Teardrop style rigids are the way forward for the Delivery Co25 January 2010

Northampton-based logistics provider The Delivery Co has introduced the UK's first eight teardrop-bodied distribution vehicles.

Branded 'Curved to cut CO2' and based on 26-tonne gvw Scania chassis, with bodywork from Don-Bur, the trucks are now operating on nationwide distribution of paper and plastics products for Robert Horne Group, Howard Smith Paper and The Paper Company.

They have all been built on Scania 6x2 chassis with 320hp Scania Euro 5 engines based on exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) matched to Opticruise auto transmissions.

"Scania was selected as our preferred supplier following a benchmarking exercise, which showed it to be both the class-leading vehicle and particularly well-suited to our [multi-drop] needs," explains Brian Moran, operations manager for The Delivery Co.

"The trucks are fuel-efficient and both they and their bodywork are aerodynamically-styled to help minimise drag fuel consumption," he continues.

And he adds that, the Ratcliff Palfinger aluminium tail-lifts are 95% recyclable and that the firm intends to start using Vacu-Lug retread tyres wherever possible "to minimise our overall new tyre usage".

Five of the chassis are normal-height vehicles, three of which have been supplied by Scania's south west region and two by Manchester-based West Pennine Trucks. The remaining three are low-height chassis, delivered by Stowmarket-based Scania dealer, TruckEast.

The low-height chassis have been fitted with double-deck teardrop bodywork for mixed loads of paper and plastic sheets, while the normal-height vehicles are being used primarily for paper-only loads.

Author
Brian Tinham

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