Commercial fleet deals: Contract wins for Schmitz Cargobull, Tiger Trailers, Fraikin, Ford and Slater, Renault Trucks, Specialist Fleet Services and Vanaways

Yodel strikes trailer deal with Schmitz Cargobull

Yodel has taken delivery of 80 SBO Pace trailers from Schmitz Cargobull as part of its commitment to more sustainable deliveries.

The company, which makes more than 190 million deliveries annually, made its second significant order with the trailer manufacturer in just three years based on calculations suggesting it could help reduce annual fuel costs and 1,464kg in CO2 savings per trailer.

Pasqualino Vaccarella, regional compliance manager at Yodel, said: “We were hugely impressed with the scale of the potential savings presented by the UK team at Schmitz Cargobull, which align closely with the sustainability goals of our business.

“Yodel has already made great strides in reducing our climate impact and this marks another step in our sustainability journey.”

The SBO PACE trailers will operate the length and breadth of England, Scotland and Wales, covering all of Yodel’s service centres as well as its three national sortation hubs.

Designed for courier express parcel services transport, they offer a weight saving of up to 700kg over traditional dry-freight trailer designs thanks to lightweight, polypropylene honeycomb-shaped core panels.

North Devon Council welcomes new recycling fleet

A fleet of 16 brand new kerbside recycling vehicles has arrived in North Devon ready to carry out weekly collections across the district.

The vehicles, all manufactured by Romaquip, have been supplied by the council’s vehicle and workshop partner, Specialist Fleet Services (SFS).

In September 2021, North Devon Council joined forces with Somerset West and Taunton Council in a procurement exercise and awarded a seven-year contract to SFS for the provision and management of over 200 vehicles. 

Romaquip Kerb-Sort vehicles are designed to maximise the range and volume of materials that can be collected directly from people’s homes.

Councillor Ian Roome, leader of North Devon Council, said: “The arrival of our new fleet marks a significant step in our commitment to sustainability. These vehicles enhance our recycling efforts, ensuring a more efficient and eco-friendly collection process for the benefit of our community and the environment.”

Bob Sweetland, managing director of SFS, added: “We are pleased to be able to provide North Devon Council with this fleet of vehicles, which will help to maximise the amount of recycling that is collected, in an efficient and safe way.”

T Quality takes delivery of new trucks

Food wholesaler T Quality has taken delivery of the first of 26 new rigid trucks on a seven-year full-service contract hire agreement from Fraikin.

All feature a bespoke-built split-load body design that the two companies first developed together in 2021.

Designed to deliver improved safety, efficiency and practicality, the split-load body proved to be so successful, it has now been rolled out to be fitted to the 22 15-tonne and four 18-tonne rigids set to replace a mixture of both Fraikin- and competitor-supplied units in T Quality’s 135-strong commercial vehicle fleet.

Ninel Diaconu, national fleet manager at T Quality, said: “The versatility of the new split-load has made our drivers’ lives much easier, helping to speed up customer deliveries, improve safety and ultimately reduce maintenance downtime. It was a no-brainer to bring more onto the fleet.”

The vehicles each feature a refrigerated compartment at the front of the truck with an ambient compartment installed at the rear.

Specially designed load restraints, steps and flooring have also been fitted which combined means workers can access both storage sections from either side of the vehicle, increasing safety while loading and unloading.

The new trucks have been supplied with all servicing, repairs, road fund licencing, regular safety inspections, annual MOT testing, tyre management, roadside assistance and round-the-clock customer support.

The rigids – expected to clock up to 40,000 miles a year – will be used for customer deliveries based out of T Quality’s facilities in Birmingham, Darlington, Newton Abbot, Staplehurst and Swindon.

The first of the new trucks are already in operation with the business, with all 26 scheduled to be on the road by the end of 2024.

ASDA begins deployment of new Tiger Trailers moving decks

ASDA is midway through welcoming to its fleet an initial order of 167 new vehicles manufactured by Tiger Trailers.

The deployment comprises of 147 tri-axle box van moving deck double decks for UK operation, and 20 for the retailer’s Northern Ireland ferry-use operations.

Tiger’s new trailer solution for Asda provides up to a 44-pallet carrying capacity, and incorporates a three-quarter length moving deck powered by the Cheshire manufacturer’s in-house, four-ram hydraulic system.

Peter Hey, Asda’s fleet procurement manager, said: “Engagement with the Tiger team was excellent from the outset, including a number of visitors to their factory, and we are extremely happy with the trailers that they have produced. Tiger’s support has been fantastic throughout.” 

Darren Holland, Tiger Trailers’ sales director, added: “Working with Peter and the Asda team has been a great experience. From the initial on-site meetings to view their operations to sharing the 3D model of their precise trailer at the factory and finally presenting the trailer in our showroom to the Asda team we are really happy with the final product.

“These trailers will be servicing the Asda ambient operation, and we look forward to working with the Asda team in the future.”

A significant proportion of Asda’s 167 new Tiger-built double deck trailers can already be seen in service on the road, primarily operating from the supermarket’s ambient distribution centres that are situated throughout the UK, along with its Irish Sea Carriers routes.

Ford & Slater delivers new-gen Daf trucks to Wedge Group Galvanizing

Ford and Slater has completed the delivery of five high-spec Daf XD trucks to Wedge Group Galvanizing.

These vehicles are numbered 60 – 65 in the Wedge Group fleet, which includes more than 100 vehicles and represent the first New Generation Daf Trucks that Wedge will have taken.

Paul Thompson, group fleet transport manager at Wedge Group Galvanizing, said: “I’m delighted to take delivery of our first five new DAF XD 6x2 tractor units to be delivered to some of our plants throughout the UK.

“We have partnered with Ford and Slater for several years who have always provided Wedge Group with excellent service and backup.

“These vehicles will be maintained on a full Daf R&M contract giving me piece of mind so that we can fulfil our customer promise as the UK Galvanizer of choice giving customers continued reliable excellent service.”

Mark Chater, accounts manager at Ford and Slater, added: “Our ongoing partnership with Wedge Group Galvanizing is built on a foundation of shared values of innovation and customer service.

“Supplying these top-of-the-line Daf trucks is a testament to our commitment to supporting Wedge Group's continuous efforts towards enhancing efficiency and sustainability within their operations. It's a privilege to play a role in this pivotal stage of their fleet development.”

Vanaways seals Fiat van deal for The Logistics Organisation

The Logistics Organisation has invested more than £1 million in 50 new Fiat Ducato L3H2 Multijet Panel Vans from Vanaways.

The Logistics Organisation, which is based in Bishop Stortford in Hertforshire, supplies delivery drivers to both Amazon and FedEx, delivering more than 1.5 million parcels in a busy month.

Set up by Keith Page and Andrei Ungurianu in 2015, it operates in and around the M25, turning over more than £21m last year with between 300 and 550 drivers on its books at any one time.

Liam Nicholas from Vanaways said: “Our recent work with The Logistics Organisation is a great example of how manufacturers such as Fiat are offering fleet owners a range of quality but affordable products.

“Everything’s changing – customers are focusing on seeking the best value for money for their fleets. And the way we buy and sell vehicles is changing, too, giving companies like ours the ability to be extremely competitive on pricing while offering fast ordering and delivery.

“It’s great to see that The Logistics Organisation is embracing these changes and that their drivers are set to benefit from the positive and efficient delivery that Vanaways can provide.

“We’re happy to be working with the team and we’ll look forward to continuing our relationship as they replace the current fleet with newer models.”

Lostock Skip Hire welcomes first Renault Trucks

Lostock Skip Hire has taken delivery of four new Renault Trucks, the first to join the 30-strong fleet.

Two C440 8x4, one D12 Low 4x2 and one D18 High 4x2 will operate out of Lostock Skip Hire’s base in Horwich, Bolton and its satellite depot in Leyland, delivering and collecting skips from a mixture of domestic and commercial customers covering a large area of Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

A long-time customer of a competing truck manufacturer, Lostock Skip Hire decided to diversify its vehicle maintenance by choosing Renault Trucks, influenced by recommendations from local operators and the reputation of the local dealership, JDS Truck and Van.

Specified by Peter Wilson from JDS Truck and Van, the new D12 and D18 have been mounted with lightweight steel Hiab Futura skiploaders, made of EvoLight, a lightweight steel construction providing greater payload while reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Both vehicles have been specified with passenger side vision door with lower tinted windows to provide its drivers with enhanced visibility of cyclists and other vulnerable road-users.

The D18 is fitted with the Optishift 8AP gearbox with gear shifting strategy optimised for construction with automatic gearbox cooler as well as air-suspended “comfort” driver's heated seat, with lumbar support.

The two 13 litre C440 off-road, mounted to Hiab Multilift Ultima 24S hookloaders, provide a maximum torque of 2200Nm from 925rpm to 1400rpm.

They have also been specified with optional extras including leather steering wheel, a heated and ventilated driver’s seat, as well as Renault Trucks’ audio, navigation and entertainment system.

Joanna Dyke, director at Lostock said: “One significant factor in choosing Renault Trucks was the reputable aftersales service offered by JDS Truck and Van who are very well-regarded in the local area.

“Our vehicles are covered by a comprehensive four-year repair and maintenance package, including warranty, ensuring complete peace of mind. As a result, we plan to transition to a 50/50 split in the coming year, expanding our Renault Trucks fleet from four to 15.”