delighted” meet the Black Friday deadline. “This is a great time of year to put the new Master Z.E. through its paces, as colder weather and shorter daylight hours means lights and heating is switched on,” he said. “We’re pleased to report that the Z.E.’s range is performing well in these conditions and we look forward to working with NGC to support their sustainability strategy.”

For Grahame Neagus, head of LCV Renault Trucks UK & Ireland, electromobility is the answer to the challenges of air quality and noise pollution in urban areas: “The Master Z.E. is perfectly suited to NGC’s final mile deliveries. As we move to a lower carbon economy, our electric vehicles will drive the future, not only improving air quality and efficiency, but also enabling noise-free out of hours deliveries to reduce congestion.”

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FLEET NEWS

http://www.lasalign.com/


Hardox has been the industry leader for abrasion-resistant steel for decades and is a common part of commercial vehicles. But a new entrant to the market could challenge its dominance. By Tim Blakemore

ABRASION-RESISTANT STEEL

hen steel companies roll out product-line updates, perhaps tweaking an alloy mix here or adding a little more carbon there,

there is seldom any reason for commercial vehicle operators to take much more than a fleeting interest. But the recent introduction by Tata Europe of a steel called Valast 450 is an exception.

Valast 450, a hot-rolled strip steel, seems certain to attract keen attention not only from engineers and fleet managers responsible for specifying and operating vehicles such as tippers, off-highway dump-trucks and refuse-collection trucks, but also from the suppliers of the bodywork used on these vehicles.

That’s because Valast 450 is what is categorised in steel industry jargon as

‘abrasion-resistant’. In other words, it competes head-on with Hardox, the steel that has dominated this sector of the market in Europe for decades: so much so that in some fleets and bodybuilders the brand name has become almost a generic term for all wear-resistant steels. What the Ford Transit is to the UK van market, Hardox has become in steel tipper truck bodies.

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COME AND HAVE A GO IF YOU THINK YOU’RE HARD ENOUGH



SSAB, originally a Swedish steel company and nowadays based in Sweden and Finland, first put Hardox into production back in 1974, trumpeted as “tough enough to double as a load-carrying part in many applications” despite being originally intended primarily as wear plate. Since then, though other similar-looking steels have become available from SSAB rivals, none has come close to taking the Hardox crown as wear-resistant champion in Europe, if not the world, for applications such as heavy-duty tipper truck bodies and off-road dump trucks.

Hardox

An illustration of the dominant position held by Hardox in the UK tipper truck body market can be found at Thompsons (UK) group. The first Thompsons tipper truck body was built in 1973 but it now claims to supply more annually in the UK than any rival. The company has seven assembly plants spread across Croydon, Dover and Blackburn. Though the group does build some aluminium bodies for specific sectors of the tipper truck market, most Thompsons bodies are made of steel, and nearly all use Hardox.

Thompson’s top-selling steel body for rigid trucks is called Loadmaster, made from Hardox 450. The number reflects performance in the internationally recognised Brinell test of metal hardness. Soft brass, for instance, has a Brinell Hardness Number of 60, and mild steel about 130.

Thompsons claims to have built about 15,000 Loadmaster bodies over the past 20 years. In 2018, this body range was extended with the introduction of the Loadmaster X-Lite, the first tipper body in the UK to employ Hardox 500tuf steel for its flooring. Whereas the Loadmaster Lite body has a 5mm thick Hardox 450 floor, the X-Lite has 4mm thick Hardox 500tuf, and thickness of the Hardox 450 side-panels has been cut from 4mm to 3.2mm. The upshot is a significant kerb weight reduction and thus potential payload boost, of the sort highly prized by many tipper operators.

“This new body will be of particular interest to payload-conscious aggregates hauliers who, in an ideal world, also want the extra strength of steel,” says Thompsons (UK) director Scott Burton. “For them, an extra 300kg of payload in one go is a huge step forward. Our traditional steel body customers will be delighted not just at the significant extra payload potential of X-Lite but also the fact that the proven Loadmaster design itself remains virtually unchanged.”

Another view on Hardox, and especially on the potential for a rival like Tata’s Valast 450 to take business away from it, comes from Nigel Butler, the former Renault Trucks UK commercial director who since last August has been co-owner and managing director at Weightlifter Bodies, one of the UK’s longest-established manufacturers of tipper bodies and trailers.

The company, based in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, was founded in the 1930s. PPG Fabrications, based in Wisbech,

“This new body will be of particular interest to payload-conscious aggregates hauliers who, in an ideal world, also want the extra strength of steel”

Thompson LoadmasterNigel Butler, managing director, Weightlifter Bodies

An example of a Thompson Paymaster body at work



Cambridgeshire, has been part of the group since 1998. After 27 years as owner and group managing director, Paul Weightman retired last year after selling the business to Grange Cross, a company set up by Paul Simpson, owner and managing director of the Hull-based Thompson Commercials group – the UK’s biggest privately-owned Renault Trucks dealer group with seven sites in eastern England, some of which also sell Isuzu trucks. Butler is the second Grange Cross shareholder.

At Weightlifter Butler heads a business with an annual turnover around £12 million and 88 employees, split roughly equally between Weightlifter and PPG Fabrications. PPG focuses entirely on aluminium body production and is especially strong on insulated tipper bodies. PPG is the top seller in this market sector, with a share reckoned to be as high as 60%. The steel body and frame welding and manufacturing expertise in the Weightlifter/PPG group is concentrated at Scunthorpe.

“We use Hardox 450 steel,” confirms Butler. “It does seem to be the industry standard.” Weightlifter tried another steel, Dormex 450 (also from SSAB), in the past, Butler reveals, but soon returned to Hardox. “We didn’t have a great experience with Dormex, even though its hardness was the same,” he says. “It looked terrible after a couple of months, whereas Hardox just keeps going and going. I’d need a really good reason for trying something other than Hardox. But if there was a compelling reason to give an alternative a go then we probably would.”

Reasons to switch

Adrian Davies is confident that he and his colleagues at Tata Steel Europe can offer not just one but several compelling reasons for Weightlifter, Thompsons and many other bodybuilders and their customers to give Valast 450 a go. Davies is the company’s marketing manager and makes it clear that despite – perhaps because of – this being its first product of this type, he has worked hard to get a deep understanding of the market requirements.

“When aggregates are dumped into a tipper body, sometimes from quite a height, and then rub around in the body, that’s abrasion,” he says. “Users of this equipment don’t want any downtime, caused for instance by steel wearing out because it’s not hard enough. That’s the main thing that abrasion-resistant steel is trying to address.”

Davies makes it plain that he appreciates equally well the demands of what could be described as his first-line customers, body manufacturers. “First they receive their sheet steel and laser-cut or plasma-cut it,” he says. “Then they’ll bend it into whatever shape they want, then weld and shotblast. After all that the component fits into the final assembly ahead of painting, where they really want a nice paint finish. They want to laser- or plasma-cut as quickly and efficiently as possible. Steel surface quality is very important here. The better the steel surface quality the quicker the laser cutting. Bendability is very important too. Abrasion-resistant steels are extremely hard and extremely strong. In theory, therefore, bendability becomes more of a challenge.”

Tata’s Valast 450 is claimed to offer better surface quality than ‘conventional’ abrasion-resistant steel. It is produced at the company’s main IJmuiden blast furnace in the Netherlands and then the coils are cut to length on ‘decoilers’, claimed to be the most powerful in Europe, in Maastricht, Netherlands and Llanwern, south Wales.

“Users of this equipment don’t want any downtime, caused for instance by steel wearing

out because it’s not hard enough.”

Tata’s Valast 450: produced at a Netherlands blast furnace

Adrian Davies: “The better the steel surface quality, the quicker the laser cutting.”



One particular Valast 450 selling point by comparison with strip steel from rivals is the ability to be cut at widths up to two metres. The maximum for rivals is said to be 1.5 metres. This extra width translates into reduced waste and greater manufacturing efficiency.

Davies acknowledges that challenging Hardox’s dominant position will be no walk in the park. “Actually, there are several suppliers of different types of abrasion-resistant steel but because SSAB has been so well established for so long the overwhelming perception is that Hardox is the only one,” he says. “Many end-users know the Hardox brand name but don’t relate it to a particular steel mill.”

Why has Tata stayed away from the European market for abrasion-resistant steel hitherto? “In the steel world, plant upgrades like those needed to produce Valast 450 are expensive,” says Davies. “But suppliers in dominant positions in any market can get complacent and become less attentive to customer needs. At Tata Steel we have had working relationships with customers in these market sectors for decades, supplying then with other products. This is really about enhancing long-standing relationships. We can definitely see from conversations with customers that they are keen to have an alternative.”

Tipper body market

As for the market size for steel of this kind, Davies explains that Tata’s focus is on the “addressable market”, meaning the sectors where Valast 450 can satisfy customer demands, and they certainly include tipper truck and refuse-collection bodywork.

“There are elements of the market that are too wide or too thick for our strip product,” he says. “We consider the addressable market in Europe to be around 150,000 tonnes annually.”

How much of that is accounted for by tipper truck bodies? “I can’t give you exact numbers,” concedes Davies. “But it is certainly a sizeable part of this market. For us it is one of the key segments we are talking about with Valast 450. It has a good fit with our offering in terms of dimensions.

“We’re pushing the product most strongly in Germany and the UK. There is expected to be modest growth in UK construction over the next couple of years. We see an opportunity here to take a partnership approach with customers we’ve been dealing with for a long time. They are looking for an alternative [abrasion-resistant steel]. Sustainability is high on the agenda nowadays – in energy use, waste, emissions, manufacturing efficiency and life-cycle analysis. We’re having conversations with customers on all these topics.”

Davies knows that price remains a crucial factor for truck fleet operators and their suppliers. While he reckons that the selling price of Valast 450 will be typically as much as 55 to 65% higher than that

of a high-strength structural steel to the S355 European standard. But he insists that the whole life costs still favour Valast 450. “The abrasion resistance is 2.5 times greater,” he points out. “To calculate payback, you need to look at specific use. By moving from 6mm to 4mm sheet, for example, you are making a 30% weightsaving. We like to work through these scenarios with customers.”

Visitors to the annual tipper truck show, Tip-ex, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire in late May can expect Valast 450 to be a big talking point, and it seems likely that several bodies using the new steel will be on display there. Trials are underway at present by several UK bodybuilders, Davies confirms, and bodies using Valast 450 are already being built in Germany.

Weightlifter 75 cu yd steel scrap bulker

An example of a Weightlifter steel tipper body


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BLAZING A TRAILTrailer manufacturers are continually introducing new innovations to bring benefits and reduce costs for fleet managers, with technology playing an increasing part. By Dan Parton

TRAILER INNOVATIONS

he days of trailers being little more than a box on wheels has long gone. Now, they are as connected as

the trucks they are pulled by and the pace of innovation in their build and design is accelerating as manufacturers look to make them as efficient as possible.

For instance, telematics has revolutionised the way fleets operate in the past decade, and trailers now provide more data to operators that ever before, which is helping to drive increased efficiency in the supply chain.

“Today, customers expect data to be available and are making decisions based on data,” says Simon Mols, Schmitz Cargobull sales manager telematics and services UK & Ireland. “About two years ago we standardised the telematics system into the trailer to have the trailer available as a digital asset. The more transparency we can give to operators the greater the uptime they can enjoy.”

This includes things like tyre pressure monitoring. Schmitz Cargobull has its own tyre pressure monitoring system that informs the fleet operator not only about

tyre pressure but also temperature. “That makes a significant difference; a deflated tyre will overheat before it bursts and that’s where this system helps operators to run their fleet more efficiently and enjoy greater uptime,” explains Mols.

Schmitz Cargobull is also connecting trailers to electronic braking systems (EBS), Mols adds. “We have worked with the manufacturers of EBS systems to have direct access so our customers enjoy the ability to run a remote EBS diagnostic whenever there is a breakdown with a trailer, which sometimes you just can’t avoid.


TRAILER INNOVATIONS

“We listened to the demand of the industry. They wanted to give the fleet operator the ability to read out the error codes from the EBS. So, when a driver is forced to pull over because of the red flashing EBS light on the truck’s dashboard, the fleet operator in the office can read out the error buffer. This speeds up the breakdown process because customers can send the technician with the right spare parts to the breakdown rather than having someone go there with a blank canvas unaware of what is going on and having to find out the error buffer.”

Telematics can also help to monitor loads more closely. “The trailer is where the value is carried so it should be key to

monitor this crucial asset,” Mols adds. “With the implementation of data, for example with temperature-controlled transport, data or technology can spot a deviation in temperature that is likely to harm the goods.”

Loads can also be constantly monitored. “We have supplied smartphone apps that will monitor on a 24/4/365 basis what is going on with the digital asset so regardless of whether a fleet operator is in the office they can have instant access and check everything is running to plan or receive an instant message to their mobile phone if something is likely to go wrong,” says Mols.

“The demand for this increase in efficiency is massive. Regardless of which customer we are talking to, everyone is driven by this competitive field of transport companies so there is definitely demand to make transport more efficient than it has ever been before.”

Technology is also helping to enhance security. “For example, we have

implemented an autonomously working GPS controlled door locking mechanism in our trailers,” says Mols. “So as soon as a trailer reaches a specific location the customer can control if the door is locked or unlocked. We have taken away this responsibility from the driver and implemented features to increase the cargo security so no one can access the cargo area.”

“We listened to the demand of the industry. They wanted to give the fleet operator the ability

to read out the error codes from the EBS”

An example of the technology that goes into a Schmitz Cargobull trailer

Simon Mols


Increasing efficiency

Schmitz Cargobull, like other trailer manufacturers, is working on more innovations although, understandably, he remains tight-lipped on any specifics. But one area of development is turning the humble pallet into a digital asset to complement the smart trailer and increasing efficiency of the supply chain.

Efficiency has been a driver behind other trailer innovations. For instance, bodywork specialist Rolfo recently launched a new car transporter bodywork to the UK market that can transport 12 cars or mixed loadings with large vehicles.

The Italian manufacturer presented its EGO 539 model to prospective customers at Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ Wentworth Park customer experience centre in South Yorkshire back in October.

Davide Sobrino, managing director of Unirolfo, agent company of the Rolfo Group for UK, Eire, Holland, Germany, Israel and South Africa markets, said the EGO 539 was in response to customer demand.

“The car transporter sector is a close group where the operators have a high understanding of the equipment and of their requirements,” he says. “The companies that attended the product presentation have expressed their positive comments about the EGO 539.

“Operators keep looking for ways to improve their business or obtain that extra margin: the Rolfo EGO 539 is a response to this need.

“Rolfo’s approach has always been to listen first to [customer] needs and then engineer and deliver the most suitable product.”

The 12-car capacity has been achieved thanks to redesign of deckings with 3D FEM calculations, Sobrino explains. “We have obtained a reduced tare compared to previous model while increasing strength in the areas where it was required. Total life cost approach means that the engineering of the products evolves around its simplicity in being serviced.

“Company owners are realising the impact of a fully-galvanised product on total life cost. It is a delicate finetuned

process and quite costly, but its advantages are unmatched in terms of protection against corrosion and rust. Galvanising allows a much easier recycling process and a reduced CO2 emission down by a third when compared to traditionally painted steel construction.

“In addition to the hot dip galvanisation, total life cost is about stringent tests on components, strong links with key suppliers, modular design, standardisation of spare parts within the whole Rolfo range, and designs to reduce maintenance costs.”

TRAILER INNOVATIONS

“Operators keep looking for ways to improve their business or obtain that extra margin: the Rolfo

EGO 539 is a response to this need”

Rolfo’s recently-introduced 12-berth car transporter

Davide Sobrino


Safety first

Safety is also a priority – for driver and load – and this has been incorporated into the new design. Rolfo’s proprietary designed locking system is extensively tested at the supplier and Rolfo prior to installation. In addition, on the EGO 539 handrails and posts have been reviewed to allow easier door opening and increased safety for the driver, Sobrino says.

“A new advanced night loading light system is also offered as option to grant the driver increased visibility during night operations,” he adds. “All Rolfo EGO 539 are equipped with disc brakes as standard, which reduces braking distances.”

Other trailer manufacturers have launched safety-focused innovations over the course of 2019. For instance, in October, SDC Trailers introduced a new multi-functional headboard on their Platform trailer range with an innovative design for improved operation, safety and utilisation. Manufactured in high tensile steel, the EN 12642 XL headboard is now fitted as standard across SDC’s platform range for the construction, oil, timber and steel transport industries.

The trailer headboard forms an essential part of the load restraint and acting as a back-up system to protect the driver. Developed by SDC’s in-house engineers, the headboard features an internal flush face for ease of loading, rounded top corners for cover sheets, a new coupling box location and heavy-duty nose cone assembly for strength and trailer protection when coupling. The design has been load certified by independent body, TÜV-NORD, to achieve EN 12642 XL accreditation to a payload of 29,000kgs.

Enda Cushnahan, SDC’s Trailers CEO, says: “Safety is paramount at SDC and our engineers are continually looking for ways to enhance our product offering in line with new features and industry requirements… advancing on trailer safety and ease of operation.”

Reducing emissions

SDC is also working with a consortium of partners including supermarket chain Tesco, Cambridge University and Lawrence David – with part funding coming from Innovate UK – on a project to develop a new model of double deck trailer. Tesco is trialling the trailers that aim to reduce their carbon footprint and HGV emissions by 15%.

The prototype Boxvan trailers, which feature a range of aerodynamic and lightweight elements, is being tested against two of Tesco’s current vehicles on designated routes to establish which is the most effective in reducing the operator’s carbon emissions.

Using Finite Element Analyis, SDC was able to reduce the amount of steel in the trailer chassis by fitting a honeycomb steel panel floor. The result meant that not only does the floor weigh less, but the build strength was enhanced by bonding the floor to the trailer chassis. SDC replaced Tesco’s current spec of wide twin wheels with six 445/45 super single tyres, which allowed the manufacturer to further reduce the trailer weight and rolling resistance. This in turn meant that a standard nine tonne axle could be fitted with the added benefit of greater stability.

The trailer prototype was fitted with a tapered rear end and a newly designed front pod with vertical splitter, which aims

to reduce drag and fuel consumption by allowing airflow coming from the tractor unit to flow smoothly over the trailer. The trailer is also fitted with side skirts to prevent air turbulence in front of the axles.

Tesco’s existing design of double deck trailer meant that due to weights, the trailer maxed out on payload before it maxed out on volume. The new lightweight trailer means that Tesco can now plan based on maximum cage volume, without worrying about weight. This additional capacity equates to about 10% more cages being moved on each trailer, reducing the number of vehicles required and the supermarket’s carbon emissions.

Data from the project is being recorded and assessed by Cambridge University’s Engineering team. Initial results from the trials have shown a fuel saving of up to 11.2% per tonne-km payload transport work. Results from the nine-month trial are expected to be announced in the first quarter of 2020.

TRAILER INNOVATIONS

SDC Platform trailer headboard


TRAILER INNOVATIONS

Cool runnings

Other companies are looking at different ways to reduce the environmental impact of trailers. For instance, at the 2019 CV Show Carrier Transicold unveiled its Vector HE 19 – HE stands for High Efficiency – in the UK. The Vector HE 19 delivers a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 30% compared to its predecessor, delivers a 10% saving in weight, reduces noise by 3 dB(A) and offers up to 15% savings on maintenance costs, according to the company.

“It is a huge step forward for trailer refrigeration and the most important refrigeration unit to be launched by Carrier Transicold in the UK for a decade,” says Scott Dargan, managing director UK & Northern Europe, Carrier Transicold UK.

When a manufacturer launches a new truck, you may hear fuel savings sometimes as high as 10-15%. But we are delivering a new product to market that can cut fuel bills by 30% versus its predecessor. This is nothing short of phenomenal.”

Dargan adds that Carrier Transicold has independent European Committee for Standardization and the Association Technic Energy Environment verification to prove the fuel results. “We’re happy to arrange head-to-head fuel trials with fleets – that’s how confident we are,” he says.

There is also increasing interest in Carrier Transicold’s engineless ICELAND and SYBERIA rigid truck units, Dargan adds. “Rather than use a dedicated transport refrigeration engine, these systems harness their power via an ECO-DRIVE module, which is driven by a hydraulic pump connected to the power take-off of the truck’s clean burn Euro VI engine,” he says. “The hydraulic pump drives a generator that converts this mechanical energy into electricity in order to drive the refrigeration system at a constant speed from tick over.

“The interesting thing here is that the system can also be interfaced with alternative vehicle fuel platforms such as natural gas and electric traction.

“This same ECO-DRIVE module can also be mounted to tractor units, which can then be used to run the Vector trailer

system via its standard electrical standby inlet, allowing it to be operated in a ‘hybrid engineless mode’ when on the road, just as if it was plugged into the mains grid.

“When plugged in via this method competitor systems suffer a loss of up to 40% kW cooling power when converting the electrical energy back into mechanical drive to power the refrigeration circuit, whereas because of the Vector’s patented E-DRIVE technology it does not face the same challenges.

“While this may not be too much of an issue when stood at base and plugged in overnight or on long-haul operations, it can be crucial for cold chain compliance when utilising this ‘hybrid engineless mode’ in its default urban setting, where rapid temperature recovery is essential to maintaining load freshness after shorter journey cycles and increased door openings.

“Another important note is the auxiliary diesel engine can also be retained to ensure full autonomy of the unit at times when the tractor is switched off or uncoupled, thereby allowing operational compatibility throughout the existing fleet or with any additional rented tractor units that may not have an ECO-DRIVE module installed.”

Dargan adds that Carrier Transicold is working to ensure its refrigeration systems have the least possible impact on the environment.

“Reefers have traditionally followed the main power source for the vehicle, but now the industry is adopting different fuel strategies depending on the mission,” Dargan adds. “We still see diesel having its place in the short- to medium-term, but there’s also electric traction, compressed natural gas, liquified natural gas and hydrogen to consider.

“The key objective from our perspective is to be able to offer systems which meet our customers’ varying needs both today and during the life of which they operate their vehicles. What works for one kind of operation may not be practical or as effective in another. It is really about understanding the individual challenges and then providing a non-prescriptive, sustainable solution.”

Castell Howell tractor unit and trailer, fitted with a Vector HE19

Waitrose truck fitted with a Carrier Transicold SYBERIA unit


STAY SAFEForklift safety – of vehicles and those who use them – is improving but there is much that can be done to raise standards further, and there are many aspects that responsible operators need to be aware of. By Dan Parton

The need for forklift operatives to have adequate training was highlighted by a court case in Wycombe back in July.

An accident at the warehouse of Jubilee Building Supplies in Bracknell in July 2016 saw a member of staff injured by a forklift truck driven by a person with inadequate training on operating it.

The accident happened while an employee was manoeuvring a forklift truck in the warehouse area. They accidentally drove over the ankle of another employee who was standing alongside another forklift truck adjusting a load. The injured

employee sustained ligament damage to his ankle and the heel of his foot that required hospital treatment.

Cllr John Harrison, executive member for Bracknell Forest Council, noted that during the investigation it was revealed the driver was only provided with forklift training by a recognised training provider 17 days after the accident. The company had been warned previously about the training process for forklift truck drivers.

Jubilee Building Supplies pleaded guilty to the main offence under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 plus two additional charges and was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay a victim’s

surcharge of £170 plus investigation and prosecution costs of £10,572.

On average, lift trucks are involved in about a quarter of all workplace transport accidents, according to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). About 1,300 UK employees are hospitalised each year with serious injuries following forklift accidents. Injuries can be debilitating and life-changing, including complex fractures, dislocations, amputations and even death.

Accidents involving lift trucks are often due to poor supervision and a lack of training, according to the HSE.

The HSE takes a hard line with transgressions that are a direct result of

FORKLIFT SAFETY

30 JANUARY 2020 > COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > DECEMBER 2019 30

non-compliance or complacency. “As well as the severe human cost of accidents, there are also serious financial repercussions to consider, as fines given out by the HSE are now based on a company’s turnover, rather than a fixed fee. These fines often run into the hundreds of thousands of pounds,” notes Matthew Kennedy, Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CFTS) technical manager (South).

Training provision

This demonstrates why training is so important. Laura Nelson, managing director of workplace transport training accrediting body the RTITB, notes that as part of Regulation 9 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98), employers must ensure that equipment operators receive adequate training.

“There are three essential stages of forklift training - basic, specific job and familiarisation,” she says. “Completion of this training followed by adequate assessment not only helps employers ensure legal compliance, but also improves safety and efficiency within the operation. As well as improving safety, additional benefits of training include reduced incidents and damage and increased productivity.”

This must be backed up by training on the specifics of the environment and equipment, and a period of on the job training, before the individual is authorised by the employer to operate lift trucks in their workplace, Nelson adds.

Safety culture

But it is not just about mandatory training. “Often the point of failure is a lack of supervision or management,” Nelson says. “The reality of the workplace with pressures and deadlines is that over time shortcuts are taken, complacency builds and skills fade. That is why ACOP L117 – Rider Operated Lift Trucks: Operator training and safe use, which provides best practice on how to comply with relevant regulations recommends that managers and supervisor of lift truck operations are [trained] adequately in the risks.”

Indeed, a company’s culture and attitude to safety is vital, Nelson adds. “As part of their job role, employees should know what standards are expected of them, including expectations of their behaviour,” she says. “Ultimately, a person’s attitude is what will determine their behaviour in the workplace. A good attitude to the employer, the workplace and the job will usually extend to safer, more positive behaviours.

“Health and safety is as much the employer’s responsibility as it is the employees’, so it is essential that the workplace nurtures, demonstrates and encourages the right behaviours.

“No matter how much the operator training focuses on safety, this still needs to be backed up with safe systems of work, well-planned inductions for new starters and the correct supervision and monitoring for operators on the job. Rewarding safe practice and the reporting of hazards, as well as any accidents and near misses, will help ensure that lift truck operators are working within a culture where safety is always a top priority.”

Thorough Examination

But safety is not only about training and supervision of those using forklifts. Regular maintenance of forklifts is another vital component and to this end each vehicle is legally required to undergo a Thorough Examination at least once every 12 months.

The Thorough Examination is run by Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CFTS), a collaboration between the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) and BITA, and is roughly equivalent to the car MOT – a mandatory check to ensure that the mechanical parts of a forklift are in safe working order.

While in general forklifts do receive regular Thorough Examinations, Competent Persons and forklift operators may not be fully aware of the required frequencies, according to the CFTS’ Kennedy.

FORKLIFT SAFETY

Laura Nelson

Forklift operatives have to undergo three essential stages of training


“At CFTS we often hear about forklift operators who do not ensure that regular Thorough Examinations are carried out, or do not increase the frequency of them, even though a Competent Person recommended that they do so,” he says.

Kennedy adds that to ascertain the right frequency of Thorough Examinations, several factors should be considered, including the number of hours the truck is used each week, what tasks it carries out, and how arduous the working conditions are. Kennedy adds that every Thorough Examination must be tailored to each individual truck, and any specialised safety features should be considered.

These factors will determine the date for the next Thorough Examination. “CFTS regularly reminds operators, owners and Competent Persons of the correct Thorough Examination frequencies,” he says. “For example, equipment used for elevating personnel, no matter how infrequent, must have a Thorough Examination carried out every six months.

“If you own the forklift or are hiring it for more than 12 months, it’s your responsibility to make sure an inspection is arranged, in accordance with the truck type and use. But if you are hiring a forklift for less than a year then it is the rental company that must ensure the vehicle receives a Thorough Examination. But employers should demand to see a truck’s current Thorough Examination report, as they have a duty of care to their employees and should confirm that equipment is fit for use.”

Understanding regulations

But there is a lack of understanding of the regulations governing forklift safety among some operators. For instance, while most employers are aware of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, many do not understand the guidance as given out in LOLER 98 and PUWER 98, Kennedy says.

“CFTS expects all member companies to carry out a Thorough Examination under LOLER 98 and PUWER 98 regulations, and these examinations should go on for as long as it takes to check all the required parts,” he says.

“LOLER 98 covers the lifting parts of the truck; PUWER 98 covers safety-related items, such as brakes, steering and tyres. A CFTS Thorough Examination adheres to a consistent, safe national standard certain to fulfil the requirements of both LOLER 98 and PUWER 98. So there is no confusion over compliance.

“CFTS are fully conversant with all guidance and legislation and work closely with the HSE to promote standards.”

Improving standards

However, forklift safety standards are improving, thanks to the “tireless work” of BITA, FLTA and CFTS, Kennedy says.

“[Although] there is still a lack of understanding from forklift owners and operators on the importance of a truly Thorough Examination and how compliance would improve workplace safety.

“BITA, the FLTA, and other trade bodies regularly run safety campaigns in relation to forklift safety but it’s vital that managers pass these messages on to the operators. Competent Persons are tasked with determining whether a forklift truck is safe to use or not safe to use; but the user of the equipment must then accept the Competent Person’s report and ensure that the Thorough Examination findings are remedied without delay.”

FORKLIFT SAFETY

Forklift operatives have to undergo three essential stages of training

Forklifts must undergo a Thorough Examination at least once every 12 months


After the tragic events in Essex recently, I am concerned about

my liability when picking up loads from docks. I regularly pick up sealed containers that I am not permitted to open. How can I be satisfied that I am not transporting any illegal entrants?

The issue of picking up sealed containers from docks is troubling

for a lot of drivers in light of recent events.Under the Immigration and Asylum

Act 1999, the owner of a lorry, hirer or driver can be prosecuted for having a ‘clandestine entrant’ aboard with fines of up to £2,000 per illegal stowaway.

There is a defence if you can show that you did not know or had no ‘reasonable grounds for suspecting’ anyone was aboard, had suitable security to prevent people from getting in the truck/trailer and co-operated with authorities upon discovery.

You should ensure that your employer or the consignor provides written instructions on the load, what it contains and how it is secured. Always check seals or tilt cords to ensure they have not been tampered with.

If you have any suspicion at all that persons may be concealed in your vehicle, you should notify Border Force as soon as possible, they have authority to remove the seals and reapply once checked, providing paperwork that will explain the breakage to the customer.

UK Border Force released a 10 point guide to help drivers’ avoid civil penalties; you can download this from the government website.

I am currently revising to sit my Module 2 test for the initial CPC

qualification. However, I’ve spoken to a few other drivers’ in our company who say they have never sat the test, yet have a Qualification Card. How is this possible? To confirm, the drivers do not hold ‘acquired rights’.

In short, if the driver is a ‘new pass’, i.e. within the last 10

years, it is not possible to get a Driver Qualification Card without completing the initial qualification.

As alluded to, classroom based periodic training can only be completed to achieve qualification by drivers’ who held ‘acquired rights’. New drivers’ who sit periodic training without completing the initial qualification could not have their hours uploaded, the hours would be marked as ‘processing’ and would not be valid until evidence of initial CPC entitlement was provided.

We would recommend that these drivers’ check their licence online where CPC qualification dates are listed; or call the DVSA CPC enquiry line on 0300 123 7721, quoting the driving licence number.

I would like to apply for an operator licence for my

business but had a sequestration around 20 years ago. Does this have to be disclosed when applying or is it long enough in the past not to be considered?

The question in the application asks applicant to disclose whether any

THE TRUCK ADVOCATEGRT is a transport and training organisation specialising in road transport legislation and regulation, offering a range of operator licence compliance services, advising on a number of issues, and operating across Scotland and the north of England.

In conjunction with Transport News, GRT presents this regular Q&A column dealing with compliance and legislation issues relating to road haulage. Readers who have any queries can call 0141 237 6950, visit www.grtconsultants.com or post questions on our Facebook page, @GRTConsultants.

person has ever been declared bankrupt or had their estate seized.

Whilst your sequestration is unlikely to be recorded in any public records now, we would always advise applicants to disclose any adverse financial history, however long ago.

Ultimately, Traffic Commissioners only want to know who they are granting a licence to and whether a grant would present an unfair advantage over other individuals or businesses.

A sequestration as far back as yours is unlikely to prevent you getting a licence, but if it was found that you had deceived the office of the Traffic Commissioner by not disclosing at the point of application, this could come back to bite further down the line.

We recently had a DVSA investigation following the

identification of unaccounted mileage on one of our vehicle’s tachographs. The examiner has since requested to interview a number of drivers. Is this normal practice and where may this lead?

For cases involving failure to use a tachograph, it is fairly normal for

drivers’ to be interviewed. Following your investigation, a report would have been submitted to the Traffic Commissioner who may have requested that further enquiries are made before deciding whether to convene a Public Inquiry.

The objective of the interview is to ascertain whether the operator has caused/permitted the non-compliance by telling drivers’ to pull cards, etc.

If it is found that the company has encouraged this practice or pressured drivers’ to complete extra work, a Public Inquiry will be called to impose regulatory action.

The drivers’ are at risk of disciplinary action via a conduct hearing. The starting point for action for deliberately using a vehicle without a tachograph is a four week suspension per offence. Severe cases can result in disqualification and revocation of vocational driving entitlement.

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NEWS FROM THE NORTH

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Payload dominates bulk transport, and truck manufacturers work hard to shed the pounds to be the lightest tractor unit on the market. Kevin Swallow assesses the Volvo FH Lite with its new Euro 6 Step D engine and asks whether going for payload compromises the total cost of ownership.

THE BENEFITS OF BEING A LITE WEIGHT

NEWS FROM THE NORTH ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN

ayload in bulk transport is one of the biggest challenges for operators in an age when

engines and after treatment systems continually get heavier.

Moving up from Euro 5 to Euro 6 cost operators in the region of 300 to 500kg. Since 2014, manufacturers have been finding ways to slim back down. Favourite solutions are the tried and tested small pusher axle, first introduced in the 1990s, and a small cab.

This brings into focus the total cost of ownership and whether the focus for the operator is the service life of the vehicle, the residuals or a combination of both.

At Volvo Trucks, the ‘lite’ option for the FH tractor unit focuses on the small 4.5

tonne pusher axle. It is available on four chassis specifications; first on the LNG with diesel ignition hybrid on a 1,046mm chassis height, and then on diesel drivelines with three different chassis heights; medium (956mm), low (894mm) and X low (852mm).

Standard wheelbase options for those choosing a 7.5 tonne pusher axle are 3,900 and 4,100mm; for the LNG Lite its either 3,800 or 4,100mm, and for the diesel 6x2 tractor, the lite is available at 3,800 or 4,000mm.

As for kerbweight, according to the specification sheets the difference between the standard pusher and lite pusher is 280kg (with an identical specification).

Comparing the chassis heights show that choosing the low ride option adds up to 45kg to the respective kerbweights thanks to air suspension on the front axles and with low profile fuel tanks.

There is no weight gain for the Euro 6 Step D engine launched at the tail end of last year. Step D further tightens the onboard policing requirement for engines and widens the range of operating conditions that are monitored.

Under Step C emissions figures measured by PEMS (portable engine measurement system) were ignored when the engine developed less than 20% of its maximum power. Step D reduces this threshold to 10%.

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Volvo took the opportunity to make changes to its D13 engines, which includes:• New software• Improved coating in the exhaust after

treatment system• D13 using a new thinner oil type with

new oil control piston rings that reduce internal friction

• The 500hp engine now has the same higher compression ratio as the 420 and 460hp ratings

• I-See predictive cruise control upgraded with a new gear selection strategy

• More selective coasting in the I-Roll function.

Additional Specification

For this road test Volvo provided a FH 6x2 Lite tractor on its medium height chassis with a 4,000mm wheelbase specified with the Globetrotter sleeper cab. One piece of additional specification is the factory fit dual wet kit set up for both moving floor trailers and tippers.

Plated gross vehicle weights (GVW) differ from the standard 6x2 pusher compared to the Lite; on the standard FH 6x2 its 23,400kg with 19,000kg allowed through the pusher and drive axle bogie; the Lite option is 600kg less at 22,800kg but with just 16,000kg allowed through that same rear axle bogie.

Under the cab is the D13K500 Euro 6 Step D producing a badged 500hp, which is actually 494hp, from 1,400 to 1,800rpm. Its peak torque is 2,500Nm from 1,000 to 1,400rpm.

There are three other power ratings for the D13K; 420, which provides 414hp and 2,100Nm torque; 460, delivers

453hp/2,300Nm; and 540, supplies 532hp/2,600Nm.

Transmission is the AT2612F I-Shift with the TP Long software that is designed for long haul operations with the emphasis firmly placed on fuel economy and incorporating I-Roll function. It’s been specified with the RSS1144A single reduction drive axle with a 2.64:1 final drive ratio, which is one of six available from 2.31 to 3.36:1.

Kerbweight with full tanks (550 litres of diesel and 64 litres of AdBlue) and without the driver or hydraulic wet kit fitted is 8,133kg.

For this test Volvo provided a Feldbinder powder trailer, which puts little if any additional weight through the drive axle. Instead it feels like the trailer is being pulled along nicely, especially up hills.

In an age where down speeding (or low revving if you prefer) is all the rage, this specification pushes the revs a tad higher for better performance at the expense of economy.

NEWS FROM THE NORTH

Selecting the smaller pusher axle can save up to 280kg compared with a standard mid lift axle

Standard wheelbase options for those choosing a 4.5 tonne pusher axle are 3,800 or 4,000mm.

Adaptive cruise control sits on the left of the steering wheel

Globetrotter is spacious, well equipped and does not lack for creature comforts with the

Drive+ cab trim level and 1 Bed package.


NEWS FROM THE NORTH ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN

With reduced weight through the kingpin there is always the fear that on wet, unstable and soft surfaces traction will be an issue. Going for the shorter rear axle drive can be justified, especially if the truck is off road four times a day. If the time between loading and unloading is significantly longer so that a truck is only off road three times a week, then a longer ratio for fuel economy would be more beneficial.

On the tarmac at 56mph it works at 1,270rpm, while at 50mph it is still hovering around 1,100rpm. The upside is that with more revs to play with the transmission is not always flittering between 11th gear and top, which does provide a smoother, more consistent ride. For the A roads at 40mph the engine works in 11th gear at 1,100rpm.

Even without VDS (Volvo Dynamic Steering) the truck still handles well enough. When manoeuvring at low speeds, it handles much better if you raise the pusher to put more weight through the drive axle.

Helping to keep the weight down is the Globetrotter sleeper cab; it adds 40kg compared to the entry level sleeper cab Globetrotter has a 1,960mm standing space over the engine tunnel, and there is a 90mm drop into the footwell.

As a one bedroom open plan studio on wheels the Globetrotter is spacious enough

to relax in, making it a decent alternative to the Globetrotter XL. It does not lack for creature comforts with the Drive+ cab trim level and ‘1 Bed’ package.

So, how does the 8,133kg kerbweight compare with the DAF XF480 6x2 FTP Space cab with its lightweight pusher axle tested last month (TN, October 2019)?

Both are similar in concept regarding engine, cab size and wheelbase, however, the XF carried a considerable 930 litres of fuel and 90 litres of AdBlue that brought it up to 8,432kg. By matching up the volume of diesel and AdBlue with the Volvo FH then the XF would be, hypothetically at least, lighter by 39kg at 8,094kg.

Successfully reducing kerbweight requires compromise. Select an entry level tin can on a short wheelbase with a thimble for a fuel tank will give you payload, but the driver won’t thank you for it and the residuals will be poor.

Bulk haulier Alfred Hymas, based in Burton Leonard, near Harrogate, recently put six new Volvo FH Lite pusher axle tractor units into service. Managing director Stewart Hymas says the overall reliability was the main factor for choosing Volvo Trucks, and also cited fuel consumption, payload factors and driver acceptance as important too.

All the FH 6x2 Lite pusher axle tractor units are powered by Volvo’s D13K engine rated at 460hp with secondary braking provided by Volvo’s Engine Brake (VEB) with 375kW. The Globetrotter cabs were also specified along with Volvo’s new I-See predictive cruise control system that helps maximise the trucks’ kinetic energy, whilst saving fuel and reducing CO2 levels.

To further reduce kerbweight all six FHs are equipped with alloy air tanks and alloy wheels. All Alfred Hymas trucks come with hydraulic kits, inclinometers and 360° full time recording camera systems.

The six Volvos haul 72cu.yd tipping trailers and carry both bulk aggregates and agricultural products across the UK reaching payloads of between 29 and 30 tonnes, depending on the trailer make coupled.

‘These extra systems do add on some weight, but the Volvo Lite pusher axle package is the main trade off. We’ve used these small wheeled axles since the days when Estepe did the conversions. Now of course, it’s a factory fitment and financially a better option,’ he says.

CASE STUDY: ALFRED HYMAS

The plated weight for the rear bogie with a ‘lite’ pusher axle is 16,000kg, three tonnes less than a standard 7.5 tonne mid lift axle.


NEWS FROM THE NORTH

SPECIFICATION: VOLVO FH 500 LITE 6X2 TRACTOR UNIT.

Cab: Globetrotter Cab.

Engine: D13K500 diesel engine, 12.8 litre, 6 cylinder in line diesel engine, common rail high pressure fuel injection, rear mounted timing; EGR and SCR to achieve Euro 6 Step D.

Maximum power: 494hp from 1,400 to 1,800rpm.

Maximum torque: 2,500Nm between 1,000 to 1,400rpm.

Gearbox: AT2612F 12 speed ‘I-shift’ gearbox direct top with TP Long software package, and I-Roll.

Rear axle ratio: 2.64:1.

Wheelbase: 4,000mm.

Suspension: Front axle bogie, single leaf parabolic spring; drive axle bogie, air suspension.

Parking brake: Automatic electronic parking brake with spring cylinders.

Secondary brake: Volvo engine brake (VEB+) and exhaust pressure governor, enhanced performance from additional exhaust rocker control; 375kW at 2,300rpm.

Steering: Hydraulic power assisted recirculating ball.

Wheels: Dura Bright EVO aluminium rims.

Tyres: Front axle, 385/55R22.5; pusher axle, 246/70R17.5; drive axle 315/70R22.5. All Michelin X Line Energy.

Fuel/AdBlue Tank capacities: 550 litres diesel, 64 litres AdBlue.

Plated weights: Front bogie, 8,000kg; pusher axle, 4,500kg; drive axle, 11,500kg. Chassis cab kerbweight: 8,133kg (Globetrotter cab, no driver or wet kit, and full tanks).

Trailer: Feldbinder triaxle powder tanker.

Weather: Damp but bright with little wind. Temperatures peaked at 17 degrees.

Date of test: 30th September 2019.

Route: Start from Carlisle M6 J44 north to Glasgow M74 J4, join M73 towards Denny then M80 north past Stirling. At Dunblane take the A9 past Auchterarder to Perth. Join M90 south towards Kinross and onto Forth Road Bridge. Turned onto the eastbound M8 then around A720 Edinburgh bypass to A702 heading southbound passing Penicuik and Biggar. At Abington Motorway Services join M74 southbound to Carlisle, finish at M6 J44. 275.7 miles/443.6 km.

Beef it up and the driver might remain loyal, it’ll definitely pique interest when you part exchange it, but the truck will barely wash its face out on the road.

That compromise looks like this. Ordering a smaller sized cab like Globetrotter only scrimps on headroom; inside is a decent working environment with enough space to relax without the walls closing in.

Choosing a lightweight mid axle won’t make any difference to the driver unless there is a tendency to put more ballast over the kingpin; in this case with the powder trailer there was little additional weight through the drive axle.

And, of course, the driveline. At 500hp and 2,500Nm the driver won’t feel short changed when the truck has to work, and it’ll be frugal enough on the open road with I-Roll deployed to reduce unwanted acceleration to make it more than viable.

Comparing the kerbweight with the DAF XF480 shows that Volvo are competitive, and that specific options like alloy tanks and wheels can help bridge the gap in terms of weight.

Choosing a ‘lite’ weight doesn’t make you a lightweight. With both DAF and Volvo pushing their respective flagships to the fore across all sectors of haulage,

something a little more nuanced for the bulk transport market should provide the payload, and the residuals.


PEOPLE

PO Logistics graduate, Ellie Lynch, is entering the final stages of a six-month placement as a project officer in

Uganda with international development organisation Transaid. During her time in Kampala, she has supported a major project to build the capacity of HGV and PSV driver training.

Lynch has focused on engaging with private sector transport companies to recruit them into the Road Safety Programme at the Safe Way Right Way Uganda centre, which is working to ensure Ugandan drivers are in a position to meet the needs of the oil, gas and related sectors, in the face of rising demand for qualified commercial drivers.

As well as supporting recruitment, her role includes examining driver training activities and tracking data trends relating to safe driver behaviour – before and after the training.

“The main aim is to prove that the training Transaid has helped to develop improves road safety and actually saves lives,” said Lynch. “This helps to ensure greater take-up from local fleets and will

support us in introducing the programme to other African countries where we can have an incredible impact.”

Her role has also included helping Transaid and the Uganda Driving Standards Agency (UDSA) to enhance the capacity of driver recruitment, training and business development by establishing maintenance schedules and fuel trackers for training vehicles, while also formalising job descriptions for UDSA employees.

Mark Simmons, XPO Logistics’ HR director, UK and Ireland, said: “Safety is one of our core values as a business. We believe that all our employees have a role to play to make sure that everyone – in our operations and beyond – is safe. We’re really proud to have our graduates take part in

this programme and share this important value all the way to Kampala.”

Caroline Barber, Transaid’s chief executive, said: “These graduate schemes help people share valuable experiences and knowledge, and means they return to the UK having learnt many new skills. They also help us to gain new perspectives on tackling transport issues and really enhance the value we can deliver through our professional driver training programmes.”

The placement was part of XPO Logistics’ Graduate Programme, which is structured as four six-month assignments over a two-year period. Lynch has worked for XPO Logistics for nearly two years and her time in Uganda marks her last placement on the scheme.

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C olin Robertson, chief executive of bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL), recently

received the award of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) at an investiture ceremony performed by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in Buckingham Palace.

Robertson was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List earlier this year for services to exports and to the bus and coach manufacturing sector. This award recognised his leadership of ADL where he has driven the transformation of a predominantly UK-focused bus

and coach manufacturer into the world’s largest double deck bus manufacturer.

He has spearheaded technology development and innovation, with ADL now offering the widest range of low and zero emission solutions, ensuring buses and coaches contribute to sustainable transport, improving air quality and minimising congestion. Robertson also champions skills development through the company’s expanded apprenticeship scheme as well as a growing graduate programme and Emerging Leaders Academy, which identifies and nurtures talent within the business.

“I am delighted and deeply humbled to receive this CBE,” he said. “I couldn’t have achieved it without the fantastic team I have the privilege of leading at Alexander Dennis.”

Colin Robertson

Ellie Lynch

PEOPLE


PEOPLE

wedish electric truck start-up Volta Trucks has announced that Rob Fowler, current general manager of CSR and

technical planning at logistics services provider DPDgroup UK, will be its new CEO from 10 February 2020.

Volta’s current CEO, Carl-Magnus Norden, who founded the company in May 2019, has focused on recruiting a team to execute Volta’s strategy. He will remain active in the company and on Volta’s board, and will be responsible for its long-term strategy.

As new CEO, Fowler will lead the development of Volta’s first prototype vehicle, which will be manufactured in Banbury, and is scheduled to be unveiled early summer 2020. This will be followed by street pilots together with selected operators in London and Paris in 2021. He will also be responsible for the onboarding of customers, while further developing the Volta team and its investment proposition.

Fowler brings to Volta significant experience from the UK logistics industry, having spent the past five years in senior roles at DPDgroup, the second-largest operator in the courier, express and parcel market in Europe. In his role as general manager of CSR and technical planning, Fowler led DPD’s UK electric vehicle strategy and CSR programmes, with a focus on urban logistics, EV deployment, the development of charging infrastructure and stakeholder engagement.

In addition, on 15 January 2020, James McGoldrick formally joins Volta as chief financial officer after working for the company since July 2019 as a financial consultant, during which time he completed an MBA at INSEAD Business School. McGoldrick previously worked as an accountant for Deloitte and has pan-European fundraising and corporate finance experience from roles in the investment bank at J.P. Morgan.

Finally, recent appointment Max Ahlborn has been named Volta Trucks’ chief communication officer. Prior to this, Ahlborn was special advisor to Sweden’s

Minister of Education, headed up digital communication for the Swedish Green Party (Miljöpartiet) during its most successful election in 2014, and served as managing director of communications agency, B-Reel, out of its New York office. Ahlborn also co-founded digital agency, Acne Digital and social platform, Copabet, as well as establishing international technology conference, Gather.

“We’ve had a busy few months getting Volta started, and with Rob, James and Max now in place to form our C-level team together with my co-founder and CTO Kjell Walöen, we are ready to enter the next phase of development,” said Norden. “Our work has already gained a

lot of traction from the industry, decision makers and the public alike, further proving that there is a real need for our trucks to hit the roads as soon as possible. We simply don’t have time to work with anyone but the best.

“Rob has an extraordinary résumé having helped bring sustainability and electrification to the parcel delivery services industry, James brings a fantastic network from his time in investment banking, and has already proven an invaluable team member supporting Volta over recent months. Max brings a crucial, yet rare combination of governmental and commercial communication expertise.

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Rob Fowler


PEOPLE

ommercial vehicle bodybuilder JC Payne (UK) Ltd has appointed Stephen Horrocks as

finance director, with control over all financial aspects of the business to support the delivery of the company’s ambitious growth plans.

Horrocks started his career at Clement Keys and qualified as a chartered accountant in 2007, becoming a partner in the business in 2013. He worked with many SME owner-managed businesses across a range of sectors, including automotive and manufacturing. Horrocks joins after a four-year stint at specialist education recruiter TeacherActive, where was latterly chief financial officer and finance director.

“Having known the business for some time and watched the company more than double its revenue in the last six years alone, I know I am joining at an exciting time and look forward to working with the whole team to help the business continue its growth moving forward.”

Horrocks’ appointment means that David Scorer will be able to fully concentrate on the operational side of the business, having been promoted to operations director in 2018 from his prior position of financial controller.

Scorer leads all operational aspects at the company’s manufacturing facility in the West Midlands.

Managing director Neil Brandrick said Horrocks’ appointment was “very exciting” for JC Payne.

“Steve has been known to the business for some time and brings with him a wealth of experience in working with SME businesses who have been on growth journeys similar to ourselves.

“This appointment will allow David to focus all his efforts on increasing the significant impact he has already had on our operations and will lead to a better experience for our customers, colleagues and suppliers.”

“With our new C-level executives and industry partners on board we now have a world-class team and feel confident that we can deliver on our promise to bring sustainability and safety to cities across Europe and beyond.”

Fowler added that it was a “very exciting” time to join Volta Trucks. “A widespread environmental awareness amongst consumers and corporations, regulatory changes, and a clear desire from current business leaders to decarbonise transport has put pressure on operators to embrace innovation and deliver change,” he said.

“Volta strives to be at the forefront of this change, and I believe it has the potential to become the international market leader. Carl-Magnus and the team have already laid the groundwork for Volta to become an outstanding business and I look

forward to helping the company - and its vehicles - achieve full potential. We live in an increasingly urbanised world with the daily lives of people living in major cities affected by city transportation. Not only will Volta Trucks deliver commercial value for transport operators, but also environmental and safety benefits improving the quality of life and health of city dwellers. This is a truly worthwhile mission of which I am very excited and proud to be a part.”

The appointments of Fowler, McGoldrick and Ahlborn follow a significant start-up phase for Volta Trucks, during which key UK partnerships were announced with industry leaders Prodrive and Magtec, which join Conjure and Astheimer in the development of Volta Trucks’ prototype vehicle.

A utomotive supplier HELLA has promoted Neil Grant from financial director to

UK managing director.Grant, who has been Chipping

Warden-based HELLA’s financial director for four years, will officially start his new role in January 2020. He takes over from Matthew Say, who has been leading HELLA‘s UK operation for the past four and a half years.

“Becoming the MD of a company such as HELLA UK is a huge honour and one that I am very much looking forward to,” said Grant. “Having worked for the company for the past four years as the FD, I am well prepared for the role and fully aware of our customer base, product portfolio and of the strengths we have within our team. Working alongside Matthew Say in the strategic decisions and direction of the company over my tenure means that I have also already met many of our key partners.

“In an industry that is constantly changing, it is now my responsibility to ensure that we remain a relevant supplier to our customers, are adaptable

to the developing landscape and are well positioned to meet their needs. We will therefore continue to invest in our core product offering, as well as those within the important ADAS and diagnostic fields and to grow our relationships with supply partners and customers.

“I have a great deal of customer knowledge, am aware of the potential growth areas and intend to continue the good work that Matthew has established. I am, therefore, very much looking forward to leading HELLA UK through the next chapter in its journey.”

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Neil Grant

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