They join a 70-strong fleet consisting primarily of vehicles from another Swedish marque and will operate on long-haul routes to destinations across the UK – powered by Volvo’s ultra-fuel efficient 500 hp I-Save engine. This uses turbo compound technology to produce 300 Nm more torque at low revs compared to a regular D13 engine with the same power output, meaning fewer downshifts and less fuel is needed to maintain a steady speed.
Colin Craig, Director of Ian Craig Haulage, says: “In this industry you have to be open to trying new things. We’d heard a lot of positive comments about the FH Aero’s fuel efficiency from other fleets, and several factors came together to make it the right time to try them for ourselves.”
Key to that decision was local dealer Volvo Truck and Bus Centre North & Scotland opening a new Vehicle Maintenance Unit (VMU) last year in Grangemouth, just eight miles from Ian Craig Haulage’s operating base. This site operates as a satellite to the main dealership in Edinburgh.
Also significant was the approach and proven technical knowledge demonstrated by the dealership’s local Transport Solutions Executive, Jonny Devlin, coupled with short lead times from the factory.
Craig explains: “Jonny’s persistence really paid off. He’s a wonderful brand ambassador for Volvo Trucks, knows his stuff, and it’s been a pleasure working with him. Nothing was too much trouble, and the result is a pair of new Volvos which look fantastic.”
Supplied on a three-year Volvo Gold Contract, the trucks are expected to clock-up around 150,000 km per annum, running five days a week. Whilst still early days, they are already impressing on fuel, matching the best performance of any other truck in the fleet, whilst consuming noticeably less AdBlue – which will help to reduce operating costs.
They are both specified with the new Camera Monitoring System, introduced with the launch of the FH Aero last year to further improve aerodynamics and save energy. The cameras open up a driver’s visual field in both good and challenging conditions, whilst an in-built surveillance mode lets the driver see outside the truck even when the curtains are drawn, for maximum protection and security.
Each truck has been finished to a high specification, with a full leather interior, in-built fridge, microwave oven and Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels.
They are powered by matching 12.8-litre Euro-6 diesel engines, which deliver the maximum 500 hp between 1,250 and 1,600 rev/min, plus up to 2,800 Nm of torque between 900 and 1,250 rev/min. Combined with Volvo’s 12-speed I-Shift gearbox, this strong driveline package ensures a smoother, quieter drive and optimum fuel efficiency.
Ian Craig Haulage brings more than 50 years of experience to the transport and logistics sector in Scotland. The firm is best known for its service to the bricks & blocks and timber sectors – working for some of the construction and logging industry’s largest suppliers and manufacturers.
