Fleetwood-based Archway Haulage Welcomes New Volvo Trucks FH & FE Units To Fleet
Sam Archer possesses a perspective not all transport and haulage service providers do. In addition to serving a workshop apprenticeship at Volvo Trucks dealership Thomas Hardie Commercials, he’s now a Volvo Trucks customer in his position as director of Archway Haulage, the Fleetwood-based firm he co-founded in 2014 with his father. The firm recently received its first new truck in five years, a Volvo FH 500 Globetrotter Lite 6x2 tractor unit. Two more FHs and a Volvo FE rigid, all supplied by Thomas Hardie Commercials, will soon join the haulier’s fleet. Based on his background, it’s not surprising Archer is a Volvo Trucks fan.
“Cut me in half, and you’d see Volvo runs through me,” Archer says. “I love the product. You can’t beat it– and I say that having had the rare opportunity to both work in my local dealership, and now be a customer. It’s a first-class product, and the backup from the dealership is as good as it gets.”
Bit By Bit
From its Fylde coast location, Archway Haulage serves the North West with refrigerated, tipped, and flatbed haulage services that include transport of aggregates, liquids, scraps, boats, buses, timber, steel, building materials, cages, pallets, and more. The new Volvo FH helping provide those services includes a special message on the cab honoring Archer’s father, Michael, who passed away last summer.
“We grew the business bit by bit together, and now we’re taking delivery of four brand new trucks all in the space of a few months,” Archer says. “The first FH looks absolutely fantastic, and the driver loves it. It’s just such a shame Dad isn’t here to be part of it.”
The FH & FE
Archway Haulage specified its FH such as to reduce its unladen weight and maximise its potential payload. In addition to mono leaf foot springs over twins leaves, Archway specified aluminium air tanks, an aluminium susie arch, an aluminium fifth wheel, and aluminium wheels. The truck also features a lightweight pusher axle on 17.5-inch wheels and a lightweight drive axle. The company’s in-house team added a full DVS system, tipping gear, light bars, beacons, and a colour-coordinated front grille. The truck is paired with a Fruehauf bulk tipping trailer, and is expected to log 120,000 kilometres (74,565 miles) annually.
The FH comes in tractor and rigid configurations with engine options that range from 420 to 540 horsepower (313 to 402 kilowatts) that produce 2,100 to 2,600 newton-metres (1,550 to 1,920 pounds-foot) of torque. Four cab choices are available in addition to the Globetrotter. Volvo FEs are designed for city delivery, regional distribution, refuse collection, and construction applications. The FE features a rounded, aerodynamic design and comes in four cab variants including a low-entry option. Engine outputs range from 250 to 350 HP (184 to 257 kW) and 950 to 1,400 N-m (700 to 1,030 lbs.-ft.) of torque.
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Source: Volvo