Plant hire specialist CBL has renewed its commercial vehicle fleet with 11 IVECO Stralis rigid trucks and four Daily Hi-Matic light commercials, placing the order after a seed Stralis impressed during its first year of work at the family-run company’s Maidstone branch.
All the 26-tonne Stralis Hi-Street rigids feature day cabs and are equipped with Andover Trailers low profile plant bodies with beavertails, while seven of the 11 have been converted to four-axle 8×2 rigids. The 3.5-tonne Daily chassis cabs are mounted with plant bodies built by Brit-Tipp, and the new arrivals replace a mixed fleet, and mark the first IVECOs to be operated by CBL.
Delivered by IVECO dealer Hendy Van & Truck, all 11 trucks were supplied under a comprehensive eight-year IVECO Elements repair and maintenance contract, structured to maximise vehicle reliability and performance over a long life in service and financed through IVECO Capital.
CBL Depot Manager Kevin Clark says: “We first considered the Stralis because it seemed perfectly suited for our operation – offering a healthy payload potential, strong Cursor driveline and impressive manoeuvrability – which is essential when delivering plant in particularly challenging locations.
“This opinion was reinforced after running our first IVECO out of the Maidstone branch,” he adds. “The Stralis quite literally delivered on all fronts and we received excellent feedback from our drivers. What’s more, with the latest generation Daily Hi-Matic, we also found everything we wanted in a 3.5-tonner.”
The 11 Stralis rigids are all powered by Cursor engines which feature IVECO’s patented HI-SCR technology, allowing CBL to meet the Euro VI emissions limit without the need for forced regeneration.
At CBL’s request, the seven converted 8×2 Stralis rigids included in the order were specified with a Cursor 11 engine that delivers 420 hp, and Clark adds: “We asked for a powerful engine, and Hendy delivered. In the past, some of our vehicles struggled with hills when loaded with heavy plant, but we’ve been sailing up them since investing in the Stralis’!”
Commenting on the HI-SCR technology, Clark explains: “The simplicity of the system is a big advantage in our eyes. It keeps unladen weight down, and means our drivers don’t need to push any buttons or make unscheduled stops to regenerate the diesel particulate filter, which means we potentially save time on the road versus other manufacturer’s systems, and minimise the risk of any possible disruption for our customers.”
The 15 new arrivals will work across CBL’s seven sites in Bridgend, Bristol, Crawley, Maidstone, Newbury, Saltash and Southampton.
CBL’s four Daily Hi-Matic chassis cabs are powered by 3 litre IVECO diesel engines, which can produce up to 146 hp between 3,000 and 3,500 rev/min, plus up to 350 Nm of torque between 1,500 and 2,600 rev/min, offering the perfect blend of power and fuel efficiency.
The chassis cabs also feature the class exclusive eight-speed automatic gearbox, offering the best driving comfort and safety. The Daily Hi-Matic smoothly changes gear quicker and more precisely than even the best driver, needing less than 200 milliseconds for a gear shift when greater acceleration is required, and delivering absolute driving pleasure for the CBL team.
CBL is a dealer for Takeuchi Excavators, Thwaites Dumpers, and BOMAG construction equipment, and offers new and used plant equipment, including telehandlers, excavators, dump trucks, and screed and concrete pumps. The company also provides a comprehensive hire service, with its 150-strong team including 55 service engineers.
