Architectural coatings specialist PPG Industries placed an order for 21 new Stralis Hi-Way 6×2 twin-steer tractor units (AS440S46TX/P) after trialling demonstrators from three manufacturers and evaluating driver feedback.
The company has operated Stralis’ on its fleet for more than a decade and the vehicles’ proven performance earned local dealer Northern Commercials an invitation to tender for the renewal.
Gary Morton, Transport Operations Manager at PPG Industries, says: “We put each truck through the same evaluation process and the Stralis Hi-Way came out on top. Driver feedback was very positive; they had a lot of praise for the overall comfort and internal space inside the cab. It made us feel totally comfortable about putting the latest generation Iveco flagship into service within our fleet.”
Operating with a mix of Montracon and SDC tri-axle trailers, the new Stralis Hi-Ways will be used to deliver pallets of paint and decorating products to high-street retailers, DIY stores, builder’s merchants and PPG’s own network of more than 180 Johnstone’s and Leyland Decorating Centres nationwide.
The new fleet will operate from PPG Industries’ manufacturing site in Birstall, West Yorkshire, with each vehicle covering approximately 50,000 miles per year for the next six years. The new heavy fleet will operate primarily five days a week, but with a handful of vehicles supporting Saturday deliveries, and making as many as 10 drops per day.
“Our drivers spend at least two nights away each week, so it was important to get their feedback on the vehicle they wanted to drive. To them the cab is not just a place of work; it’s also where they take their rest breaks, eat, relax and sleep,” Morton adds.
One of the key innovations on board the Stralis Hi-Way is Iveco’s innovative Driving Style Evaluation tool. This enables the driver to optimise driving performance in real time and, as a result, improve fuel efficiency. Iveco says this system can help to generate fuel savings of between 5 and 12 per cent when used to maximum effect, and was a key factor in the vehicle being nominated International Truck of the Year 2013.
The new tractor units also benefit from Iveco’s factory-fitted Eco Pack, which incorporates a number of additional fuel-saving functions. These include an EcoSwitch, which uses vehicle weight information to minimise fuel consumption; EcoFleet mode, which automatically adjusts vehicle loading to help fine-tune fuel economy; fitment of ‘Energy’ tyres to reduce rolling resistance and optimised drive axle ratios.
Finished in a bold corporate grey livery, the new trucks will be serviced in-house by PPG Industries using genuine Iveco parts.
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