Lowestoft-based waste, scrap and recycling firm CR Hales has taken delivery of the UK's first Renault Kerax 520.42 8x4 drawbar skip loader.
This specialist vehicle, supplied by Renault Trucks Felixstowe with the Roy Humphrey Group, was purposed designed for CR Hales' application – and Renault Trucks was the only manufacturer able to deliver the specification.
The Kerax features a Boughton body, fitted by Machinery Maintenance in Stanton, and joins CR Hales' mixed fleet of DAF, Scania and Iveco skiploaders and roll-on/roll-off vehicles.
The truck's 520bhp engine ensures that the Kerax and its trailer operate at 44-tonne gross weight effectively, and, for managing director Charles Richard Hales, extra torque was the deciding factor.
"We researched the market and found that only Renault Trucks had the manufacturing flexibility that allowed us to stipulate exactly what we wanted," says Hales.
"Everyone else could only offer off-the-shelf trucks, [but] we needed extra horsepower to pull up hills when we're running at 44-tonnes," he continues – stating that the Kerax 520 delivers.
"Getting the right specification was paramount and although fuel efficiency wasn't our first consideration, the fuel consumption of the Kerax's larger engine is comparable to the rest of the fleet," he states.
