Harbro crops fuel bill with Mercedes Actros tractors17 September 2014

Livestock feed manufacturer Harbro has taken delivery of three Mercedes Actros tractor units which, it says, are already beating its average fleet fuel performance by 12%.

Together with an 18-tonne Mercedes Antos 1827 curtainsider, these are the first Mercedes trucks to join Harbro's 48-strong fleet after a change in vehicle supply strategy.

In another change, the vehicles were acquired on Charterway contract hire through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, instead of outright purchase.

Supplied by Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles Aberdeen, the Actros 2551 BigSpace tractors are powered by 510bhp Euro 6 engines.

They have been mated to transmissions with Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC), which use 3D GPS mapping to read 3km of topography ahead, then respond by controlling speed, braking and the gearbox to maximise fuel efficiency.

On downhill sections, PPC uses the trucks' standard-fit EcoRoll function and applies single or double downshifts of gear at an early stage.

"Our Actros are frequently running from Inverness down the A9 and M74 into England, and as far south as the Midlands," says Billy McTavish, logistics and transport manager for the Turriff, Aberdeenshire-based firm.

"There's some mixed terrain on that route, while they also have to access farm tracks and use their engines to power our blower trailers. So we're never going to achieve very high mpg figures. But the average 12% improvement certainly lives up to our expectations."

Harbro has also ordered two 8x4 Arocs 3240 blowers on tipper chassis.

Author
Laura Cork

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