Mercedes-Benz Actros ‘seed’ takes root for Fagan & Whalley

Supplied by Dealer Ciceley Commercials, the ‘seed’ vehicle entered service last year. Its winning blend of driver appeal, fuel efficiency and image-enhancing style quickly convinced the operator to change its previous policy of buying all of its tractors from another manufacturer.

Family-owned Fagan & Whalley is a highly regarded name in the road transport industry, offering a comprehensive range of services and handling anything from a single pallet to a full load.

Its trucks are instantly recognisable. “We take great pride in the appearance of our fleet and the Actros certainly has the right image,” declared Graham Fagan, Operations Director at the Padiham-based firm.

“We also endeavour to provide our drivers with the best vehicles, and their feedback has been entirely positive – they particularly like the driveability and performance of the new Mercedes-Benz, as well as its cab layout and high-quality interior.

“The Actros is leading the way on fuel economy too, with mpg returns which are right up there with the very best on our fleet. This helps us to minimise the impact of our operation on the environment, an important factor given our commitment to sustainability across all areas of the business.”

Fagan & Whalley’s first Actros is a 2545 model and has a roomy BigSpace cab with exemplary levels of comfort. At its heart is a state-of-the-art, 12.8-litre, straight-six powerplant which transmits its 330 kW (449 hp) output to the road via a smooth and efficient, 12-speed Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated gearbox.

The two units it has just ordered will be powered by engines from the recently launched second-generation OM 471 family, which is capable of delivering fuel returns up to 3% better than its already-frugal predecessor – Ciceley Commercials convinced its customer to take this step after providing an Actros ‘Fuel Challenger’ for a trial period.

“These are still relatively early days and the evaluation is ongoing,” added Mr Fagan. “We want to see how the trucks perform over the longer term, into years three and four, but the early signs are certainly promising.

“We’ll also be monitoring the support we receive from Ciceley Commercials, though having bought a few rigids from them in the past we know already that they run a very professional operation. The Dealer has been keen from the outset to build a relationship, and not just to sell us some metal, which bodes well for the future. On the evidence to date, we’ll definitely be looking to add more Actros to our fleet in the future.”