The Wrexham-based business will use the trucks to distribute raw materials for sister company Platts Agriculture, as well as other general haulage loads across the UK and Ireland.
Replacing three older Volvo FHs in the fleet, the tractor units were supplied by David Hill, Customer Solutions Manager at Thomas Hardie Commercials and are wrapped in Platts Transport’s newly designed red and cream livery.
Chris Whittaker, Managing Director at Platts Transport, says: “We’ve run Volvos for a number of years now and the drivers all love the trucks. The Globetrotter XL cabs give them a superb working environment, and we have specified these latest additions to a very high standard to ensure we’re giving our staff the best tools for the job.
“The support we receive from the team at Thomas Hardie is brilliant, while we are also expecting very good fuel returns from the turbo compound engines. Overall, it’s just a very, very good package.”
The three trucks are powered by Euro-6 compliant D13TC Step E engines, producing 500 hp and a peak torque of 2,800 Nm. Benefitting from Volvo Trucks’ I-Save technology, these powertrains also feature turbo-compounding to reduce fuel consumption without compromising driveability, making full use of the available energy at every stage to deliver increased efficiency across the whole rpm range.
Volvo Trucks’ popular I-Shift automated gearbox technology and I-See predictive cruise control combine to bring further sustainability and operational efficiency gains through perfectly timed gearshifts and active speed management.
Inside the Globetrotter XL cabs, the onboard experience is boosted with a Drive++ package that includes an adjustable leather steering wheel with neck tilt, twin arm rests for both the driver and passenger seats, tinted glass roof hatch, plus electronically controlled air conditioning with sun, mist and air quality sensor. On top of this, the FHs include a modern dashboard with a fully digital 12-inch, high resolution instrument display, 245 litres of rear cab upper storage, a 33-litre under-bunk mounted fridge / freezer, a comfy bed with 35mm mattress overlay protector and a microwave.
“The drivers are very happy,” says Whittaker. “It’s the main reason we went back to Volvo again. They know the trucks well and the latest upgrades – such as the digital dashboards – on these new units have been very well received. We do have some other manufacturers on the fleet but we’re around 75 per cent Volvo these days.”
The FHs are backed by three-year Volvo Gold Contracts to guarantee maximum uptime, with all scheduled servicing and maintenance to be carried out by the Thomas Hardie Commercials depot in Deeside.
Paired with moving floor trailers, they are expected to clock-up around 80,000 km a year working seven days a week, with drivers doing shifts of four days on, four days off.
Platts Transport was established in April 2020, primarily to ensure continued supply of raw materials for Platts Agriculture during the coronavirus pandemic and to support local haulage businesses. Today, the company provides all transport requirements for Platts Agriculture as well as supplying general haulage work for customers across the UK and Ireland.
Martin Tomlinson
Head of Media, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland
Tel: +44 7775 938063
Email: martin.tomlinson@volvo.com
Volvo Trucks supplies complete transport solutions for discerning professional customers with its full range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Customer support is provided via a global network of dealers with 2,200 service points in about 130 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 12 countries across the globe. In 2023 approximately 145,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. Volvo Trucks’ work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care.