The company has been a long-term Volvo customer, with 13 of its 18-strong commercial vehicle fleet now provided by the Swedish manufacturer. The new box body FLs will help Unisurge deliver crucial equipment and supplies to NHS hospitals across the UK. The trucks have been built to maximise load space, but with a compact body and 5,300 mm wheelbase to aid manoeuvrability.
Amir Farboud, Chief of Operations at Unisurge says: “Volvo Trucks has always been our primary supplier. We’ve got a really strong, established relationship and we’ve never been let down by them; so naturally they were the default choice for this latest order.”
Supplied by Alan Didwell, Transport Solutions Executive at Volvo Truck and Bus Centre East Anglia, the FLs are powered by Volvo’s D5K engine, producing 210 hp and 800 Nm of torque, and have been carefully specified to maximise driver comfort and safety.
The FLs have all been fitted with high-roof cabs by Hatcher Conversions – giving the drivers extra head room and airline style lockers for additional storage space. A comfortable, heated driver’s seat, TV, microwave and fridge/freezer add to the creature comforts inside the cab.
An electric up and over door at the back of the box body – built by Kurt Hobbs Coachworks – allows quick and easy access, while an additional lower window in the passenger door improves safety and visibility.
“With these new trucks we wanted to be able to move to overnight distribution, which meant making sure our drivers had a really comfortable living and sleeping space,” says Farboud. “They are our ambassadors on the road, and giving them high-spec trucks will help ensure they are best equipped to represent the brand in a positive fashion.
“A big part of that is having Volvo as our partner. It’s important the customer knows the trucks that we deliver their goods in are a premium product. They know the reliability of the Volvo brand and that in turn gives them added confidence in us.
“The drivers love the new trucks. They asked specifically for the up and over electric shutter door at the back as it just makes their job a little easier. We do a lot of multi-drop work, even unloading at several delivery points on the same hospital site, so speed is of the essence.”
The trucks will be on the road five days a week, clocking up roughly 80,000km per year. Supplied through Volvo Financial Services – all three FLs are covered by a Volvo Gold Contract, with servicing and maintenance to be carried out at Volvo Truck and Bus Centre East Anglia’s Ely depot.
Unisurge is a major manufacturer and supplier of practitioner-specified procedure packs (CPT), dressing packs, medical disposable and theatre products including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to healthcare professionals.
