A&F Haulage of Bolton has taken delivery of fourteen new FM and six FMX 8×4 tippers from Thomas Hardie Commercials, Trafford Park, Manchester. The new arrivals increase the company’s fleet size to over eighty-five trucks.
Managing Director Ali Majeed says: “Volvo represents good, strong and reliable trucks and with the B-Ride high suspension option offering excellent chassis ground clearance on both the FMX and the FM, these new trucks are ideally suited to the type of construction work with which we’re involved.”
All twenty of the new trucks are powered by 11-litre Volvo D11K engines producing 410hp and up to 1,950Nm of torque. The vehicle’s I-Shift automated gearboxes are equipped with software to enhance off-road and construction capabilities.
The new FMX eight-wheelers, which are fitted with Day cabs, feature Bulkrite insulated bodies with Edbro tipping gear and Easysheet systems. Meanwhile, the fourteen new sleeper-cabbed FMs are fitted with Wilcox Wilcolite bodies, Edbro tipping gear and Easysheets.
“Our drivers are really happy with the new Volvo trucks,” says Ali. “They have already commented on the enhanced comfort of the interiors and in relation specifically to the latest FMX trucks, they say the steering is now lighter and an improvement on earlier versions.”
Approximately 75% of business at A&F Haulage is the transportation of asphalt with the remaining 25% accountable to aggregate. “Last year we delivered some 4.1 million tonnes of asphalt for our three main customers,” says Ali.
“The majority of our fleet is Volvo FM trucks, although with this latest delivery we now have 10 FMX too. The support we receive from the Volvo dealer Thomas Hardie is nothing short of great,” he adds
The support, this time around, extended to include the fitment of a 5-way recording camera system covering front, rear, left and right as well as one camera dedicated to an overview of the body.
“I am a firm believer that to grow you need to invest properly in your business,” concludes Ali. “Our on-going investment in Volvo trucks has helped us grow year-on-year and now that we have invested in a new four acre site in the Bolton area and an additional one acre site in Deeside, to complement our three existing sites and depots, I am confident that we’ll soon be ordering even more Volvo FM and FMX trucks from Thomas Hardie, to meet demand.”
