Transporting heavy plant machinery around the Highlands means that the truck has plenty of work to do. This means it has to be reliable and powerful. Following the wishes of the driver, Campbell Plant Hire went for a new Volvo FH 540 sleeper cab 6×2 tractor unit. The new truck replaces a vehicle from a rival manufacturer at the Inverness-based business.

Supplied by Kevin Fraser, Transport Solutions Executive at Volvo Truck and Bus Centre North & Scotland, the FH will be paired with a Nooteboom trailer and used to transport heavy plant equipment across the Highlands of Scotland.

John Maclachlan, Director at Campbell Plant Hire, says: “We’ve run plenty of Volvos in the past and currently have a smaller Volvo FL on the fleet, so we like the product.

“We always get a good service from Kevin and the team at Volvo Trucks too – the depot is just round the corner from our HQ. Driver preference played a major part in this latest order. He’s a big Volvo fan, and we were only too happy to provide him with the tools he likes when it came to upgrading his truck.”

The FH540 Specification

Powered by Volvo’s proven D13K Euro-6 engine, the FH delivers 540 hp and a maximum torque output of 2,600 Nm between 1,000 and 1,450 rev/min.

It’s driven through a 12-speed I-Shift gearbox which is combined with Volvo’s I-See predictive cruise control system to yield additional sustainability benefits and operational efficiency via active speed management and perfectly timed gearshifts.

The Buyer’s View

“This is the biggest truck we have and will be shifting some pretty heavy equipment all over the Highlands and onto the islands as well,” adds Maclachlan. “We opted for the 540hp engine to give us a bit more power, which allows us to deliver quicker journey times for our customers.

“The terrain can be challenging – further north and out to the west there’s a lot of single-track roads and hills, we need a truck that can deliver on performance. Our driver really likes the I-Shift gearbox. And we opted for the flat sleeper cab rather than the Globetrotter because a lot of places we go have low branches and low bridges.”

The interior of the FH benefits from a Living+ package, featuring 154 litres of rear cab upper storage, interior lighting with night light and dimmer, plus a 33 litre under bunk-mounted refrigerator with freezer and dividers.

The exterior is decked out in the company’s striking yellow livery and features an enhanced paint finish, Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels, factory side skirts and bumper spoiler, as well as factory-fitted roof air horns.

Backed by a four-year Volvo Gold Contract for maximum uptime and peace of mind, the FH is expected to clock up in the region of 50,000 to 60,000 miles per year.

Campbell Plant Hire is an independent plant equipment and tool hire company based in Inverness. Established in 1970, the business offers an extensive fleet of non-operated plant and stocks a wide range of small plant and tools for hire.