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Based: Manchester Industry: Containers Fleet size: Fuel economy: 9.0mpg; 5%

12th June 2008, Page 47
12th June 2008
Page 47
Page 47, 12th June 2008 — Based: Manchester Industry: Containers Fleet size: Fuel economy: 9.0mpg; 5%
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AdBlue use Mileage: 42,998 Problems: bectrics One of the trucks we have been following belongs to a company with direct links in Asia, Kerry Logistics is based in Hong Kong, and bills itself as the "natural business gateway to mainland China and Asia".

The UK arm operates from Trafford Park, Manchester [as well as sites in London and Leeds], and has 12 tractors pulling containers. Mark Hunt, UK transport manager, oversees the vehicles' weekly operation out of UK ports.

Containers don't lend well to decent fuel economy, but the Iveco Stralis 500 returns 8,5 to 9.0mpg. "With the type of work it does, there's a lot of shuttling and dropping and swapping ifs good considering," he says.

AdBlue is an added cost and a trade-off against green issues. he says, but it has been stable between 4% and 5%. The drivers too have enjoyed the Italian truck, and have been happy with the drivellne. We got some Oaf XF105s in and the drivers prefer to drive the lvecos," he says, but there have been some electrical issues.

It's more teething problems than major downtime, but it seems a truck is in every third week with something. The radio not working, windows going up and down on their own, info coming up on the dash typical Iveco. Its always something. Too much electronics and information," he says, but the arrival of the second-generation face-lifted Stralis last November bodes well. "So far, we have not had a peep out of it.

"We plan to get more next year if the price is right, but they want Rolls Royce-style prices; they seem to want to compete with Scania. The price has shot up. It's 13% more about £12,000that's a lot. Our trucks are on buy-backs. That price has gone down £700. We might look somewhere else if the price doesn't change,'' he says.

Overall. though, Hunt is pleased, electrics aside, and with issues seemingly addressed with the facelifted Stralis, he would buy more. It's just a question of price.