Bulk powder product haulier Arclid Transport has added three XG 480 FTP tractor units to its 46-strong fleet. The trucks, which are equipped with lightweight mid-lift axles, are the first DAFs on its fleet for 8 years.
Two of the tractors will enter Arclid’s powder tanker fleet to support sister company Bathgate, with the third joining the company’s growing liquids operation on UK and European work.
The trucks have been supplied by local DAF dealer Motus Commercials in Stoke, on 6-year R&M packages. Motus is also providing a comprehensive training programme through the DAF Driver Training Voucher scheme. This includes a 90-minute vehicle handover plus a 60-minute on-road familiarisation session.
While Arclid MD Andy Brookes says the haulier conducted a whole-life cost analysis before returning to DAF, he says another important factor in the decision is that they’re assembled in Leyland, Lancashire.
“There exists a desire to get back to buying British,” he explained. “I’ve seen the high quality of manufacturing first-hand at Leyland Trucks where I saw one of our vehicles being built. New Generation DAF vehicles have clearly made a positive impact with other operators, and this has influenced us too. The XG looks stunning, and, with the promise of improved productivity and a fantastic workplace for our drivers, we’re looking forward to seeing the new DAFs really deliver out on the road.”
Brookes has also been impressed with Motus, and singled out sales executive Matt Durose for particular praise.
“The trucks have only just entered service, and we’ve already seen an up-tick in fuel economy, and this is only going to improve once bedded-in. Feedback from drivers has been wholly positive, with one individual emailing me to confirm how impressed he is with the new kit,” he added.
Since 2017, and under its new management team, Arclid has doubled its turnover to £9m annually, while substantially improving utilisation with only a slight increase in fleet size.
