An Arocs makes its entrance

Highly skilled teams need trucks they can trust.

Bristol-based company Plant Speed provides its customers with cost-effective heavy haulage solutions, including out-of-gauge and break bulk consignments throughout the UK and Europe. The team is highly skilled and experienced, capable of handling tricky and delicate loads whilst adhering to the safest working practices.

A growing fleet of Mercedes-Benz trucks.

Plant Speed purchased its first Mercedes-Benz truck, a 250-tonne Actros Titan in 2013, which happened to be the most expensive truck ever sold by the manufacturer in the UK at that time. Along with its Scheuerle modular equipment, it represented a combined investment of more than £1 million!

The operator was so impressed; particularly with the Turbo Retarder Clutch (one of the first trucks to be fitted with this ground-breaking system) it purchased another Mercedes-Benz vehicle in 2015, this time an Arocs from the Euro VI SLT range.

Paul Lomas explains, “Mercedes-Benz trucks are also technologically advanced – the Turbo Retarder Clutch is a fantastic piece of kit, brilliant for low-speed manoeuvres or when pulling away on a steep gradient, and a lot kinder to the drivetrain than a traditional torque converter.”

The first three-pointed star Arocs.

Since 2015 the business has obtained two Arocs BigSpace models and four 68-tonne Actros vehicles with range-topping GigaSpace cabs and tag axles.

“We’re favouring Mercedes-Benz strongly at the moment,” confirmed Paul. “Its products are fairly priced and exceptionally reliable, and our drivers like their big, comfortable cabs.”

The new 32-tonne Arocs 3246 with flat-floored BigSpace cab has a beavertail plant body and 56 tonne Fassi crane as well as coupling for pulling drawbar trailers. It’s the first rigid on the fleet to bear the three-pointed star and has replaced an eight-wheeler from 2005. “The Arocs has a much more spacious cab and a bigger crane.”

- Paul Lomas, Managing Director, Plant Speed

Tough and economical.

The beast of a truck is surprisingly manoeuvrable, considering its power and size – due to its steered rear axle. It also promises valuable fuel savings and reduced tyre wear, thanks to the fact the rear axle can be lifted when the vehicle is running light.

“We wanted a vehicle that’s economical to operate and agile – the sites this truck has to access can be quite tight, so the rear-steer axle is a big help,” said Paul.

After such positive feedback, we think Plant Speed may be adding more Mercedes-Benz trucks to its line-up in the future.

Does your company have an agile Arocs?

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