Wigan-based Warisa chose the Actros following a competitive trial involving a vehicle by a rival manufacturer, which saw the Mercedes-Benz win on both fuel efficiency and driver appeal.
Supplied by dealer Roanza Truck & Van, the new additions are Actros 2548 tractors with flat-floored GigaSpace cabs and 476bhp straight-six engines, driving through Mercedes-PowerShift 3 automated transmissions.
Warisa collects JLG’s UK-bound products at Liverpool docks and transports them to its pre-delivery inspection and preparation centre in Middleton, Greater Manchester, before onward transit to users across the UK. The operator also takes machines from JLG’s Belgian factory to customers across Europe.
“Our drivers can be away for weeks at a time on long-distance runs, so comfortable, well-designed cabs with lots of storage space are very important,” says Warisa’s managing director Warren Myers.
“I’m happy, too, because the trucks are averaging 8 mpg. In an application like ours, which entails pulling some decidedly un-aerodynamic loads, that’s an excellent figure, and represents a marked improvement on the vehicles they’ve replaced.
The Actros is living up to its reputation for reliability, he adds, but Europe-wide back-up from Mercedes gives him peace of mind, should a breakdown occur.