Norfolk Environmental Waste Services has taken delivery of six Boughton hookloader-equipped Volvo FM eight-wheelers to support operations at its household waste recycling centres under contract with Norfolk County Council.
The firm, which is a subsidiary of Norse Commercial Services, has also acquired two Boughton close-coupled trailers to improve efficiencies on the contract, which started on 1 April this year.
The hookloaders were all specified with Boughton's patented Kwikova automatic container sheeting systems, rear combi-locks, rear axle stabilisers and VBG couplings.
Meanwhile, the tri-axle trailers have retractable drawbars and hydraulic legs and locks.
Norse transport manager John Mellor explains that the Norse fleet already has other Boughton-equipped vehicles, some of which have been in service for more than 12 years.
"We have had very good experience of utilising both Boughton and Volvo within our existing fleet and that underlined our confidence for the new purchase," he says.
The new Volvo FM chassis have been rated for operation at 32 tonnes gvw and 44 tonnes gtw. Power comes from the 420bhp version of Volvo's 13-litre Euro 5 SCR six-cylinder engine, driving through the I-Shift automatic gearbox, with a gearbox-mounted PTO.
The vehicles were supplied through the East Anglia Volvo Truck & Bus Centre in Norwich.
