MJ Church has just commissioned a pair of Mercedes-Benz Arocs eight-wheelers a year after they took on two 80-tonne tractor units.

One of the biggest civil engineering, earthworks and waste management contractors in the South-West, MJ Church is based at Marshfield, near Chippenham, Wiltshire. Its new heavy-haulers were supplied, like their 32-tonne predecessors, by Avonmouth Dealer City West Commercials.

The operator has traditionally favoured another truck brand. The Arocs, which were purpose-designed for construction-related applications, are its first Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

The 6x4 tractors have flat-floored StreamSpace cabs and are now being used primarily to transport diggers, excavators and other heavy plant between sites and rental customers on new, four-axle King low-loader trailers.

MJ Church introduced its first 8x4 Arocs 3240s in the spring of 2015, following successful trials of a demonstration unit. It is now running eight with steel Charlton tipping bodies and, in two cases, Palfinger Epsilon grabs, which are all on muckaway work, as well as a pair of Hyva hook-loaders based on the same chassis.

Karl Wintle, MJ Church transport manager, said: “The driver feedback on the new Arocs tractors has been really good and very positive, they’re impressed with the engine and gearbox, particularly in terms of low-speed manoeuvrability, while the cab – although slightly smaller than they’ve been used to – has also won praise.”

Eight-wheelers form the backbone of MJ Church’s 80-strong truck fleet and with their combination of driver appeal, fuel efficiency and all-round usability, the Arocs tippers and hook-loaders have been a big hit.