This story is about a longstanding Volvo Trucks customer buys three new Volvo Trucks. Nothing ground-breaking or newsworthy there. But it is these bread and butter deals that stand the test of time though building relationships between the local dealer and the truck operator.
Clearly having a good range of trucks helps, but there aren’t many manufacturers who make a bad truck these days.
It is stories like these that stress the importance of the other elements. Service and relationship building. This is true whether you are a truck dealer – franchised or independent of whether you are a truck operator.
Man Buys Truck
Livestock and speciality feed manufacturer GLW Feeds has continued its long association with Volvo by taking delivery of three new FH 8×4 tridem rigids.
Supplied by Jason Brewin, Transport Solutions Executive Volvo Truck and Bus Centre Bardon, the FHs are powered by D13K engines, producing 420 hp and 2,100 Nm of torque and come with bespoke-built bodies by Muldoon Transport Systems.
The 3,900mm wheelbase tridems replace older vehicles and have been specified with a sleeper cab, a heavy-duty nine-tonne front axle, rear air suspension and hydraulically steered tag axle for optimised manoeuvrability.
The Purchasing Criteria
Neale Jones, Transport Manager at GLW Feeds, says: “We work our fleet hard, delivering up to 1,000 tonnes of animal feed every day to farms across the UK. They can often be in hard-to-reach locations, requiring access down narrow lanes and over uneven ground, so we need trucks that are versatile and robust. We always look at what’s new on the market, but Volvo won our business once again because of the high spec of its trucks and proven track record for reliability.”
Operating out of the company’s main site in Loughborough, the new FHs will be in use seven days a week, and are finished in the firm’s distinctive blue livery.
Fuel consumption is another major consideration for us, so a lot of effort goes into ensuring we specify vehicles that are going to be as efficient as possible for our operation.
Neale Jones, Transport Manager at GLW Feeds
The three new FHs have been specified with Volvo’s Dynafleet management and telematics system, providing real time, precision fleet management. This allows GLW Feeds to see the exact location and status of its trucks 24/7, as well as identifying the most fuel-efficient drivers, along with any drivers which might need additional training and support to help them increase their fuel efficiency.
Purchased outright, the trucks have been supplied with a four-year Volvo Silver Contract covering all preventive maintenance and driveline repairs within the nationwide Volvo Trucks dealer network. They join two new FH 6×2 tractor units that entered service earlier this year.
Neale continues: “The great aftersales support we get from our local dealer is another reason why we continue to work with them. They are always honest and open; nothing is too much trouble.”
