Suttons Tankers Purchases Its First Volvo FMX Rigid Trucks For Yorkshire Water Duty
Impressed with the performance of a demonstration unit, logistics and supply chain specialist Suttons Tankers has acquired 14 new Volvo FMX heavy-duty trucks. The seven 6x4 vehicles and seven 8x4 tridems are the first rigids in the company’s fleet.
Headquartered in Widnes, Cheshire, Suttons Tankers specialises in the transport of chemicals, gases, food, waste, and fuels. Its new Volvo FMX tanker trucks will haul sludge for Yorkshire Water.
Seeing Is Believing
Local dealer Thomas Hardie Commercials supplied Suttons Tankers with the demo truck as well as the vehicles in the subsequent order. “We’ve run Volvo for many years, but this is the first time we’ve opted for FMX rigids,” says Suttons Fleet Engineer Mark Scott. “Our contract work is very particular, so the team road-tested the truck over two days through the rolling Yorkshire Dales to see if they could handle the job.”
Suttons plans to run the new Volvos in shifts, logging approximately 50,000 kilometres (31,100 miles) per year. Local dealer Crossroads Truck and Bus will provide servicing and maintenance under a Volvo Gold Contract.
“We were able to assess a variety of factors that impact on each job, including access, turning circles, manoeuvrability, and traction, and to say we were impressed would be an understatement,” Scott says. “The demonstrator performed exceptionally and ticked all the boxes. The fact Volvo allowed us to field-test the truck in our more challenging locations sealed the deal. It was an easy decision in the end.”
The Suttons Order
The new Suttons trucks’ bodywork was mounted by Crossland Tankers. The vehicles’ high-roof Globetrotter cab includes the Drive+ operator comfort pack. All of the new FMX rigids in the group use Volvo’s I-Shift 12-speed automated gearbox.
The 6x4 models in the Suttons order have a Volvo D11K engine that produces up to 380 horsepower (283 kilowatts) and 1,800 newton-metres (1,328 pounds-foot) of torque. The 8x4 tridem FMX trucks use a larger Volvo D13K engine to generate 420 HP (313 kW) and 2,100 N-m (1,549 lbf-ft) of torque.
The 8x4 rigids also have a 9-tonne (9.9-U.S.-ton) front axle and a tridem bogie rear suspension. A liftable, hydraulically steerable tag axle increases the larger trucks’ manoeuvrability and shrinks their turning circle.
The Volvo FMX
Volvo’s latest FMX trucks are available in tractor and rigid form. They can be ordered with two to five axles in 4x2 to 10x6 configurations. Models with driven front axles come with Volvo’s Automatic Traction Control.
The D11K and D13K engine options provide the FMX with power levels of 330 to 540 HP (243 to 397 kW). Variants of the motors support diesel, biodiesel, and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuels. Besides the I-Shift automated gearbox included in the Suttons order, the FMX is available with the fully automatic Powertronic power-shift transmission.
Volvo offers the FMX with six cabin options, ranging from a low day cab to an extended crew cab configuration. Its Volvo Dynamic Steering system assists the driver with extra steering force at low speeds.
Available features include Electronic Stability Control, a lifting rear drive axle, a 38-t (42-U.S.-t) bogie, a 590-HP (440-kW) hydraulic retarder, and up to eight visibility cameras.
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Source: Volvo