Supplied by Crossroads Truck and Bus, Lincoln, the vehicle has a bespoke body, designed and built in collaboration with Ranch Trucks and Trailers of Nottingham.
The 410bhp Volvo FM Tridem, with I-Shift automated transmission, features Heil front end loader lifting arms and a purpose-built aluminium body with stainless steel cladding.
It enables GH By-Products to access and lift bins from 240 litres up to 1100 litres capacity, as well as industry-specific front end loader skips.
Transport manager Cliff Mear says: “From the outset this vehicle was always going to be a bespoke vehicle, tailored for a specialist application and capable of carrying up to 36 yd3 (27.5m3) of animal by-products weighing up to 16.180 tonnes.”
The FM chassis is an 8x2 single-drive Tridem configuration, chosen for its ability to deliver the optimum payload of animal by-products and for its manoeuvrability, thanks to its combination of two lift axles.
The low height FM day cab both accommodates the arch of the lifting arms and enhances driver access. “Our drivers are in and out of the cab a lot,” says Mears. “The low height cab therefore absolutely suits our health and safety regime.”
Mears adds that the vehicle is boosting fleet efficiency: “With this truck, we can visit customers less often but take more, so it is enabling us to maximise utilisation.”
It is also proving popular with drivers, he says: “It is superior to anything else in terms of ingress and egress, which is very important... Our drivers really appreciate the user-friendly attributes of this latest addition.”
The vehicle has an auto washing system for bins, with a separate high-pressure jet wash and a Ranch Trucks and Trailers on-board weigh system.
Under-floor tipping gear comes from Binotto of Loughborough. “The lids are all hydraulically sealed to prevent odours,” adds Mears. “This not only makes life a little more pleasant for our drivers, but also ensures we minimise our environmental impact.”
The vehicle will be maintained by Crossroads Truck and Bus.