Awe-inspiring new Arocs

- Nigel Leach, Managing Director, King Concrete

A strong safety ethos.

A major selling point for the company was the state-of-the-art MirrorCam technology, as Managing Director Nigel Leach explains, “We have a strong safety ethos at King Concrete, particularly where vulnerable road users are concerned…so when my drivers tell me they love MirrorCam because they can see a whole lot more of what’s going on around them, particularly at the approaches to roundabouts, it tells me all I need to know about this fantastic new technology from Mercedes-Benz.”

Many of the drivers themselves are cyclists and so understand the dangers of blindspots on busy roads and appreciate the extra visibility provided by the MirrorCam system.

- Katie Blowes, Transport & Logistics Manager, LondonEnergy

Perfect for navigating the capital.

Waste management service specialist LondonEnergy, recently acquired no less than five new Arocs vehicles.  Sleekly finished in a new silver and high-visibility green livery, with roof-mounted light bars and air horns, the 2548 models are both aesthetically and technically pleasing, with the stand out feature again being the revolutionary MirrorCam technology.

Transport & Logistics Manager, Katie Blowes underlined this as the most important factor when deciding to purchase the trucks, “Our number one priority, is safety, so the introduction of MirrorCam was also key to our decision to acquire the new Arocs.”

She continued, “I really like the way the cameras adapt so that, for example, you never lose sight of the back of the trailer as you negotiate a roundabout. As MirrorCam also does away with the blind spots which can be a nightmare in London, it was the proverbial ‘no brainer’.”

- Martin Pollard, Operations & Risk Manager, Rinus Roofing Supplies

Providing peace of mind.

Rinus Roofing Supplies operates across a network of 25 sites in England and has been loyal to Mercedes-Benz trucks since 2013. The expanding company runs a fleet of no less than 50 vehicles, the standout trucks being two new Arocs – a 2532 L model and an 1827 L.

Active Brake Assist 5 (ABA5) is included in the vehicles, as standard – the fifth generation of innovative driving assistance that, under ideal conditions and within the system’s capabilities, can perform emergency braking when approaching stationary and moving objects and perform partial or full braking for moving pedestrians. Both MirrorCam and ABA5 improve safety for both the driver and vulnerable road users.

Drivers and management alike have been impressed with the safety benefits provided by the cutting-edge, interactive machinery, which also employs camera technology to detect moving and stationary objects.

This feature has provided peace of mind to the company’s Operations & Risk Manager Martin Pollard, “Technology like this gives us both confidence and reassurance that we’re doing everything we can to make our vehicles as safe as possible.”

- Graham Johnston, Assistant Transport Manager, James Burrell

Reliable, rugged and robust.

Leading independent builders’ merchant James Burrell became one of the first UK customers for the new-generation Mercedes-Benz Arocs when it commissioned a single six-wheeler last October – it is now running four more identical trucks and has just ordered a further six.

Based in the North East, it operates 36 vehicles which collectively deliver in excess of 1,000 tonnes of material each day – for such gruelling work; the company needs robust trucks it can rely on.

Along with being purpose-built for the construction industry, the efficient  new Arocs vehicles with 7.7-litre in-line six-cylinder engines have proved their worth economically also – they are aided by the Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) system which integrates a driving style optimised for the route topography into the operation of the automatic transmission and allows fuel savings of up to 5%.

“The new trucks are certainly pulling out some very good mpg figures…at 10 mpg our latest Arocs look to be between 1.2 and 2 mpg ahead of the fleet average, which is very encouraging,” notes Assistant Transport Manager Graham Johnston.

Astounding driving assistance.

All of the companies and drivers we spoke to were in agreement that the Multimedia Cockpit, interactive, is a great addition.

The advanced system replaces traditional switchgear with twin screens that are both stylish in appearance and intuitive to operate. Drivers are able to utilise a navigation system, optional Traffic Sign Assist, and Remote Online for control of various vehicle functions via a smartphone for optimal ease, efficiency and safety.

Does your company own a new Arocs?

Have you been wowed by its modern technology or enhanced safety and efficiency? Or perhaps you’ve taken one for a test drive – what did you think? We’d love to hear your views in the comment section or via private message.