You know a truck has performed well if it gets to 1,000,000 kilometres and the operator just goes to the dealer to buy a new one. No fuss, no shopping around, no back to back demonstrator trials – just go and buy a new one.
That’s what metal component manufacturer and supplier, Folsana Pressed Sections, has done. They have replaced their 15 year old Volvo FM12 that has been on its fleet for 15 years, covering nearly 1,000,000 km with a new Volvo FH 6×2 Globetrotter XL pusher axle tractor unit.
It sounds like Paul McNicholas’s job as Customer Solutions Manager at Thomas Hardie Commercials was quite straightforward on the day that deal was done.
Automated Gearbox – A First for Driver
The FH has Volvo’s D13K, Euro-6, Step D engine, and 12-speed I-Shift automated gearbox. This is a totally new experience for the driver, Wayne Cavanaugh, who has driven for the company for 18 years, says: “The FM served me well over the years and was always a lovely drive, however the new FH is something else completely, particularly with the amount of living space it gives me inside the Globetrotter XL cab.
The I-Shift gearbox is also a game changer; I have only ever driven a manual, so the FH now makes my job so much easier. I’d heard a lot of positive things about I-Shift from other drivers, and it’s definitely living up to them.
Wayne Cavanaugh
Happy with Truck, Happy with Dealer Support
Darren Marsden, Director at Folsana, says: “I was always going to choose Volvo Trucks for this latest order because we’ve been very happy with the quality of the FM12, ever since it joined the fleet in 2005. In fact, we’re even going to keep hold of it for smaller jobs! Looking to the future, if this new FH performs as well, it will be looking at a similar stretch on the fleet.”
Commenting on the local dealer support, he adds: “The team at Thomas Hardie Commercials were extremely helpful throughout the ordering process and were able to deliver everything we asked for. We don’t upgrade our vehicles often, so when we do, having access to the best possible advice and support is invaluable.”
Finished in metallic silver, the new truck will be used to transport the company’s metal components to blue-chip companies within a vast array of industries across the UK. Operating from the firm’s headquarters in Bolton it will be on the road five days per week, with its Globetrotter XL cab featuring a twin bunk, providing secure and comfortable accommodation for up to two people. It has also been spec’d with a 33-litre under bunk fridge/freezer, as well as a microwave oven and TV preparation kit.
Thomas Hardie Commercials supplied the new vehicle with a Volvo Blue Contract which covers all preventative maintenance, enabling the customer to know its planned service costs upfront. All maintenance will be carried out by its dealership in Trafford Park.
