http://www.truckingmag.co.uk Summer 2019 TRUCKING 11H
anson UK has become
one of the first businesses
in the country to protect
its heavy truck fleet with
Michelin’s latest tyre and wheel
safety technology.
The company – a major
supplier of building materials to
the construction industry – has
fitted the Michelin Wheel Security
and Tyre Pressure Management
System (TPMS) Heavy Fleet on 59
new DAF XF 6x2 tractor units and
40 new Feldbinder tri-axle trailers.
It said the plan is to roll out the
system – the brainchild of
Midlands-based technology firm
Wheely-Safe – across the
remainder of its cement division’s
180-strong tractor fleet over the
next few years.
The Michelin Wheel Security
and TPMS Heavy Fleet is the
world’s first in-motion driver alert
system which detects the onset of
wheel loss before detachment.
Set-up sees a sensor straddle
two wheel nuts via a specially
designed bracket. If a nut starts to
loosen by just 1 mm of
movement, a signal is instantly
transmitted to the solar-powered
display unit in the cab, alerting the
driver to pull over.
Due to its location next to the
wheel rim and braking
mechanism, the system’s onboard
heat sensor can detect brake
issues involving low or high
temperatures. An inbuilt TPMS is
also provided, comprising a set of
robust sensors which replace theHanson hikes up wheel safety
with new Michelin tech
traditional valve caps and auto-pair
with the display unit, that can be
fixed onto the windscreen.
“Early impressions are really
good,” said Nick Elliott, distribution
manager, Hanson. “The ease in
which it can be fitted and the ease
in which it can give us the
information we need are impressive.
“The added security the system
provides complements both our
approach to safety and to
compliance in vehicle and driver
standards. It’s an innovative way of
working that effectively reduces the
element of chance and makes life
far more predictable.
“Wheel security is important to
any transport manager,” Elliott
added. “You never want to be that
business which gets a call to say a
wheel has come off and there’s
been an incident of any kind. So, to
have a system that will warn a driver
at the earliest possible opportunity
is very important to us.”
The new trucks will be used for
hauling bulk powders, such as
Hanson’s Cement, to concrete
production facilities across the UK.TA Wood hooks up with
new Scania P410 XT
P
ort Charlotte, Islay-based
haulage contractor
TA Wood has taken delivery
of a Scania eight-wheeler fitted
with Hyva hookloader equipment.
Supplied by Scania (Great
Britain) Ltd’s Glasgow branch, the
truck joins the company’s
all-Scania fleet and will fulfil a
variety of tasks around the island.
The 32-tonnes gvw truck is a
P410 8x4 XT rigid with CP17 cab
and fitted with a 410 bhp engine.
At 1.7 m long, the CP17 is
Scania’s longest day cab and
provides increased storage space
behind the seats.
The XT specification is
designed for vehicles operating in
arduous environments – a factor
which appealed to companyowner, Andrew Wood. “We’re
involved in hauling aggregates,
delivering ready mixed concrete
and general waste management
work, all of which sees us
operating both on- and off-road,”
he said. “As such, this truck suits
our needs well.
“In addition to being tough and
well up for the job, it’s very good
on fuel. The comfort levels are
high, and both the driver and I are
very pleased with its performance.
“Over and above that, we’re
looked after very well by the
aftersales team at Glasgow, and
that’s a key reason why we
continue to purchase Scania
vehicles, which we’ve done since
we purchased our first one back
in 2002.”U
K palletised freight
distribution provider TPN
has announced it has
signed six “first-rate” new
members in the past six months –
and reckons it has an
“exceptionally strong” pipeline
of prospective members wanting
to join.
It said new haulage companies
are particularly attracted to the
evolving membership model at
TPN, which gives opportunities for
commercial collaboration with the
entire Eddie Stobart group.
The company said that since
October 2018, it has been joined
by Witney-based Oxford Carriers,
Smethwick-based ICS Distribution,
Epping-based Jonen Shipping,
Bristol-based Safe Transport,
Acton-based Spartan Distribution
and Tipton-based SCL Distribution.
Each of these companies has
strong specialisms in other areasTPN’s Stobart link attracting “first-class” hauliers
offered a unique extra. “We were
intrigued by the possibilities of
network ownership by a major
3PL,” he said. “Eddie Stobart has a
long-term interest in our sector and
a commitment to the network.”
Duggan said TPN will continue
to consider new members in all of
its busy freight areas. “Wherever
possible, we condense the deliveryareas members are responsible for
because this makes the member
more profitable, and it ensures
better service levels.
“Although we already have the
best postcode coverage in the
sector, we will continue recruiting
new members wherever we believe
it will make the network or
individual members stronger.”Oxford Carriers is one of
the latest high-profile
hauliers to join TPNABOVE Sensor between markers
notifies driver if wheel nut starts to loosenof logistics, and three of them —
ICS, Safe and SCL — are new
to networks.
It added others chose to leave
their current network for TPN, with
the most commonly cited reason
being its close relationship to 3PL
Eddie Stobart Logistics.
“We joined the Eddie Stobart
Logistics family because we saw
great opportunities there to
reinforce and develop our benefits
to members,” said TPN MD, Mark
Duggan. “So far that is proving
very successful for existing
members and very attractive to
prospective members.
“We see Membership as a bit
like a marriage – it’s a long-term
commitment and you need to be
sure you are right for each other,
want the same things and have
similar values,” Duggan added.
Jonen director John Hodges
said he felt the ESL connectionTA Wood spec’d tough XT variant
for on- and off-road tasks