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News - Will Shiers
January 1, 2025
Fifty-two new Volvo FM 8x4 Tridem concrete mixers have joined Heidelberg Materials UK as part of a fleet renewal programme.
Heidelberg Materials worked with Jose Lavarello, key account manager at Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland, to specify the mixers with Volvo’s X-High chassis and rear air suspension to offer good ground clearance for access to construction sites. The FMs are bodied with 8cu m McPhee concrete mixers and 350-litre aluminium water tanks.
Paul Newton, regional transport manager (concrete), Northern Region & Central West, Heidelberg Materials UK, said: “As a business, we were one of the first in the industry to trial the tridem bogie, back in 2016, and we have always been very impressed. The tridems have great manoeuvrability to access our customers' sites, which the drivers really like compared to the standard 8x4 trucks.
“The Volvos are also great performers in terms of fuel economy too, which helps our business reduce its carbon emissions and meet its sustainability targets. Overall, it’s a great package.”
Across the business, Heidelberg Materials has a fleet of more than 400 mixers. Of these mixers, 93 are owned by the company while the rest operate under franchises. The new FM units are equipped with Volvo D11K engines with 430hp and 2,050Nm of torque. Given the environments these vehicles will be working in, they are paired with a construction version of Volvo's 12-speed I-Shift gearbox.
The sleeper cabs feature the optional Drive package to add air conditioning, dual arm rests, a tinted glass roof hatch and a fridge/freezer. The trucks are fitted with additional side view cameras for the detection of vulnerable road users. Other safety equipment includes forward collision warning with advanced emergency braking and lane departure warning.
Newton said: “These trucks replace older model Volvo units in our fleet and the drivers have provided feedback on how much they like the latest version of the FM cabs. They are based as far north as Stirling, in Scotland, and as far south as Plymouth. They can be working in all sorts of different environments and locations, including city centres, rural areas or large construction projects, so it is imperative that we have vehicles that are reliable and meet the requirements for our customers and our business.”
The trucks will work five to six days a week and cover around 25,000km annually. Heidelberg Materials opted for a Volvo gold repair and maintenance contract.
