Transporting mattresses: Manuel Iglesias and his Actros 2646

Economics and Logistics

A large volume and a high degree of comfort.

A high degree of comfort. Manuel Iglesias transports mattresses and the materials needed for their production. Thanks to his Actros 2646, he always arrives perfectly relaxed.

Manuel enjoys the comfort of his Actros. The mattresses he transports are just as comfortable as his truck.


“I've been a truck driver for 20 years and I've always driven tractor/trailer combinations,” says Manuel Iglesias. He specialises in transporting mattresses and their components. For this kind of transportation, the volume is not just important, but “extremely important”

An Actros 2646 is at the head of the three-axle tractor/trailer combination that Manuel drives: the tractor unit plus semitrailer. A total of 120 m³ with an interior height of three metres and capacity for 39 pallets. “A large volume and very little weight,” he tells us. Manuel says that it is safer to drive a tractor/trailer combination than a truck with only one trailer. “In the winter, in bad weather conditions, I have often seen a trailer veer out, but never a tractor/trailer combination,” he argues.



From Saragossa to Dresden.

Manuel doesn't just like the Actros that he drives but also his load: “I'm transporting sweet dreams,” he says, pointing to the mattresses. One of the main routes that he drives begins in Saragossa where he loads up at the Pikolin factory and then drives to Dresden where he unloads at five-star hotels. On the way back he brings back outer covers, feathers, foam or springs which he delivers to the factory's headquarters in Aragon.



Reaching the destination in comfort.

During his twenty years of experience at Transportes Hermanos Ruiz, Manuel has had enough time to try out various brands and trucks.

“Since I've been sitting behind the wheel of an Actros with Predictive Powertrain Control, driving has been much more relaxing,” he says. This driver assistance system uses GPS and 3D road maps. The system anticipates the route ahead and adjusts the gear and the speed to the terrain, which not only makes driving easier, but also saves fuel. “There is nothing comparable on the market,” he assures us.

Manuel is convinced that international haulage is only hard if you don't drive the right truck. “Thanks to ergonomics and the comfort in the cockpit of the Actros, I feel like new when I get out of the truck after an eight-hour journey,” he assures us.


Mercedes-Benz for private use.

That is why, whether he is driving privately or professionally, Manuel is positive: his brand is the one with the three-pointed star. “When I get out of one Mercedes-Benz, I get into the next one,” he says. And he is not just saying that. When he returns to Transportes Hermanos Ruiz after his tour, his own car awaits him: an ivory white Mercedes‑Benz A‑Class. “You have to allow yourself a bit of luxury every now and again,” he says with a smile.


Photos: Begoña Tremps

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