Higson runs a fleet of nine 18-tonne trucks and five 26-tonners, which deliver its range of steel bar, rod, profile, plate and related products to customers, including fabricators and construction contractors across the North-West.
Local dealer eStar Truck & Van delivered the new trucks. One is an 18-tonne 1824 model, with a 7.7-litre ‘straight six’ engine generating 175 kW (238 hp). The other is an Actros 2530, rated at 26 tonnes and powered by a 220 kW (300 hp) version of the same powerplant.
The chassis are fitted with 8.8-metre platform bodies to Higson Edwards’s own design by Fitzgerald Vehicles, of Ormskirk. These have raised frames at both front and rear to allow longer profiles to be carried overhead. The trucks were acquired via a contract hire package from Daimler Truck Financial Services, which includes full maintenance to be carried out at eStar’s 24-hour workshop in Knowsley.
Transport manager Seam Madden said: “These are additions to our fleet became necessary as we continue to expand our sales area, to ensure we maintain our next day delivery service.
“Our Liverpool site works 24 hours a day so the vehicles are typically loaded overnight. Our consignments can be anywhere from a few hundred kilos to a full load, which means drivers could be making a single big delivery or a series of multiple drops – regardless of the size or weight of the order, though, all customers are treated equally and our promise of trustworthy next-day delivery is paramount to our reputation.”