The Transport Professional’s Magazine

£3.40 ISSUE 57 2010

VIEW THIS MAGAZINE ONLINE AT www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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NEWS 6 Lorry drivers in demand and New powers to tackle dangerous vehicles

PHIL FLANDERS 9 RHA's Scottish Driector on ScotFLAG and reducing rural fuel duty

BRIAN ADAM MSP 11 SNP's Chief Whip on rural fuel duty and bus lanes

BUS & COACH 18Stephen Ball of TEXA plus News & Profiles MUNICIPAL 22 RWM Preview, Winter Equipment, Vehicle Weighing plus News & Profiles

WHEELS & TYRES 43News & Profiles

TRAILERS & TIPPERS 48News & Profiles

GREENFLEET 52 Preview of show at Ingliston

LOADS & LIFTS 56 John Meale of Thorworld Industries plus News & Profiles

VEHICLE CONVERSIONS 59Kevin Cranstone of Fleetshield plus News & Profiles

FUELS, OILS & LUBES 62Martyn Mann of Millers Oils plus News & Profiles

Bell Johnstone are proud to be Allied Industry Members of theRoad Haulage Association.

Contents

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Allied Industry Member

9

Cover: The Volvo 9700 of the Sky Pro Cycling team

Copyright - All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

While due care and attention is taken to ensure that FACTS is accurate, the publishers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions.

© Copyright 2010 - Bell Johnstone & Co Ltd, FACTS and the Publisher accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers.

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Conservatives have welcomed a written parliamentary answer revealing that the Government is taking steps to introduce hard shoulder running to ease congestion on Scotland’s motorways.Shadow Transport Minister Jackson Carlaw MSP - who tabled the question and who has been advocating such a move since 2007 - has urged the Government to allow hard shoulder running for all vehicles during peak periods in congested areas, rather than just for buses.Jackson Carlaw MSP said: “I first urged the Government to consider hard shoulder running in 2007 and am pleased it now appears to be moving in this direction.“I’m sure the M77’s long suffering users will be pleased to hear the Government plans to pilot the scheme between junctions 1 and 4

during the morning rush hour, if a little disappointed only buses will be able to take advantage.“Hard shoulder running for all vehicles was successfully pioneered south of the border on the M42. I would encourage the Transport Minister to draw on this success by introducing hard shoulder running for all vehicles on suitable sections of the M77, M8, A720, M74, M80 and other congested Scottish roads. Watering the scheme down to merely allow buses to drive on the hard shoulder will minimise its effectiveness whilst potentially increasing the frustration of other road users.“Whilst we acknowledge the Government is travelling in the right direction we would urge it to reach the obvious final destination to achieve maximum impact for all road users.”

Delivery drivers must take more personal responsibility to avoid attacks on themselves and their vehicles. That’s the message from leading transport lawyer, Anton Balkitis of Nottingham-based solicitors Rothera Dowson.The advice comes after the law firm noted increasing attacks on drivers and their vehicles, including thefts, freight robberies and personal attacks, experiences of which have led a number of drivers to seek medical and/or psychological attention.Although some cases may attract Criminal Injuries Compensation, the amounts available under the tariff scheme are fixed and can be inadequate, with many cases resulting in no compensation being awarded.Mr Balkitis and his team at Rothera Dowson encourage drivers to use secure truck parking areas as highlighted in the regularly updated IRU-ECMT Truck Parking Areas publication, and to make more use of protective devices, including robust vehicle security technology.Concerns over a rise in reported incidents is

being addressed by the European Conference of Ministers and the International Road Transport Union, but Mr Balkitis commented: “Until there are more concrete measures in place on a practical level, drivers must take more personal responsibility. Drivers should also follow whatever guidance they are given by their employers and the various codes of practice available.”Mr Balkitis also warns of the challenges faced by drivers entering the UK: “Although most drivers are aware of the need to check vehicles regularly en route to the UK, there are still many who end up receiving civil penalty notices of up to £2000 because they do not have a document to demonstrate they have a system to prevent the carriage of unlawful entrants - although on many occasions we have been able to persuade authorities to withdraw or significantly discount penalties for drivers.” For more information: 0115 910 0600 or www.rotheradowson.co.uk

Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil has called on the Con/Dem Coalition government to ensure that the Rural Fuel Derogation pilot schemes talked about in the Coalition’s founding document, are in place before the VAT rise the coalition pushed through parliament this week comes into effect in January 2011.Commenting Mr MacNeil said: “The Government have increased

VAT by 2½%, which will be levied from January. This will increase the price of fuel to around £1.40 in parts of my constituency.“Pre-dating any talk of VAT rise, the government talked about a Rural Fuel Derogation pilot scheme. Now they must make good on that promise by ensuring the schemes are in place before the VAT rise kicks in. It would only be fair, right and proper to do so. Tactics of delay

and kicking the subject into the long grass would be unacceptable.“In their time in power, Labour completely failed the Islands and the Highlands by flatly refusing to listen to reasoned arguments on this issue. I raised this issue over many years but Labour were evidently not interested, I hope the Coalition do not make the same mistake. “Their words must be turned into action, they managed the increase

in VAT very quickly and should now in the interest of fairness and their much heralded Respect Agenda, ensure that the Rural Fuel Derogation comes into being before the end of 2010.“Na h-Eileanan an Iar was the first constituency to volunteer to become part of a pilot project and I would be happy to work with the Treasury to achieve this end.”

Conservative pressures paves way for hard shoulder running

Safety advice for CV drivers

Rural fuel derogation must come before VAT rise

Jackson Carlaw MSP

Anton Balkitis

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Recovery in the UK economy was signalled by significant increases in transport sector job vacancies in May 2010. The figures for lorry and van drivers showed substantial increases on the same month for 2009, with the highest number of recorded monthly vacancies since 2008. At 13,299 for 2010, compared with 4695 for 2009, vacancies for HGV drivers were up by 180%. And at 5378 for 2010, compared with 3187 for 2009, vacancies for van drivers were up by almost 70%.The figures are researched and published by the freight logistics industries’ Sector Skills Council, ‘Skills for Logistics’ (“SfL”).Increased vacancies were also reported for other logistics-associated work, including managers, clerks, dock workers, postal workers, and goods handling and storage occupations.SfL Chief Executive, Dr Mick Jackson, said: “Logistics has always been regarded as an effective barometer of the economy, with the movement of goods and services rising or falling more or less in line with demand and economic activity. Clearly 2009 was a relatively bad year for the economy, but the current demand for drivers suggests reasons for optimism, at least in the short term. More demand for drivers results from the need for increased movements, suggesting

the start of an economic revival.“However, there are also reasons for some concern. The logistics industry has suffered from a shortage of lorry drivers for some years. Severe shortages at the start of the century were addressed through an influx of migrant workers from the accession states. This should not mask the fact that the average age of HGV drivers is 46 years, and is increasing. The industry therefore needs to work hard in order to attract greater numbers of younger recruits, and must be prepared to provide improved working conditions and advanced training in order to do so. “Commercial driving is a job for which personnel are entitled to the respect and gratitude of the whole population. As such we need to improve both the regard in which we hold such workers, and the facilities which we make available to them for their security and comfort, in order that we may attract increased numbers to their ranks.”Between May 2009 and May 2010, overall vacancies in the sector rose by almost 130%.Dr Jackson said: “The logistics and supply chain serves every other industry in the UK - goods and services have no value until they are delivered to the customer. During the difficult times ahead, as we endeavour to make good the national finances, and reduce the budget deficit, we must

remember and recognise the role of logistics as an essential service and, as far as we are able, must preserve our ability for it to function efficiently and economically.”

For more information: www.skillsforlogistics.org

Increased powers to crack down on dangerous trucks and coaches have been set out by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond.The proposals would give the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) more flexibility in tackling vehicles they suspect of being overloaded or breaking operating or driving hours rules. The new powers would also help VOSA to enforce new cabotage rules, which govern the amount of UK domestic work hauliers from outside the UK can undertake.Today’s consultation also outlines plans to give VOSA officers in Scotland the power to independently stop commercial vehicles for the first time. Currently, all VOSA enforcement in Scotland is assisted by the police.Philip Hammond said: “If our roads are to remain among the safest in the world we need to make sure that the drivers and vehicles on our roads are fit to be there. VOSA’s work is vital in keeping dangerous vehicles and drivers off the road.“The measures I am announcing today will make sure that rogue operators have nowhere to hide by ensuring that VOSA inspectors across Great Britain have all the powers they need to stop vehicles that may pose a threat to road safety. “These plans will also help VOSA to enforce the

rules governing the amount of domestic work hauliers from outside the UK can undertake, helping to make sure that UK operators do not face unfair competition for business.“The new powers will also free up police time as VOSA will be able to operate more independently.”Currently, VOSA inspectors can only independently stop drivers if they suspect there is a fault with the vehicle - although they can and do then check for other offences. These new plans would extend VOSA’s powers and allow their inspectors - without the need for police assistance - to pull drivers over to check that they are complying with rules on maximum weight limits, driving hours, operator licensing and cabotage.The planned changes will also include new measures to allow the VOSA Chief Executive to authorise inspectors to stop vehicles rather than needing to get accreditation from individual police forces. This is a significant streamlining of bureaucratic process and will free up VOSA time and resource to concentrate on front-line enforcement.

For more information: www.dft.gov.uk

Lorry drivers in demand as vacancies rise

New powers to tackle dangerous vehicles

Dr Mick Jackson

Philip Hammond

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Kwik-Fit has appointed Peter Lambert as the new Sales Director for Kwik Fit Fleet, effective from August 2. He succeeds Mike Wise who has decided to explore other opportunities. Peter Lambert has experience in the UK motor industry spanning 25 years and during this time he has held a variety of roles with Ford, Toyota and DaimlerChrysler. At DaimlerChrysler he was Sales and Marketing Director for Mercedes-Benz Vans and Managing Director of Chrysler UK. More recently he was Managing Director for Rossetts Commercials, the Mercedes-Benz Commercial vehicle dealer for Sussex and Surrey.Reporting directly to Kwik-Fit Group Chief Executive Ian Fraser, the focus of the role will be to build on Kwik-Fit Fleet’s traditional tyre business through further expanding its service, MoT and repair sales, reflecting the strategy that has been successfully rolled out within its retail operation.Commenting on the new

appointment, Ian Fraser said, “We are delighted to welcome Peter to the Group. His breadth of experience across so many different aspects of the industry makes him an ideal candidate to take over responsibility for our Fleet business. I welcome the insight and the leadership qualities that he will bring to the team.Peter Lambert said: “I am delighted to be joining Kwik-Fit Fleet at this exciting time in the company’s development. With a widely recognised brand, unrivalled network coverage and now with the expertise to offer MoT and service, Kwik-Fit is better placed than ever to offer value for money and convenience to the fleet customer. The work already undertaken by the existing team to promote the expanded range of quality services has already laid a solid foundation for the continuing success of Kwik-Fit Fleet.”

For more information: www.kwik-fit.com

Kwik-Fit appoint new fleet sales director

The Imex Rutherglen depot has been delivering truck parts throughout central Scotland for almost 20-years. From its Glasgow base it can supply huge choice, availability and value for money across its extensive product ranges. Not only on replacement parts for MAN, Iveco and Mercedes trucks, but also a comprehensive all makes engine parts range (suitable for cars, vans and trucks), is available together with an all makes bumpers and cab panels range. Imex has been serving the automotive industry since 1986 and it understands the need for a fast and reliable delivery service, which is why it offers a free same day delivery, up to twice a day, from the depot. Giving its customers the ability to order replacement parts in the morning and afternoon and receive them the very same day. A Saturday morning delivery service is also available. The Central Scotland warehouse has a 3700 square foot capacity and from there it has access to over 12,000 active stocking lines and extensive product ranges. All supplied with the Imex promise of high-quality

service, expert technical advice and low prices. The trusted team of Wallace Ross (Depot Supervisor), Tommy Allan and Ronnie Burgoyne (drivers) regularly make over 350 deliveries per month. Commented Wallace: “We first opened a depot to serve the central belt of Scotland. In February 2003 we relocated to more spacious premises in Rutherglen, Glasgow, delivering a free same day delivery across a 10,000 mile area covering 1700 miles a week.” A Guaranteed Next Day Delivery service is available to all customers not in the van delivery area.

For more information: www.imexpart.com

Imex Rutherglen - keeping scottish trucks on the road - for less!

The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) has just been given a glowing audit report from the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT), for their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training.Specifically catering for oil distribution tanker drivers, the FPS CPC training have, since their launch in 2009, had over 1000 tanker drivers undertaking the training. In the recent JAUPT audit report, the audit team commented on the fact that the FPS has a team of well qualified trainers and said: “The trainer was very engaging with an excellent depth of knowledge about the industry and the unique operating procedures. He developed an excellent rapport with the drivers thereby ensuring that they all were engaged in the process. He made good use of recent examples of spillages alongside good visual aids and recent statistics from the industry.”Federation of Petroleum Suppliers’ Chief Executive, Susan Hancock,

commented: “It is excellent news that, following the rigorous audit by JAUPT, our CPC driver training was given the green light with some very positive comments. The auditor said that we offered a well run and controlled Approved Training Centre providing good relevant training. As far as we are aware, we are the only organisation to offer customised CPC training for oil distributors and we hope that in 2011 we reach the 2000 mark for drivers trained. We run courses throughout the year to suit distributors and the training is available to both FPS members and non members.” The FPC CPC training is in the form of six courses. Courses One to Five are classroom based one day courses and most oil distributors will ensure that their drivers do one of these each year to take advantage of the “grandfather rights” up to 2014. Course Six is a one day oneon-one training for the drivers of those distributors who are required

to do this by their contractual arrangements.As well as being a legal requirement, the main benefit of CPC training is road safety and better qualified drivers to help reduce road casualties. Driver CPC also brings an improved professional and positive image to the profession, attracting

more people to drive oil tankers for a living. It is aimed not only at improving the knowledge and skills of LGV drivers when they start work, but also at ensuring these skills are maintained and developed throughout their working life.

For more information: 01565 631313

FPS Driver CPC training given glowing Jaupt audit report

Tommy Allan setting off on his deliveries

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The Scottish Freight Logistics Advisory Group (ScotFLAG) was set up last year with the remit of increasing sustainable economic growth in Scotland, and recognising the importance of freight in the transport sector and in wider Government policies. Due to some lorry parks closing in Central Scotland and concerns that there may be lack of suitable places in the future, a sub group has been set up with me chairing it. The remit of the sub group is to review current parking facilities, find out where if any gaps exist and make recommendations.To help the sub group gather evidence on lorry parking within Scotland, it would be extremely helpful if you could take a couple of minutes to complete a short online questionnaire and ask your drivers too if possible. The surveys are found at:

Employer questionnaire: www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z87RB2D Driver questionnaire : www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZLSQZK5

I believe it is really important that we get the support of the industry, otherwise we may be wasting our time. Without industry’s input, people in power may say it shows there is not a problem and give an excuse to do little or nothing.Apathy from the freight industry in the past has shown that doing nothing should not be an option for those who would benefit. On a brighter note. There should be truck parking facilities available in the Edinburgh / Leith area in the not too distant future. The big worry though is what about parking in the Greater Glasgow area now that the park at Lesmahagow has now closed ?

It seems the new coalition government really is giving consideration to reducing fuel duty for rural areas and Scotland will likely have the pilots in a few parts of the country.At a recent meeting I had the opportunity to ask a question or two to David Mundell MP, Under Secretary of State at the Scottish Office. I asked him about the UK Government’s idea about the fuel rebate for rural areas and also about the proposed “ fuel duty stabiliser”.A rural rebate would have to be in a remote area where it would not be worthwhile for some one out with to travel there to buy fuel. I have to make the assumption that whatever few pence the rebate is will only bring the price down to that of the country as a whole rather than below. Government are still looking into the E U regulations to find out if they are legally allowed to do this.You can get differing views depending on who you speak to on this one as people in Northern Ireland have believed that the UK Government had the power but lacked the will to do it over the past few years!

It doesn’t sound like this rural rebate is going to make a huge difference to many if it does go ahead. It will be interesting so see what really is proposed though. In the meantime don’t let your expectations get too high.Both these schemes will fall under the remit of the Office for Budget Responsibility and much will depend on the cost to the treasury. It will be checked out during the coming months to see it is feasible and affordable. We supported the SNP version and welcome the opportunity that this government may bring. At least we can hope it will be properly investigated and given a fair hearing.

Sometime in the not too distant future VOSA will have the powers to stop in Scotland. This is part of a UK wide consultation to harmonise the system throughout the UK. Many companies within the industry support this as it will lead to better targeted enforcement and free up police

time to do what they need to do and for VOSAto concentrate on what they need to do. Most of the companies I have spoken to do not have a problem with this especially for the enforcement of foreign vehicles travelling throughout Scotland. This is seen as a step in the right direction.If this improves enforcement in general and leads to a more level playing field for legitimate haulage companies who abide by the regulations it will be welcomed. Most see it as also improving road safety and improving the image of the haulage industry in general.However it appears that some do not see the penalties as being too restrictive and it may be the case that some foreign operators are not deterred by fines especially for breaches of the cabotage regulations. If we are to have a level playing field it is only right that all should operate to the same standards and no one should be above or outside the law.

Industry input needed to make improvements

Phil Flanders Scottish Director - Road Haulage Association

Phil Flanders

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The summer months are generally quieter for Parliamentarians as Holyrood does not reconvene after summer recess until September. I use this time to catch up with constituency work, and making my way to meet with more members of the local community with the extra time available. Of course the headlines keep turning, there is always something to stir political matters up, summer or not.One interesting proposal that came to the political forefront just before recess was that of rural derogation on fuel prices. This refers to a different tax rate on fuel in rural areas, especially the highlands and islands, compared to more urban parts of the country. Currently some rural areas are being seen to spend up to 10 pence more per litre. With prices at the pumps (and undoubtedly wholesale too) having skyrocketed in the last few months, any change is good. It is not necessarily as far a step as I would like to see the UK Government take, but at least it goes in the right direction.

A recent local transport issue came up over bus lanes. Currently in Aberdeen, and in other cities in Scotland, there are active bus lanes on trunk roads governed by Transport Scotland. It was recently revealed that in Aberdeen enforcement of the bus lanes was very much minimal. Thousands of pounds in revenue are being lost due to lack of enforcement. The city council, as well as two other local authorities, has written to the Minister for Transport to hopefully see enforcement de-centralised.This should discourage motorists from clogging lanes. I also hope the Scottish Government will consider transferring control of the timing of such bus routes to local authorities so that 24 hour bus lane restrictions might be lifted. It does not make sense to have a 24 hour bus lane where there are not 24 hour buses, but there is regular congestion at non-peak times. Any of you who have entered Aberdeen coming from the A96 during the day will understand exactly the kind of frustration that brings.

For more information: www.brianadammsp.blogspot.com

Rural fuel and bus lanes

Brian Adam MSPSNP Chief Whip

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Glasgow City Council is taking a step forward in its quest for a cleaner, greener city with the addition of 10 electric, zero emission vehicles to its fleet, from Allied Electric. The vehicles that were handed by Allied Electric’s Managing Director, Paul Nelson, are the first of 40 trial vehicles built by Allied Electric for the local authority. The cars will be tested throughout the city as part of a £3.8million project led by Allied Electric. The initial 10 Peugeot eExpert cars will be followed by a further 30 Peugeot ePartners, scheduled for delivery in September 2010.The trial is part of the Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator initiative, a £25m project funded by the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board and the Department for Transport to create test beds around the UK for more than 340 low carbon vehicles. The Glasgow consortium is one of eight national ultra low carbon vehicle demonstration projects in the programme.Alongside Allied Electric and Glasgow City Council, partners in the Glasgow project include Dundee battery manufacturer Axeon, Scottish Power, Strathclyde University and Scottish Enterprise. The trial vehicles, that have a battery range of between 80 and

100 miles, will be integrated into the council’s existing fleet and that of other partner organisations to gather reliable information and feedback on the viability of including these vehicles in fleets, long-term. The vehicles will be used for a variety of purposes within Glasgow City Council including site visits for planning officers, social workers making home visits and staff that visit various schools in the city. Plans are also in place for electric vehicles to be trialled through partner organisations such as the fire service and the Scottish Government, with use also scheduled for other consortium members.Allied Electric’s Managing Director, Paul Nelson, commented: “The delivery of these first ten vehicles is the culmination of a strong forward-thinking partnership between ourselves and Glasgow City Council, Axeon, Scottish Power, Strathclyde University and Scottish Enterprise. This first batch of vehicles for the Glasgow Technology Strategy Board project hopefully signals the beginning of widespread usage of zero emission vehicles throughout the city.”Councillor Ruth Simpson, Executive Member for Sustainability and the Environment, said: “Taking delivery of these vehicles today brings us another step closer in our quest to

lower the city’s carbon emissions. “The Council is keen to lead by example to drive environmental change in the city and we hope if the trial proves successful, to include electric vehicles permanently within the council’s fleet.”Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board, said: “Through investing in trials such as this one, we are paving the road to electrification. The Technology Strategy Board’s investment is

enabling vital trials with prototype vehicles to fully understand user driving habits, charging patterns, and any vehicle improvements that can be made. As we creep closer to our deadline of 80% carbon emission reductions by 2050, it’s crucial that, now, more than ever, we have initiatives in place to help us go some way to reach these targets.”

For more information: www.alliedvehicles.co.uk

Lives are being saved on Britain’s roads through some of the lowest-cost options available to highway engineers, according to “Saving Lives for Less” - a report by the Road Safety Foundation, covering 28,000 miles of the UK network.Resurfacing, and high-friction and anti-skid surfaces feature in the range of measures implemented on seven out of 10 of the UK’s most improved roads. Fatal and serious injuries on these roads have been cut from 185 (2003-2005) to 63 (2006-2008).Topping the list of the UK’s 10 most improved roads is the A40 Llandovery-Carmarthen, where junctions have been upgraded, new road markings introduced and extensive resurfacing carried out, including anti-skid treatments, saving 20 fatal and serious collisions between 2006-2008: a 74% reduction.Commenting on the report’s findings, Kevin Maw, Chairman of the Refined Bitumen Association, which supported the launch of the

report, said: “This study tells us that 1/3 of all fatal and serious collisions occur at junctions. Information such as this gives road authorities a clear insight into the actions they can take, targeting their pressured budgets more precisely to generate a huge return on spend.“The improvements on the A40 reflect the importance of good quality surfacing as part of the overall approach to reducing risk.”The report also highlights the UK’s most dangerous roads, and the fact that 10% of Britain’s motorways and A-roads still have unacceptably high risk.Most of the higher risk roads are in the north of the country, with almost all in the North-West, Yorkshire and the Humber and the East Midlands.Dr Joanne Hill, Director of the Road Safety Foundation and author of the report, says: “As the road budget becomes tighter, emphasis must be on saving lives with less. It means systematic attention to detail, prioritising treatment of the highest risk routes most likely to benefit from low

cost, high-return countermeasures.“This year’s report shows that not only can Britain reduce roads deaths and serious injuries but that, by targeting a relatively small mileage of high risk roads, we can do so with good economic returns. Too often we pay for emergency services, hospitals and care for the disabled rather than taking easy steps to put road design faults right.“There are practical examples of how, with attention to detail, some authorities are slashing the toll of death and serious injury on high risk stretches by as much as three-quarters. Simple, relatively inexpensive engineering measures, such as improvements to signing and lining, resurfacing and the layout of signals at junctions, are paying dividends and are affordable particularly when done as part of well planned routine maintenance.”

For more information: www.eurorap.org/gb2010

Greener Glasgow

Britain’s most improved roads

Glasgow City Council Cllr Ruth Simpson takes delivery of ten electric vehicles from Allied Electric’s Managing Director, Paul Nelson.

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BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEP BEEPBEEP BEEPBEEP BEEPBEEP BEEPBEEP...

Annoyingisn’t it?

FACTS ads 95x272.indd 1 02/08/2010 10:12

Brigade Electronics has made a dramatic decision to phase out beeping tonal alarms over the next two years for a safer alternative that does not cause a noise nuisance.The move follows an overwhelming surge in noise complaints from tonal alarms and the huge success of their unique and patented white sound reversing alarms (bbs-tek).Tom Brett, Marketing Director of Brigade explains: “In 1976 when we introduced the first reversing alarm to Europe, there was no alternative. The shrill beeping warned of imminent danger and thus saved lives but with so many vehicles now fitted with reversing alarms, it has gained the reputation of causing a noise nuisance and even confusion. With white sound - you only hear it when it matters!”White sound reversing alarms are safer because you can pin point the exact location from where a vehicle is reversing and can actually hear the direction it is moving in. This prevents worker disorientation and reduces the likelihood of workers disconnecting the vital reversing aid due to noise nuisance.

Stewart Dodd, Workshop Team Leader at Dundee City council operates a fleet of vehicles servicing various sectors of the community. He said: “We fit white sound reversing alarms to everything, from vans to 32 tonne hook loaders. The alarms are good for vehicles going out early in the morning, especially refuse vehicles. The last thing people want to hear is tonal beeping alarms. The localised sound at the back of the vehicle alerts people and pedestrians without waking up residents.”White sound reversing alarms are now used world wide from Hanson Aggregates quarry machines, Sainsbury’s distribution lorries to BAA vehicle buggies. In New York City it is the only reversing alarm permitted on construction vehicles.Brigade’s vision is to ensure that every commercial vehicle is fitted with a white sound alarm to reduce reversing fatalities.

For more information: 01322 420 300 or www.brigade-electronics.com

Phasing out tonal reversing alarms

14 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Irrespective of which computer system is chosen or what software programme a business decides to adopt, throughout the CV service sector the ability to identify the correct replacement product is crucial.It is clear that the ability of CV factors

and specialist suppliers to provide a ‘just-in-time’ delivery service to almost any workshop in the country is legendary. However, because of the proliferation of parts and their subsequent part numbers, in conjunction with the complexities

of multiple suppliers and numerous vehicle variants, the identification of parts remains a challenge.For this reason, the growth in the use of the TecDoc CATALOG information system among CV factors, parts suppliers and fleet workshops is increasing every month.

Parts Distribution

Any modern CV factor will naturally use a computer system to manage its parts stock and pricing, but TecDoc is the only parts information provider that can reliably identify engine components, vehicle body parts and chassis products from multiple search criteria and for both the commercial vehicle and automotive sector. It can do this no matter what the IT system the business uses, because it is a web-based product.The integrity of the data held by TecDoc is second to none because it is the original equipment suppliers and their OE data that is used to provide the template for the increasing number of suppliers who are cataloguing their parts through the system.With a TecDoc CATALOG licence, users can identify the replacement part they require from a variety of product groups ranging from ‘Accessories’ to ‘Windscreen Cleaning System’. Interrogating the data to source a specific part will display all of the suppliers of that component. This eliminates the time consuming process of searching through each individual

suppliers catalogue.The speed and accuracy of TecDoc gives users an advantage over their competitors and negates the need and cost to send customers more than one part, in order to cover the options that are sometimes shown under a model reference.

In the Workshop

TecDoc is also available to the workshop or fleet operator, which gives the workshop the ability to make the correct identification of the replacement part it requires. Although it is unlikely that the business will regularly order parts by their OE reference number, the licence does give the garage the option of ensuring they receive the correct part for those notorious jobs that they know have two or three variants on a particular model reference.In addition, the CATALOG system can be enhanced to include VIVID technical data, which includes Maintenance Data, Technical Data/Repair Manuals and Repair Times for light commercial vehicles.VIVID data caters for vehicles of up to 3.5 tonnes and covers maintenance, engine, gearbox, body/Interior, brakes, steering/suspension and onboard electronics and the information comprises original OEM data.The maintenance data provides technicians with first-rate printable checklists to ensure they observe the general maintenance intervals as well as the correct intervals for specific items such as timing belt replacement. It also provides vital information on resetting procedures.The Technical Data includes more then 50,000 technical drawings and tightening torques for many mechanical resetting procedures. It also comprises more general Repair Manual information than any comparable product. The Repair Time option allows the user to find the exact labour times specified by the VM’s to their dealers. By adding the OE Pricing function, the workshop can also check the OE price of the part and pitch the pricing competitively against it. These functions allow the workshop to charge an accurate price, while making a fair profit on the job.

Identifying the correct replacement product

www.belljohnstone.co.uk 2010ISSUE57 FACTS 15

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brigade-electronics.comCall on 01322 420300 or visit your stockist

White Sound reversing alarms

Ssh!You only hear them

when it matters

Brigade Electronics is phasing out beeping reversing alarms for a

better alternative.White Sound bbs-tek® reversing alarms are the

safest in the world due to their instantly locatable and directional sound.

The multi-frequency 'ssh'ing alarm can only be heard in the danger zone, thus eliminating noise nuisance. bbs-tek® is the only reversing alarm approved by the

Noise Abatement Society and PIEK.

FACTS ads 95x272.indd 2 02/08/2010 10:13

An impressive payload in excess of 9 tonnes, together with an unlimited mileage three year warranty on the body, the refrigeration system and the chassis/cab, are the main attractions of the new Isuzu 18 tonne refrigerated demo vehicle that has just gone into service. Built in conjunction with leading refrigerated bodybuilder Gray & Adams, the Isuzu 18 tonner confirms the company’s growing appeal within the refrigerated transport sector. As Keith Child, Marketing Director at Isuzu Truck UK says: “When we originally launched the new Forward range, the food distribution sector was an instant success for us especially at 7.5 tonnes. Last year, we operated a fridge demo truck at 11 tonnes and now this year we are showing customers the benefits of our even larger 18 tonne range for controlled temperature distribution.”The new Isuzu F180.260 18 tonne rigid demo truck features a Gray & Adams 24ft dual compartment refrigerated body, fitted with a moveable bulkhead for operating both chilled and frozen goods within the same vehicle. Refrigeration is provided by a Carrier Transicold Supra 750MT system and the vehicle is also fitted with a 1.5 tonne tuckaway taillift.“With the current success of our 7.5 tonne range in the refrigerated sector, we now want to show customers the benefits of running our higher weight vehicles for temperature

controlled operations. This 18 tonner achieves over 9 tonnes of payload, which is a respectable weight for this type of vehicle and what’s more this package includes a comprehensive three year warranty,” commented Keith Child.The 18 tonne 4x2 Isuzu features Isuzu’s own turbocharged and intercooled 4-cylinder diesel engine, providing 191Kw (260bhp) power output at 2400rpm, peak torque (761Nm) from 1450 rpm, EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) matched to an Eaton 6-speed manual transmission.The ‘Forward’ F180.260 also features Isuzu’s new ‘Hexapod’ design day/rest cab which has to be one of the roomiest day cabs at this weight range on the market in the UK today. It is so large that some operators convert the cab into a sleeper cab simply by fitting curtains and a night heater. The cab also offers excellent cross cab access and it is packed with ‘standard’ equipment such as an air suspended driver’s seat, dual SRS airbags, cruise control, exhaust brake, keyless door entry, immobiliser and radio/CD player. “We believe that this Isuzu/Gray & Adams 18 tonne ‘package’ is a serious contender in today’s tough commercial environment, giving operators of temperature controlled transport an opportunity to make major savings in long-term operating and whole life vehicle costs,” concluded Keith Child.

For more information: www.isuzutruck.co.uk

Double benefit with new 18 tonne fridge trucks

16 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Can you see the big picture?

“If you ask anyone who operates any business, would they like to know more about how their company runs and whether they would, ideally, like to pay nothing to find this out, then I say all of them would answer yes and yes”, says Road Tech Computer Systems Limited Managing Director Derek Beevor.We’re sat around a large conference table in a room at Road Tech’s Shenley Hall offices. Through the heavy double glazed door to my right, I can see a fraction of the myriad of computers that are Tachomaster - Road Tech’s tachograph analysis solution. If you can picture one of the air-conditioned, space age computer rooms from 1960’s and 70’s films but filled not with whirring tape drives and monolithic cases, but rack upon rack of dark boxes with twinkling and flashing lights, then you wouldn’t be far wrong.Impressive as the server room is, more astounding is that it is only one of four such rooms that make up the entire Tachomaster network. Whilst you (and I) don’t fully understand how it all works and actually connects together, the setup is certainly more than impressive. Without going into a full-blown technical description, Derek explains that each server room is paired with another. Should one

encounter any problems, the ‘twin’ automatically takes over.So that explains two of the rooms, but about the remaining two? “They’re exact copies of the first two”, says Derek, “The only difference between the two sets of twins is that each pair connect to a different part of the Internet using different providers. This way we can never have the situation where nobody can use Tachomaster”.I’m here to see what Road Tech call ‘The Big Picture’ of tachograph analysis and why Tachomaster is about so much more that just compliance. We’ve just analysed one digital tachograph driver card and four charts in less than three minutes - before you ask, yes we were compliant - and Derek has started to explain what else Tachomaster can do.“Your analysed tachographs are a goldmine of free management information that can help you to better understand and run your business,” he says.“It’s your information and you’re paying to have it analysed, so make sure you’re getting the most out of it”.And with that, the eye opening begins…Like all the best things, it’s obvious. With a tachograph recording what vehicles and drivers are doing,

taking that information and creating meaningful management reports from it is a logical step.Using the charts and card that we’ve just analysed, Derek shows me how efficient (within boundaries that we’ve defined) the vehicle usage has been. Naturally when this is done across an entire fleet, the results are far more meaningful, but Derek’s demonstration has certainly proved his point. A couple of mouse clicks later and I can see the driver utilisation on a similarly configurable screen. We spend the next twenty minutes digging into the vast number of management reports that Tachomaster offers. We don’t have the time to look at them all, but it’s clear that the analysed tachograph information really is the goldmine that Derek has described. As a stand alone product, the reports on their own would cost you thousands but with Tachomaster they’re all there for the taking as part of the £1 per driver per week cost, and there’s no need to (re)enter the data - it’s all automatically there already.Derek then shows me a breakdown of one particular vehicle’s daily activity, with every tachograph

mode change recorded on a separate line. Next to each entry there’s a small icon that, when we click on it, opens up a further window. This window displays on a map the vehicle’s location at the time the mode change was made.“What you can see here”, Derek explains, “Is the integration of Tachomaster with Falcon, our satellite tracking system“Any time there’s a mode change on a Falcon equipped vehicle, Tachomaster can show you exactly where that happened. So if you want to see where, for example, your drivers are taking their breaks, then you can”.In addition to the recording of where the mode changes were made, we can also see whenever the vehicle entered a ‘geofence’. If you don’t know, geofences are geographical areas that, with Falcon, you define yourself. For example one could be your own premises and others your customers locations.“Obviously”, says Derek, “you need to have Falcon to make the integration possible. But you can have that for £29 per vehicle per month, so it’s not expensive at all.“Unlike the majority of satellite tracking systems we don’t tie you in with a three or five year contract. In fact, like Tachomaster, there’s no minimum contract period at all. If you like it you keep using it. If you don’t, then you stop and we stop charging you.”Sadly we’ve now run out of time and so I thank Derek for showing me some of what Tachomaster and Falcon will provide. The walk through that he’s given has clearly demonstrated that there is so much more to tachograph analysis with Tachomaster and I’m convinced that this is the way all such systems should be.However, you don’t have to take my word for it, you can try Tachomaster for yourself for free thanks to its 28-day trial. Even if you already have an analysis solution that you’re happy with, it’s my opinion that you’d be daft not to at least have a look at the big picture for yourself.

For more information: www.tachomaster.co.uk

One of Road Tech Computer Systems impressive servers

FACTS Magazine visits Road Tech Computer Systems Limited

18 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Stagecoach have launched Britain’s biggest single investment in green hybrid bus technology.The first of a £16m investment in 56 state-of-the-art buses for the UK, with 30% less carbon emissions than standard vehicles, went into service in Oxford.Market-leading British bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis and BAE Systems have provided the technology behind the new low carbon buses, which feature an innovative regenerative braking system.A fleet of 26 hybrid vehicles will run on some of the busiest city centre routes in Oxford. The historic university city has one of the highest levels of bus use in the UK, with around 50% of all local journeys made by bus.Stagecoach’s major bus network in Manchester will also benefit from 30 new electric-hybrid vehicles from September.The new vehicles are being part funded by a £5million support

package from the Department for Transport’s Green Bus Fund.Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: “This is Britain’s biggest single investment in green hybrid bus technology. The new buses have better fuel consumption, as well as significantly lower carbon emissions.“Greener, smarter bus travel is a low-cost, low-carbon solution to the challenge of climate change. New technology and pro-bus policies are crucial if we are to get people to switch from the car to public transport.”The new Enviro400H buses were built at Alexander Dennis’s manufacturing plants in Falkirk, Scotland, which employs around 900 people, and Guildford, England.Colin Robertson, Chief Executive, Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL), said: “We have now had electric-hybrids on trial in the UK for 20 months and they have consistently recorded fuel and CO2 reductions

of around 35%. They have also demonstrated their reliability by being available for service virtually 100% of the time.“We are now well beyond the pioneering stage with electric-hybrids and can lead the world with a transport solution that tackles clean air issues head-on. As a business ADL will continue to invest in further hybrid

development programmes and to bring innovative, fuel-saving, low carbon buses to market. Thenext of these will be a three-door, flat floor, 18 tonne single deck targeted at mainland Europe. It will be launched later this year.”

For more information: www.stagecoachgroup.com

In our Texa technical assistance centre based near Burnley in Lancashire, we are currently receiving on average 50 calls a day on all manner of bus, coach, car, van, truck and trailer repairs and faults.We are receiving more and more calls from our diagnostic tool users with trailer related faults, these may be ABS (Antilock Braking System) or EBS (Electronic Braking System) related faults or even foundation braking problems.With trailers, virtually every component is underneath the chassis

and is totally exposed to the elements, this can lead to water getting into components creating corrosion, high resistance values or even short circuits. These faults will bring on the trailer ABS warning light and take the trailer off the road.By using our diagnostic equipment, this will help speed up your repairs, by being able to communicate with the ECUs, read and erase error codes and being able to view live data, activating components and having the ability to make settings and adjustments on a vast majority of

trailer braking systems from the early ABS to the latest generation 2 EBS. One of the most common problems is down to wheel sensors; there can a multitude of faults that could generate an error code relevant to wheel sensors. These could be an electrical fault from the sensor itself caused by water ingress or damage, a short or open circuit of the sensors internal winding.A simple multimeter test across the sensor terminals can soon eliminate a sensor there, should there be a resistance value of approximately 1200 ohms depending on the type of sensor used. You also need to check for an insulation breakdown in the sensor, there should be no continuity to earth from the sensors terminals.There could also be a mechanical fault causing problems, these can be down to corroded teeth on the poll wheel. Many disc brakes have the poll wheels cast into the actual disc, carefully inspect the teeth for corrosion or damage, replace the discs as necessary. Excessive play in wheel bearings, unevenly worn or incorrect tyre sizes or the air gap between the sensor and the poll wheel can also cause these problems.

One thing to take careful note of is what speed the ABS light comes on at; if it is a mechanical fault the ABS light will normally illuminate at exactly the same speed every time. Another common problem is down to the ISO7638 cable, be it the one between the truck and the trailer or the lead going from the head board down to the ECU. If there is a power supply issue or earth to the ECU it won’t work or communicate with your diagnostic equipment.Many expensive trailers ECU’s have been replaced unnecessarily when the fault is down to a pin pushed back in the head board socket. Trailer ECUs should also have a backup power supply from the brake light circuit, if the ECU is not powered try pressing the foot brake to give is a back up power supply, if the system then powers up the ECU has been eliminated. These simple checks will help speed up your repairs and help to prevent expensive incorrect diagnosis.

For more information: 01282 606787 or www.texa.co.uk

£16m investment in green electric-hybrid bus technology

Help is at handby Stephen Bal, Technical Trainer, TEXA

20 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Doigs of Glasgow has taken delivery of a brand new Optare bodied Volvo B9TL double-decker bus. The unique vehicle offers the benefits traditionally associated with a Volvo coach, but on a bus chassis. Specified with 100 coach standard seats, with three

point safety belts, tinted windows, five flat screen TV monitors, soft finish roof and side walls and two internal tables, the bus is of extremely high specification. It also features a CD/DVD player, air conditioning and an integrated bridge warning

alert system. Emblazoned with Doigs recognisable silver livery, the new double-decker is externally eye catching and stylish, whilst the Optare bodywork provides sophistication and a high quality finish.As a long-standing Volvo customer Doigs were confident they would get a vehicle that would prove to be reliable, fuel efficient and long-lasting. “The seating capacity was the key for us with this vehicle purchase,” explained Doigs Director Iain Forsyth. “Volvo was the only company who could provide us with the seating capacity we wanted, with the Optare bodywork that we liked.“We feel the bus is quite unique because it offers all the benefits that you would normally expect to find on a prestige coach. It also allows us the opportunity to accommodate larger groups, without compromising passenger comfort”.The new B9TL double-decker bus joins six other Volvo vehicles in the Doigs’ fleet of 20. It is expected to be used for private hire purposes, as

well as weddings and other functions attracting large numbers of people.Doigs has specified Volvo since 2005 and Iain Forsyth explained that it was a case of supply and demand. “We always know exactly what type of vehicle we’re looking for and if Volvo can meet those requirements, as they have with this latest purchase, then we’re more than happy to keep coming back”.“This double-decker really is an exceptional vehicle,” commented Duncan Crosby, Volvo Regional Coach Sales Manager. “It’s a bus chassis, but it incorporates many of the features that are usually found on our coaches and affords Doigs considerable versatility on passenger numbers while maintaining its continually high standards. I’m glad we were once again able to meet Doigs’ requirements as we have a very good long-standing relationship with them”.

For more information: www.volvobus.co.uk

Unique double-deck for Doigs

New bus transmissionsAllison has launched two new transmissions bolstering its proven Torqmatic Series of fully automatic transmissions for bus applications. The T390 and T390R use a high level of powertrain integration to enhance torque capacity, durability, shift quality and economy. To support a continuing trend for ever increasing engine power and torque, the new transmissions use a Shift Energy Management (SEM) feature which dynamically manages torque through the transmission. By seamlessly modulating the engine torque before the shift is engaged, clutch energy and thus temperatures are lowered, increasing durability and offering higher ratings capability. In the case of the new T390 and T390R city bus transmissions, SEM provides a 200Nm increase in input torque ratings compared to the T375 and T375R models. Allison’s new T390 and T390R models are ideally suited to city buses and coaches with engine ratings up to 380 HP and 1650Nm. Additionally, the new T390R transmission includes an output retarder feature for enhanced vehicle braking.Introduction of SEM ensures the most effective utilisation of Allison’s fuel economy software features. “SEM makes the most of Load Based Shift Scheduling (LBSS) and enables new features such as Super Economy Shift Scheduling (SESS) and Vehicle Acceleration Control (VAC),” says Rich Price, Director of Asia Pacific Engineering, Allison Transmission. SESS, developed by Allison, monitors operating conditions and automatically upshifts to a higher

gear as soon as tractive effort requirements are met. This feature allows the bus to remain in the highest gear as long as possible, even during slower speed operation to maximize fuel economy. VAC is focused on driver input and controls acceleration to maintain a smooth, fuel efficient acceleration rate for specific controlled duty cycles or fuel efficiency benefits. “Together with proven technologies such as Auto Neutral and Reduced Engine Load at Stop (RELS) available across our Torqmatic Series of bus transmissions, Allison

offers a comprehensive range of tools for optimizing bus fleet fuel efficiency,” concludes Price.Bonluck Bus has become the first manufacturer to equip a bus with Allison’s new T390R transmission on its JXK6126 12.6 metre coach. Bonluck buses are sold in the domestic market and exported globally where they are particularly popular among Australian fleets.

For more information: www.allisiontransmission.com

22 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Whether it’s road vehicles, heavy-duty plant, tippers and trailers, tyre disposal or route planning software, this year’s Recycling & Waste Management Exhibition (RWM10) at the Birmingham NEC from September 14-16 2010 brings together everything you need to stay up-to-date in one central venue. Free to attend, RWM features over 500 exhibiting organisations, more than 40 free seminar sessions and a new Waste Minimisation Zone.To hear about all the latest vehicle developments head to RWM’s indoor and outdoor exhibition areas. Major suppliers and vehicle rental providers including BMI Municipal, CMS Hire, Gullivers’ Municipal and Isuzu Truck Ltd will be promoting new products and services. Visitors can also explore the latest advancements in tyres and sealants with companies including Air-Seal Products, Amandus Kahl HmbH & Co, Dragon Machinery, International Tyre and Wheel Solutions, JMC Recycling Systems Ltd and Riverside Waste Machinery. A line-up of expert speakers has already been confirmed for the comprehensive free seminar programme, which runs in three dedicated seminar theatres throughout the three days of the show. There are plenty of sessions of interest to anyone involved in road haulage and associated industries. At 2pm on the opening day (September 14) in the Energy and Water Seminar Theatre, Aaron Berry, Head of Carbon and Sustainability for The Renewable Fuels Agency, will present an update on the UK’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and the Renewable Energy Directive. He will review current obligations and incentives for creating transport fuel from waste and its likely impact on the waste industry. On day two (September 15) there will be a whole day dedicated to the issue of construction waste within the Business Seminar Theatre. Sessions

of particular interest include a presentation from Dr Chindarat Taylor, Director of Pathway to Zero Waste, who will investigate the true cost of construction and demolition waste and examine ways to reduce the amount ending up in landfill through greater reuse and recycling of materials. Rainer Zimmann, resources and waste management, Arup will explore resource sustainability and best practice in waste management, before David Pugh, Senior Consultant at AMEC Entec rounds off the day with a look at the logistical benefits of in cab technology for reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.Starting at 2pm on day three (September 16) within the Waste Minimisation Zone, Aaron Berry, Head of Carbon and Sustainability at the Renewable Fuels Agency, will examine the issue of roadside gully waste. The session will explore the current and future costs of land filling this waste if left untreated, as well as the potential new revenue streams that it could provide through its recycling and reuse.In recognition of the increased pressure reduce consumption as well as to reuse and recycle, RWM also features for the very first time a Waste Minimisation Zone. This will incorporate a drop-in surgery manned by experts in resource efficiency. Visitors will be able to pick up advice on improving their resource management and cutting the amount of waste they produce.

EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS: • The new CANbus system for tracking driver behavior will be launched by VeriLocation Fleet Tracking Solutions.

• Amandus Kahl HmbH & Co will showcase its latest waste tyre recycling advancements, including a new economically viable process for grinding disused tyres.

• Gradeall Ltd will be launching its new ultra-fast tyre baler. The new Mk2 Tyre Baler typically produces between four and six bales (95-100 tyres per bale) every hour.

• RDS Technology will be showcasing its extensive range of on-board weighing systems at RWM including its Loadmaster i series of on-board weighing scales for large wheeled loaders, which enable enhanced management of weighing data.

• Isuzu Trucks Ltd will be showcasing its brand new modular range of vehicles from 3.5t up to 18t gvw, which have are already proving extremely popular in local authority and municipal applications.

HOW TO REGISTER:

Register today atwww.rwmexhibition.com/FACTS to receive your visitor badge in advance and avoid the queues when you arrive at the NEC. Use the “Find Suppliers” section of the RWM 10 website to locate the suppliers you need to see and take advantage of the MyRWM Show Planner, a simple online tool which creates a personalised floor plan of relevant exhibitors.

Get your recycling on the right road at RWM10

Aaron Berry

Dr Chindarat Taylor

www.belljohnstone.co.uk 2010ISSUE57 FACTS 23

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Vehicle Weighing Solutions, renowned for high accuracy onboard weighing systems and nationwide on-site service, is showing examples of its latest systems at this years RWM Exhibition at the NEC.Specifically built for refuse collection vehicles, the new highly accurate M350S onboard weight indicator helps drivers and operators optimise payload whilst pinpointing profits. Watching your weight, pays. • new weighing indicator • trailer mount weatherproof M350S • CCTV displayed weights • DIN radio mount • wheeled bin weighingThe Engineering team at VWS have integrated a host of features into the M350S. With a clear bright easy-to-read display showing net, load and gross weights it can be dash, panel or weatherproof trailer mounted and fits neatly into DIN cab radio slots. Features such as high security password anti-tamper operation, two

overload alarm set-points, on-screen service indicator, time and date come as standard.The rugged M350S has two channels, a CANbus input/output and an RS232 port making it ideal for RCV’s and provides powerful on-screen troubleshoot diagnostics, cutting down on expensive down-time. It’s packed with clever upgrade options like visual connectivity to display weighing data onto rear view monitors, wireless for remote weighing on cranes and trailers, printers and data storage cards. It also integrates with existing tracker and telemetry systems.

For more information: www.vwsltd.co.uk

At the forthcoming RWM Exhibition Noblet hope to be exhibiting one or more of their newest vehicles.Their sales team will be on hand to answer any enquiries about any aspect of hire either

short term or long term. As they are an established and stable company with a firm base in Scotland following the acquisition of Alex Inglis, they now feel they can offer a more bespoke fully supported service to Scottish customers.A spokesman said: “Our vehicles and engineers are all locally based and unlike our competitors we are not reliant on third party service providers, who although they can be efficient, seem always to be supporting numerous customers at any one time which dilutes their service quality. As we are part of a global corporation we can access finance to support our purchases which gives the end customer the confidence that we will still be in business for the whole of the contract.”Alex Inglis specialise in the repair and maintenance of chassis mounted equipment.Ranging from skips, hooks, RCVs and ejection trailers in the waste industry to tippers, low-loaders, plant bodies and the like in the transport / heavy haulage industryAlex Inglis are the main Scottish Agent for the GeesinkNorba product range and can offer parts servicing and training. For more information: www.noblet.co.uk

24 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Leading waste & recycling collection equipment supplier Terberg Matec UK move inside for RWM 2010 to present something different but very much related to their range of bin lifts, dynamic weighing systems, RF identification systems and specialist recycling collection vehicles.Stand 1334 will see Terberg Matec demonstrate their exceptional modular range of telematic products designed to integrate perfectly with their host of waste and recycling collection products to provide complete front-line solutions that include muniTRACK fleet tracking, muniROUND round management and muniDATA real-time

collection data analysis and reporting. Terberg’s modular ‘building block’ approach ensures that the collection system you configure is the simplest possible solution for the nature of your duties with seamless integration between all elements regardless of whether you choose to ‘build a little or build a lot’ into your waste and recycling collection solution.The best bit? One supplier, one number to call, one clear choice and it all comes with a wealth of experience gained through successful installation projects in the UK and Europe.Terberg’s team of weighing, data and telematics experts will be on-hand to answer your questions and give live demonstrations of their muniTRACK fleet data system, muniROUND round management tool and muniDATA analysis software.

For more information: www.terbergmatec.com

Refuse and recycle vehicle hire is an ever growing sector of Collett Transport Services. It started while Collett Transport Services was maintaining vehicles for a local

council during 2004.The company acknowledged the pressures being placed upon Local Government to recycle and the problems they faced in obtaining suitable specialist vehicles. In particular, there appeared to be a shortage of Kerbsiders, bringing about the idea that Collett Transport Services could offer these specialist vehicles for hire. Since then, the company have steadily increased their fleet and currently have a large variety of vehicles available, including 13 to 18 ton kerbsiders, toploaders, 7.5 ton to 14 ton stillage vehicles, 7.5 ton Kerbside stillage vehicles, 7.5 ton to 26 ton RCV’s, hook hoaders, front end loaders and twin packs.Collett Transport Services can offer a full maintenance package if required, with a priority service in the unfortunate event of a breakdown, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have 15 mobile service vans that carry out repairs at locations travelling nationally and the hire fleet is covered by 24 hour quick response breakdown assistance.

For more information:www.colletttransport.co.uk

Terberg Matec UK

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Vishay PM Onboard, part of the Vishay Precision Group, will be exhibiting their latest weighing technology specifically designed for the waste industry. As well as its proven range of reliable and highly accurate on-board digital weighing systems, they will be showing the jointly developed Vishay PM Onboard and Dennis Eagle integrated weighing solution.This new solution continually monitors the gross, net and individual axle weights and integrates with the Dennis Eagle body controller, allowing control of packer plate shutdown and intelligent barrier. This prevents the vehicle payload and axles from becoming overloaded and helps maintain compliance of vehicle legal operation and duty of care. This joint development is a step forward for the technology used within the waste market and reduces the number of screens in the cab and possible distractions to the driver.BinWeigh II+ builds on the success of BinWeigh02 to offer the next generation of total service management and couples wheeled bin weighing with tracking, mapping and route management. This latest bin weighing technology supports local authorities to increase recycling and reduce waste and enables private waste companies to improve efficiency and maximise profitability.Vishay PM Onboard’s approved underbody weighing system, the LFT1500 is a reliable, highly accurate, legal-for-trade system enabling invoicing at the point of collection or delivery. The PM1800 indicator offers various additional modules such as alibi memory, USB data storage and Bluetooth barcode scanning enabling container and customer identification.WasteWeigh is suited to most types of waste and recycling operations and may be used in conjunction with Vishay PM Onboard’s in-cab digital indicators, the 1155 and 1300. The 1155 is a lightweight display, providing continuous weight data

with selectable axle weights, packer plate shutdown and intelligent barrier and fits neatly into the DIN slot of the vehicle’s dashboard. The 1300 uses a TFT touch screen and also accepts CCTV signals allowing feed from the rear mounted safety cameras which are displayed on the same display as the weight information. Vishay PM Onboard’s flagship product, the 1155 indicator is also proving to be highly adaptable and stable when connected to third party telematics. The 1155 continues to go from strength to strength, demonstrating that it is more than just a ‘tick in the box’ on-board weighing system; it delivers features considered essential by waste companies.Vishay PM Onboard has moved away from unreliable mechanical linkage or spring systems that can lose calibration and is leading the way in the design and reliability of overload protection systems with VanWeigh. It is this stability that makes VanWeigh an easy choice for local authorities and LCV users. Linking to third party mapping and tracking as part of a fleet management package, it provides the operator and driver with added benefits such as monitoring loads, fleet tracking and better payload utilisation.

For more information 01274 771177 or www.pmonboard.com

Whale Tankers of Solihull - a specialist manufacturer to the

waste and cleaning industries, are exhibiting their increasingly popular and highly specialised KAISERWhale at this year’s RWM Exhibition, a product that is now recognised as the leading dirty water recycler here in the UK.With the manufacture and supply of end products forming only one part of the equation, visitors to the exhibition will also gain an insight into the infrastructure that Whale Tankers has in place to support its specialist equipment over the product life cycle.Not only will visitors to RWM will get the opportunity to learn about the comprehensive parts and accessories programme that Whale operates, they will gain an overview of the company’s service offering that continues to set benchmark standards and which remains the envy of the industry.Additionally, Whale Tankers will be unveiling details of its newly created Whale Training Academy - a facility dedicated to the delivery of industry wide training packages covering areas such as waste and cleaning jetting, operating in confined spaces and traffic management. Whale will also promote its standing as the largest independent vacuum and pressure tanker inspection body in the UK.Sporting the livery of Whale Tankers customer, SP Holding of Telford Shropshire - a leading contractor and events specialist - the KAISERWhale represents an effective approach to heavy-duty jetting and sewer maintenance.

With water recycling becoming increasingly important for obvious reasons, the KAISERWhale is at the forefront on applications of this kind.Developed by Whale Tankers in technical partnership with Kaiser AG - both leaders in their respective fields - the specialist unit recycles the water it uses during jetting operations, therefore maximising time spent working on site and minimising time spent off it taking on supplies of fresh water.Supplied on a Volvo FM 400 8 x 4 chassis, the 26 tonne GVW Jet-Vac tipping tanker unit is scheduled to join an SP Holding fleet of over 100 vehicles after the show and will operate on preventative maintenance and cleaning contracts with leading water authorities, utility providers and specialist organisations involved in the cleaning of culverts and larger diameter sewers.

For more information: www.whale.co.uk

Baughans Barrel Screens have been producing recycling and crushing machinery since 1999 and take pride in being able to offer, British manufactured, innovative screening and crushing equipment.This year the company will be exhibiting their new Baughans Tracked Micro B Screener, alongside the Baughans Tracked Jobber Crusher and Baughans Refiner Barrel.For screening they have the Middi 3 Way Split, demonstrating efficient three way screening in one pass with an output of 20-40 ton per hour, which comes either wheeled or tracked.Baughans Barrel Screens also manufacture The Majorette and Mammoth Complete Recycling Systems with outputs of 60-120 skips per day. These systems can include cabins, magnets and blowers and each picking line is individually made to suit customer requirements and environment.All machinery comes with a full years warranty on non wearing parts with spares carried on the shelf. Free site surveys and demonstrations are available upon request.

For more information: www.baughans.co.uk

Whale Tankers

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James A. Cuthbertson commenced trading in 1936 and used a motorbike and sidecar to move between farms locally in Lanarkshire to undertake agricultural fabrication and repair work and the company has not looked back since.By 1946 the operation was incorporated as a limited company and moved to new premises next to the railway at Station Road in Biggar and are still there to this day.Mr Cuthbertson was an inventor and at the cutting edge of engineering in Scotland throughout his career and the company has participated in many varied aspects of agricultural and general engineering and is well known throughout the world for expertise, innovation and quality of product.Works Manager Alex Neilson has been with the company since 1966 and has witnessed many changes in the industry as a whole, and James A. Cuthbertson in particular, first hand over the last 44 years.The Albion Cuthbertson Water Buffalo designed by Mr Cuthbertson, a tractor designed to work in boggy ground, really forged the company name in the his country and around the world. The vehicle was very popular in Scotland due to the nature of the terrain in remote areas and was able to pull a drainage plough across bogs which were completely impassable to ordinary tractors or vehicles.

Another vehicle which also put Cuthbertsons at the forefront of their field was the Cuthbertson tracked Land Rover. The company took a standard Land Rover and fitted demountable tracks to it which greatly lowers the ground pressure and allows the Land Rover to traverse swampy ground. Some of these specialist vehicles are still in operation today in the far corners of the world.However, today James A. Cuthbertson is best known for its specialist manufacture of snowploughs and gritters which are looked upon many as the benchmark for the industry. The snowplough range offers 16 different types to suit all vehicles and snow conditions, from straight vee ploughs to power angling scraper blades and 5m wide airfield clearing ploughs.The company’s gritter units offers their customers a comprehensive range from a one metre cubic capacity towed gritter, through a full range of demountable gritters, to nine metre cubic capacity permanent mount types. These units are available in basic form, road speed related, with data acquisition, on board weighing, G.P.S. dependent on customers requirements.To complement the range gritters in the Cuthbertson portfolio at present, including small ground drive units, HD towed gritters from 1m3 to 3.5m3, a range of vehicle hydraulic and auxiliary engine demountable and permanent mount gritters from 1m3 to 12m3, the Engineers from Biggar have developed a 1m3 gritter suitable formounting on three point linkage attachment.By utilising the control valves and spinner

assembly from the existing HD towed gritter range, the engineers at Cuthbertsons have ensured that the gritter will be capable of handling all types of salt available in the market place today.The flexibility to employ sub-contractors with tractors to cover remote and inaccessible areas is one that has been recognised by Shropshire County Council who, after an initial order for seven gritters, returned to order a further 13 units. This gritter, in conjunction with the Cuthbertson agricultural straight blade has proved to be the perfect contractor’s package for Shropshire.A dedicated, highly trained service and parts team provide rapid response throughout the year and tailor-made service and maintenance schedules are available to suit all customers’ fleets, no matter the size. A full gritter refurbishment available service is also available from Station Road to ensure that all equipment is ready to be used when the bad weather takes hold.The in-house engineering facilities in Biggar affords James A. Cuthbertson the ability to fabricate any part that may be required for a new build or refurbishment of a vehicle. Just-in-time ordering has helped reduced the parts department stockholding whilst at the same time maintaining the very high standard of service which their customers have become accustomed for nearly 75 years.

For more information: 01899 220020 or www.jamescuthbertson.co.uk

Keeping a clear road ahead

Works Manager Alex Neilson with Managing Director Raymond Reid Station Road, Biggar

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With autumn comes shorter days and longer nights and the potential for reversing or turning accidents significantly increases. At Vision UK they are very much aware that it is in twilight and night conditions that the performance of their camera systems are really tested, and arguably are the most important conditions they must work under. For these reasons Vision UK continually develop and update their products with a particular focus on improving low light performance.Most people are probably aware of the superior performance of CCD cameras over CMOS cameras under low light conditions and the benefit added illumination that Infrared LED’s provide at night. However, there are many other aspects of a camera design that can make a big difference to performance. The latest generation CCD cameras offer excellent low light performance giving even better clarity than the human eye in the twilight conditions. This is the same situation you find with broadcast TV when you will hear commentators (at a Golf event for example) saying that the light is making conditions almost unplayable where as the TV audience is looking at what seems to be perfectly light conditions.One of the features of a number of the Vision UK cameras, such as the DN-2 and DN-3 cameras, is that as light levels drop to very low levels (where even the best colour CCD cameras start to struggle) is that these cameras auto switch to black and white mode to offer even better low light performance - black and white offering more sensitivity under low light conditions.

To optimise the transition from day to night vision some of the cameras also link the infra-red lights to increase intensity as it gets darker. Furthermore Vision UK are also starting to introduce a new generation of LEDs that offer even better illumination levels than they current offering.Having said this the latest generation cameras that are being introduced by Vision UK have such good low light performance that additional infra-red LED are not needed for safe reversing providing the vehicle has reversing lights. This means the installer has the flexibility to use much smaller cameras that may facilitate the installation or optimum location of the cameraVision UK have seen significant increases in users moving from a single reversing camera to multiple camera systems that are not just being used for reversing but also using side cameras to prevent side swipe and turning accidents. Again twilight and night times are particularly high risk periods where not only does the driver have to contend with blind spots, but the darkness make cyclists and pedestrians even harder to see.

Vision UK provides cameras specifically designed for side view provide a view down the side of the vehicle to cover blind spots and furnished with Infra-red lighting to provide night vision. With multiple camera systems the focus then moves onto the quality of the monitor and ability for the driver to see the relevant camera image at the right time.To meet this requirement Vision UK offer a range of 5.6”, 7” and 7” split/ quad monitors that can be set up to meet almost any demand.The Quad image monitors can simultaneously display images from up to four cameras, but the user can choose from two camera split screen, a three camera split screen or quad screen view. Different combinations of cameras can be called up or prioritised depending on status of various inputs or driver preference.A typical set up for a single screen monitor with multiple cameras would be to have the monitor normally showing the offside side view camera (to cover blind spots when pulling out) a trigger wire connected to the reverse gear/lights that will automatically switch on and display the reverse camera, and a trigger wire that will switch on display the nearside camera when the left turn indicator is activated. In the case of Vision UK all cameras are rated for continuous use so can be used to provide the driver with a continuous view.In addition Vision UK have just updated the 5.6” and 7” Monitors to a digital panel design which offer a significant improvement in sharpness and clarity over the previous generation LCD TFT Monitors - the difference can’t be easily shown in a printed document but in real life the improvement is very significant and makes the night vision capability of the systems even better.

For more information: 0800 731 3316, info@vision-uk.co.uk or www.vision-uk.co.uk

Night Vision systems

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One of the UK’s leading manufacturers of road gritting vehicles has boosted their Scottish emergency repair, service and support team.ECON, which supplies essential road maintenance vehicles to local authorities and private contractors across Scotland has recruited Tayside based Senior Service Engineer Grant Fleming to its team and invested in a new east coast spares depot.Grant, who has 30 years experience as a mechanic and engineer, will be based from a new ECON spares depot near Dundee. He has over 13 years experience managing vehicle fleet maintenance for Tayside Contracts working on ECON and other types of gritting and road repair vehicles.“Our Scottish customers are spread across the country, and we wanted to improve our ability to service and repair vehicles and so we have been looking to recruit a highly qualifiedengineer on the east coast for some time,” commented ECON Scotland Sales Manager Dave Holywell.“Our vehicles are designed and manufactured to the specific needs of each customer, and it is important to us that this attention to differences in weather and geography are catered for in our after sales support too.”“We already have a depot and engineer in Glasgow, and in the interest of giving customers the very best emergency cover and ensuring the fastest response times we have recruited Grant to undertake routine service of our Scottish customer fleets, but also to undertake repairs when required.”ECON, the UK’s largest manufacturer of specialist gritting and road maintenance vehicles with over 400 of its hired or purchased vehicles operated by customers all over Scotland from Shetland and Orkney to Gretna Green.The company has invested in state of the art mobile workshops and stock depots in Scotland to ensure customers receive the best possible service and shortest vehicle ‘down time’ when breakdowns occur.“Any vehicle can be damaged while in use, especially those operated in extreme weather conditions,

and we have invested in the most experienced engineers, bespoke service vehicles, and additional spares stock for all our vehicle types to ensure that our emergency call outs result in very little downtime for customers when vehicles are needed out on the roads.”Glasgow based engineer Derek

Rolfe who’s distinctive yellow mobile workshop has been a regular sight visiting numerous gritting depots across the country, will continue to service and repair vehicles on the west coast of the country from his Glasgow depot.

For more information: www.econ.uk.com

Essential gritting fleets get extra emergency support

New Econ engineer, Grant Fleming (foreground), with Derek Rolfe

30 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Vtec Solutions Ltd, an award winning UK reseller of TomTom Work vehicle tracking systems, has completed a deal with Oran Environmental Solutions, the Grangemouth-based waste management and recycling firm. The deal sees Vtec Solutions supply Oran with sophisticated technology to assist in the management and control of its fleet of vans and trucks, and make savings on mileage, fuel labour, insurance and overtime.

TomTom Work combines plug and play fleet management technology with smart navigation and communication tools that provide organisations with the ability to pinpoint their vehicles’ location to as close as three feet away, while supplying real time vehicle information including maintenance, speed, location and direction. It is the fastest growing telematics product in Europe and is unique in the market in being able to take positional data every 10 seconds.

Oran is a fast moving, dynamic organisation that has vehicles travelling regularly from its headquarters in Grangemouth to sites throughout Scotland. Vtec Solutions has supplied the firm with 100 TomTom Link 300 tracking units, which also combine the unique TomTom Navigation technology to help successfully navigate Oran’s trucks.Peter Deighan, Fleet Manager for Oran, said: “We are delighted with the increased benefits we

are seeing from our new vehicle tracking solution supplied by Vtec Solutions. The real time mapping, reporting and alert features help us to streamline and better manage the day-to-day operations, allowing us to take full control of our fleet, both the vehicles and our drivers, and ultimately drive down costs across the business.”

For more information: www.vtecsolutions.com

Go Plant Limited - the UK leader in the provision of operated sweepers and specialist self drive vehicles and plant have a base in Scotland to make sure customers north of the border are provided with a service second to none.Go Plant has operated for over 35 years in Scotland and is located out of Broxburn in West Lothian – Steve Hughes its regional manager would be delighted to hear from you regarding your specialist vehicle hire needs.Go Plant operate a full range of all the latest high specification sweepers and vehicles to satisfy every

customer demand and requirement, all backed up by 24/7 fleet support. • large mechanical sweepers • mid-range sweepers • compact sweepers • gully emptiers • gritters • refuse collection vehicles The company places a special emphasis on ‘working in partnership’ and their main focus is customer satisfaction. Their success and continued growth both with the public and private sectors has

allowed them to lead the way and gain considerable knowledge into what customers expect and how best to deliver your service.Their main goal is to provide unrivalled service delivery from every aspect and to provide you with the financial and operational benefits through one reliable and customer driven supplier who is “driven by you, for you”.

For more information: Scotland@gpl-hire.co.uk orwww.go-plant.co.uk

Real-time vehicle tracking technology

Scottish base continues to enable Go Plant to grow

32 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Hazardous waste management company Enviroco Limited is implementing a hi-tech computerised route optimisation solution from Paragon Software Systems. The transport planning software simplifies complex route planning and helps Enviroco meet exacting service requirements across the company’s UK-wide customer base. The Enviroco system incorporates specially calculated ITIS road speed

data to give greater journey accuracy for mixed long haul and city driving. The Paragon software has reduced planning time from four days to a few hours. It also allows Enviroco’s transport management team to adjust the plan to include urgent call-outs and last-minute changes requested by the customer. “We collect packaged waste from customers across the UK - including Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands,

the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight. Collections vary in frequency from site to site, plus we have to deal with ad hoc requests and emergencies. Paragon brings new levels of accuracy to our route planning and it removes laborious manual processes. Our staff now have more time for customer service and to manage and improve our efficiencies,” says Howard Jonas, Enviroco Operations Director. “Importantly, with Paragon we start with efficient and accurate collection route plans and, whatever changes we have to make along the way, we know that the software will re-optimise the routes. It also allows us to run ‘what-if’ scenarios - for example, changing collection times to certain sites to see whether we can improve service further. The software shows exactly what is possible if we make these changes,” he adds. The software has also highlighted

some extra capacity so that Enviroco can add further collections to the plan. “The software has helped us to identify slack time and we use this to do more work. The calculations are complicated as there are so many variables to account for in meeting customers varied service requirements. With Paragon, however, we can see the loads on each vehicle and sequence in additional collections where possible. This means we can use our fleet and driver resources to the full,” says Howard Jonas. Enviroco is now also looking at Paragon Fleet Controller for tracking real-time vehicle activity against the plan. This additional software will also alert customers of updated delivery times when the vehicle is an agreed number of minutes away. For more information: ww.paragonrouting.com

Since May 1994, all sales, service and spares for the Scarab range of equipment in Scotland have been managed by Applied Sweepers Ltd and as a result their shared customers have benefited from the highest levels of professionalism available.On January 1 Applied Sweepers became a fully integrated part of Tennant UK and in order to concentrate the business’ efforts on the Green

Machine and Tennant brands it has been agreed by mutual consent to terminate the Scarab distribution arrangement over the coming months. As a result, following a smooth transition, Scarab Sweepers Ltd will act directly within Scotland. It is the companies mutual intent that a joint approach to this change will ensure that customers - past, present and future - continue to

experience the levels of service and care that they have always enjoyed. Over the next few weeks Scarab will communicate further information on what they intend to ensure is a seamless transfer of responsibilities.

For more information:www.scarab-sweepers.com

Building on its inaugural success last year, Futuresource 2010 enjoyed a 6.6% increase in overall attendance (7,930) and, importantly for exhibitors, a 10.4% increase in trade visitors attending the trade fair.Organised jointly by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and Environmental Services Association (ESA), the Futuresource conference and trade fair at ExCeL London brought over 300 exhibitors and 100 speakers from across the industry together under one roof, and played host to key ministers, including Caroline Spelman, the new Secretaryof State for the Environment.“In a challenging year for many events and exhibitions, we are pleased with the numbers, and delighted at the increase in trade visitors,” says Sarah Poulter, Managing Director of IWM Business Services, the commercial arm of

CIWM. “For many exhibitors, this translated into quality leads and deals clinched on the stands, as well as valuable relationship-building opportunities.”“Since taking the decision to move Futuresource’s predecessor from Torbay, we are exceptionally pleased that attendance figures continue to rise at the new venue,” adds Barry Dennis, Director General of ESA. “The presence of several ministers at the event further highlights the important role that Futuresource plays in bringing together like-minded resource management, environment and sustainability industry professionals from across Europe.”Exciting plans are already underway for Futuresource 2011, which will take place from June 14-16 2011 at ExCeL London. Moving to new halls, the exhibition will also have a new layout and will be reclassified

into three zones to more accurately position exhibitor products and services and make it easier for visitors to find relevant areas on the show floor.

For more information: www.futuresourceuk.com

Hi-tech routing treatment

Scarab acting directly within Scotland

Strong attendance figures for Futuresource 2010

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New London service centre widens customer service network

Johnston Sweepers has opened a brand new London-based service centre at Redbridge in Essex, adding to its extensive nationwide service network to provide even faster after sales support facilities for customers.Situated north-east on the North Circular, the Redbridge depot will reduce travel times for call-outs within the M25, supplying a faster and more efficient service for London-based customers.The new depot is a fully equipped engineering centre, incorporating state-of-the-art workshop

facilities with secure storage, and is able to provide a full range of servicing and major repairs. Johnston’s network of service depots around the country is unique to the UK sweeper industry, with six regional centres providing local service support and parts availability. Each centre also operates a team of mobile Service Technicians, providing Johnston customers with a service and parts coverage unequalled in the UK. John Halley, Customer Services Manager, comments: “A national service infrastructure is vital to support our products in the field, but the Capital has always presented challenges owing to the difficulties of getting around in London and longer travelling times. The new service centre in Redbridge is an innovative solution, perfectly positioned to offer customers within the M25 a faster and higher level of customer service, in keeping with our after sales service commitment.”Meanwhile, several UK councils have recently realised the full benefits of investing in a Johnston’s water recirculation option on their Johnston VT650. From day one of their use the advantages have become apparent. Street tests show that the water recirculation option

can reduce water consumption by as much as 75%, increasing productivity by as much as four hours. Because the water recirculation system can save a whopping 950 litres of water per working shift this quickly equates to significant savings in all aspects from running costs, productivity and increasingly vital - environmental impact.With Johnston’s existing truck mounted sweepers, operators stated they would have to refill the water tanks three times in a shift, but with water recirculation option this is reduced to two times a shift. Johnston’s water recirculation system saves an average of 950 litres of water in a normal working operation, enabling a borough to support the environment by reducing its carbon footprint and reducing water usage. For example, if one sweeper is used seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, water saving is a massive 358,000 litres per machine per annum for water taken from metered hydrant pipes, which shows a weekly cost saving for each machine of approximately £33.25 or £1729 annually.

For more information: 01306 884722 or www.johnstonsweepers.com

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When it comes to health and safety, the job of a fleet manager is never an easy one. From keeping track of all the changing rules and regulations, to the continued pressure from drivers to provide systems and equipment they need. While some potential pitfalls are now fairly well known, like drivers hours, other problems exist which are not as well publicised.For instance, many people are not fully aware of the dangers involved in running an overloaded vehicle. Not only is the vehicle more difficult to steer and brake, but it increases wear on the tyres and suspension. A badly placed load has, no doubt, been the cause of more than one ‘tip-over’. If you are involved in an accident with an overloaded vehicle your insurance can be void, and the company (as well as the driver) are responsible for the damage caused. Punishments for being overloaded can be a fine totalling up to £15,000 for a 2 axle vehicle, or even loss of your Operator’s License. Those involved in fatal accidents could find themselves confronted by ‘Death by Dangerous Driving’ or even ‘Corporate Manslaughter’ charges, as they are seen to have failed in their ‘duty of care’. To makes matters even worse, the negative publicity from an event such as this could be devastating.Lighter goods vehicles are now a more common sight on our roads. Maybe this is to do with ‘O’ licensing restrictions on large vehicles or access problems, but now many smaller vehicles are taking on the jobs of their larger counterparts. VOSA effectiveness figures show that the number of stops leading to prohibitions for LGV’s is always higher than those of HGV’s. This may be due to them being easier for the operatives to spot, or that a diminishing load has a greater effect on a smaller vehicle’s weight balance, but it seems far more likely that it has to do with people using vehicles for jobs they are not really designed to cope with. While many of the larger vehicles are equipped with load cells to help monitor the weight, smaller vehicles are often left unequipped, as the cost involved equipping a vehicle of this size with load cells is disproportional to the capital spent on the vehicle when compared to an HGV. Load cell systems are generally full of additional features such as printers and cut-offs,

which are simply not required if all you are trying to do is run your vehicle within the legal limits.Red Forge Ltd has been at the forefront of axle load indication for the last 30 years, and are extremely pleased to introduce a new member to their Axalert product range. The Axalert Plus has been designed to cover vehicles from 8 to 18 tonnes, and is available at a very competitive price.

This joins the Limitlite Plus (for vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes) and the Axalert 20/20 (For HGV’s and capable of providing the cut-offs and printers where necessary).The system itself is accurate to the same tolerances laid down in VOSA guidelines, and all Red Forge axle load indicators are compatible with many of the vehicle telemetry systems now available. Using this technology

link-up, a fleet manager can view thestatus of a vehicle’s load remotely from the depot, or have an overload warning sent as an email or text message Red Forge Ltd will be demonstrating this new system, along with other systems from their product range, at the RWM Exhibition at the NEC in September.

For more information:01527 526112 www.redforge.co.uk

Red Forge at the forefront of axle load indication

36 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Solutions Onboard have had a good start to life in Scotland over the summer and are looking forward to working with more companies north of the border.The company were formed in January 2008 by two experienced onboard weighing service

technicians. With over 10 years experience of onboard weighing and another six years in industries such as electric motor engineering and design, hydraulics, motor engineering, electrics and electronics they are competent in many areas. Paul Makings

from the company said: “We can help haulage companies save time and money by using one company instead of three or four to provide equipment and service. My colleague Mark has been very busy in Scotland and we look forward to doing more work there.”

They are fully experienced in maintaining, repairing, supplying and installing many types andmakes of onboard weighing equipment that has been introduced to the market over the last 15 years. This includes PM Onboard, Barry Napper and Woodland. They are also the sole distributor of MX Onboard weighting systems.They can offer low cost labour charges, highly experienced service engineers, a 24/7 service and high quality parts.They also provide and install reverse camera systems - which are an important part of providing operators of heavy goods vehicles with an aid when reversing into tight spaces - and hands free phone kits.

For more information: 01724710001 or www.solutionsonboard.co.uk

Established in 1998 as a family business run company, RTB Weighing Ltd have developed a growing reputation for supplying inovative solutions and a comprehensive service for on board weighing, from developing the 401 and 402 to manufactureing their own load cell’s and latest 5711 hand held display (bought as a new system all at the same price).RTB Weighing offers the flexability and total project capabilities from concept to completion working hand in hand as parntners, these capabilities have been utilised by many of their customers for the next genaration of on-board weighing.RTB Weighing can also repair PM, MX, Woodland, Maywood and all other makes of on-board weighing systems, their engineer’s will travel to you, where ever you may be.

For more information:01274 615853

Solutions Onboard enjoying growth in Scotland

Family run weighing company expanding

38 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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CC Software Ltd (CCSL) has selected the ultra rugged JLT in vehicle computer for its real-time LOAD2000 system for weighing loads without the need for a weighbridge. Supplied by JLT Mobile Computers’ partner Rugged Mobile Systems Ltd, the fixed mount PC is installed within the cab of a front-end wheeled loader to provide the mobile platform for CCSL’s advanced wireless weighing system that utilises state of the art onboard weigh scales from RDS Technology. The LOAD2000 system will be used for British Sugar’s TOPSOIL business. It will provide a wireless live link between its topsoil site in Wissington, Norfolk, and its beet processing plant, situated two miles away. British Sugar TOPSOIL is derived from prime arable soils, delivered with the sugar beet crop to its four factories. The soil is recovered and conditioned on site, and over the last 10 years, TOPSOIL has established itself as the largest supplier of quality topsoil in the UK.

The touch-screen PC-based system provides a range of efficiency and safety enhancements. These include the accurate and automatic recording of each bucket load as it is transferred to the truck and real-time communications of jobs to the loader operator, which reduces the amount of time spent out of the loader on a busy yard. Trucks do not need to travel to and from weighbridges - this normally entails driving to the weighbridge to weigh the empty truck, driving to the site to pick up the loads, and then travelling back to the weighbridge for final weighing - which reduces road miles, thereby improving fleet efficiency.Utilising the latest in MESH wireless networking operating in the 5GHz range to provide long-range, high availability data communications, the system provides a live link to corporate systems enabling instant updates and the ability to issue invoices without manual data entry. This reduces paperwork and streamlines accounting processes.

In addition, truck drivers receive a printed receipt detailing the nature of the load and its precise weight as soon as loading is completed.According to Rugged Mobile Systems the JLT fixed-mount PCs is ideal for CCSL’s LOAD2000 weighing solution. “The fully sealed integral PC and touch screen unit is a good choice for this application

as it provides a range of benefits - ruggedness, ease of use, works off any on-vehicle power source, and the screen provides a clear user interface under any light conditions,” said Ges Jones, Director, Rugged Mobile Systems.

For more information: www.jltmobile.co.uk

Automated weighing at British Sugar

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Vishay PM Onboard, part of Vishay Precision Group, have been designing, manufacturing, supplying and supporting systems around the world for over 40 years. By using the most advanced instrumentation and materials in their designs, ensures that systems are capable of delivering accuracy, dependability and high performance in the rugged environments they are deployed in to. Despite the recent economic conditions, Vishay PM Onboard continues to develop new avenues of delivering solutions for their customer base. One such development has been the complete integration of the in cab display into the on-board computer for waste collection vehicles. Dennis Eagle’s on-board computer can now incorporate all the weight data, including individual axle weights, on to the Dennis Eagle on-board display removing the need for a separate in-cab monitor. Working closely with the Dennis Eagle technical team, Vishay PM Onboard have been able to deliver a next generation solution.There have also been a number of very successful trials with large players in the telematics field such as Masternaut. Vishay PM Onboard’s flagship product, the 1155 and the increasingly popular VanWeigh have proved to

be highly adaptable and stable when connected to a third party solution or service.Vishay PM Onboard has moved away from unreliable mechanical linkage or spring systems that can lose calibration and is now leading the way in the design and reliability of overload protection systems with VanWeigh. It is this stability that makes VanWeigh a perfect solution when connecting to other third party systems making it an easy choice for local authorities and LCV users. The 1155 continues to go from strength to strength, demonstrating its reliability when taken into some of the harshest environments. The 1155 is more than just a ‘tick in the box’ on-board weighing system, it delivers safety features considered essential by the bulk haulage and waste companies. Once the Vishay PM Onboard system has been purchased and installed, it is supported by the largest network of specialised service engineers in the UK who are experts in on-board vehicle weighing systems. Vishay PM

Onboard’s engineers attend regular refresher training sessions and only service weighing and overload protection solutions on commercial vehicles, nothing else.If reliability, safety and service quality are your priorities when purchasing an on-board weighing system for your commercial vehicles, then Vishay PM Onboard is the right choice.

For more information:www.pmonboard.co.uk

Always the right choice

40 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Weightron Bilanciai are introducing their unique low profile SPT Transportable Weighbridge. This patented modular fold-out design is very easy to install and sets new standards for portable weighbridges.Available in capacities from 40-80 tonnes, in lengths from 6-18 metres, the weighbridge is delivered to site complete with load cells and cabling already fitted. Modules are simply lifted from the delivery vehicle and unfolded out onto the prepared base via forklift or on-board crane hoist. Large built-in spreader plates provide optimum support and robust, yet light weight, steel ramps complete the installation.The SPT is available pre-fitted with either analogue or digital load cells and is compatible with Weightron’s extensive range

of instrumentation, driver-operated terminals, control barriers, automatic number plate recognition systems and Winweigh software.The SPT is ideal for applications in the

recycling and construction industry where short term vehicle weighing is required.

For more information: www.weightron.com

Air-Weigh Europe Ltd based in Doncaster South Yorkshire is pleased to announce that they have appointed there first agent for Scotland based near Glasgow.Air-Weigh has also recently added several new software features to the 5800 product range incorporating the very latest electronics in vehicle load sensing. Air-Weigh entered into the tipper sector market at this years Tip-ex 10 in Harrogate for both rigid and trailer weighing systems. Great savings can be made on initial purchase by ordering direct from the company then simply issue your system

to your chosen body builder for a production fit or Air-Weigh can arrange for a retro fit service.One of the recent additions is the 5814 series which has been developed for the Hook loader and skip vehicle sector no loadcells are required between the vehicle chassis and sub frame greatly reducing installation time and costs.Air-Weigh use the latest in modern technology helping to reduce costs providing quality

systems helping customers make the right choice for there application.

For more information: 07980699976 orwww.air-weigh.co.uk

Transportable weighbridge

Venturing north of the border

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Weight Angel Limited is an award winning Scottish company that specialises in load management solutions. Following several years of product development the company have just launched a revolutionary new onboard overload and load shift protection system for commercial vehicles sized up to 7.5 tonnes. The system, the first of its kind in the

world, uses patented technology to measure load from inside the vehicle via a series of load dependent sensors housed in an intelligent anti-slip floor. Information is then relayed wirelessly via Bluetooth to a portable head unit housed in the cab, or indeed even on the driver’s belt if so desired. Depending on the version of the

product chosen, the visual display unit can either give a traffic light reading to warn of an overload, or an exact reading in kilograms. Compared to other systems, Weight Angel is unique as it is 100% electronic, internal, has no moving parts, accurate to within 0.5%, requires no further recalibration after installation, and costs a fraction of the price of

other mechanical systems. An HGV version of the technology is currently in the pipeline and is expected towards the end of this year.

For more information: www.weightangel.com

New onboard overload and load shift protection system

New for 2010, Griffith Elder has introduced the “Bin Lift Weighing System” designed for weighing the waste in wheelie bins. This new design uses the bin lift system, to quickly and easily weigh the waste from the bin as it is tipped into the skip or compactor.The weighing mechanism is built into the arms of the bin lifter. It first takes the gross weight of the wheelie bin on the way up, and, after tipping, takes the tare weight of the bin on the way down. It then calculates the net weight of waste in the bin. As each bin is tipped, the weights are added together to give the total weight of waste. The Bin-Lift Weigher is primarily targeted for filling compactors, where it is important to put the correct waste into the correct compactor. With this new weighing system, bins can be electronically tagged, storing data on the type of waste and any other relevant information. This gives managers easy access to important information on the amounts of each product collected.Furthermore, Griffith Elder recognise that “pay-by-weight” is fast becoming important in the recycling business. Therefore this new Bin-Lift Weigher is particularly useful for filling both skips and compactors, but also for filling mobile compactors such as refuse collection vehicles, where again pay-by-weight is being increasingly used. For more information: 01284 763616, or www.griffith-elder.com

Bin lift weighing system

42 FACTSISSUE572010 www.belljohnstone.co.uk

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Dunlop LOADSAFE is a low cost overload detection system designed for light commercial vehicles up to 7.5T GVW and will provide the driver of the vehicle with key information about the load being carried.LOADSAFE involves installing suspension height measurement sensors between the axle and the chassis of the vehicle. When you add load to a vehicle

the suspension will deflect. The LOADSAFE system will accurately measure the amount of spring deflection. Following a calibration procedure they can use this measurement to give a direct indication of the load being carried by the vehicle.In the basic system the load displayed visually by a separate set of LED’s for the front axle, rear axle and the GVW. As more

is added more LED’s will illuminate, If any of the axles or the whole vehicle is overloaded a red LED illuminates and an audible alarm sounds giving a clear warning to the driver to take action.An upgrade to a wireless display is also available given a direct numerical measurement of the load being carried, the payload remaining and will provide additional security features. This unit can be hand carried whilst loading is taking place ensuring the driver is always aware of the loading condition. This ensures your vehicles are loaded safely, legally and right first time.The basic LOADSAFE system contain all the equipment necessary to mother the load on the vehicle.

Included in the kit are; • four height sensors, a wiring harness, sensor processing module, and a basic LED display panel • the height sensors are installed at each corner of the vehicle and

are mounted using brackets designed specifically for each model so they can be installed where possible without the need for drilling or welding • these height sensors are then connected by way of an electrical harness to the sensor processing module. This module processes the information from the height sensors and the reference to the calibration data this information is output to the LED display

The weight detail is output into the cab as a series of LED lights that can be set to come on at different weight limits. For example they can be set to turn to amber LED at 95% of the vehicles payload and the red LED comes on at 100% or overload. When overload and audible alarm alerts the driver to take action.

For more information: 02476 293 300 or www.load-safe.com

Overload detection system

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Failure to apply a full risk assessment in the purchase of a commercial vehicle wheel can ultimately lead to a corporate manslaughter charge should the item fail and cause a catastrophic injury, a leading solicitor has warned.Mike Rainford, Head of Business Crime at the North West’s leading criminal practice, Burton Copeland*, was speaking following a meeting with John Ellis, Managing Director

of Motor Wheel Service, where the issue of second hand contamination was raised as a matter of major concern.It is estimated that over 10,000 second hand and take-off wheels entered the market in 2009, of which the large majority were sold by companies who do not possess the technical abilities or examination procedures to ascertain the history and fatigue of a wheel.

In an extremely serious case, the company’s field sales team were made aware of old, repainted wheels being sold as new.Rainford said: “There needs to be greater scrutiny and control in this market sector, because the implications are huge. The process shows that if a wheel fails and causes death to either the driver or a third-party, there will be a full Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation.“If the HSE then find evidence of cost cutting, gross negligence or incorrect arrangements in the purchase of the wheel, it will be referred to the police when it officially becomes a criminal investigation.“At this stage it becomes more likely the case will go to court, and the company can at least expect a fine or a suspension of their licence, and the worst case scenario is a lengthy prison sentence for manslaughter.”The meeting followed an earlier statement from Motor Wheel Service where they urged quality assurance managers for commercial vehicle fleets to check their supply lines as a rise in unqualified wheel sellers threatens to contaminate the market with substandard products.Ellis continued: “At the outset we stated that the serious

repercussions of purchasing a faulty wheel are huge, with warranty, liability and safety just a few major factors, but this moves this very serious industry issue into the boardroom.“We are fully aware that wholesalers are diversifying into wheel supply from their core tyre business, and this threatens to bring to market an uncontrolled range of wheel products of varying standards, of which some may be dangerous.“We state again that there must be rigorous checking procedures in place to ensure that wheels are fit for purpose, and if there is any doubt whatsoever, walk away.“Between ourselves and Burton Copeland we will drive this issue until people sit up and take notice, and we will follow every possible route to bring this matter to the top of the industry agenda.”Motor Wheel Service is one of the leading independent distributors of truck and trailer wheels throughout Europe. Having worked in the sector for over 25 years, they are the only aftermarket company in Europe who ensure all wheels are homologated to OEM standards.

For more information: 0161 908 1023 or www.mwsdistribution.co.uk

Thanks to the use of a high-tech casing and a tread pattern specially configured for long distance transport, the all new HTL 2 ECO-PLUS long distance trailer tyre makes a considerable contribution to the overall economy of a truck and trailer. All of Continental’s long distance tyres are labelled with the ECO-PLUS mark on the sidewall, which symbolises the company’s commitment to providing operators with the lowest overall driving costs. The special material compound and elaborate tread design of the HTL 2 allow for reductions in rolling resistance of up to 15%. This translates to significant fuel savings of up to 5% when compared with conventional trailer tyres and also an increase of up to 20% more mileage from each tyre.The extra wide shoulders and broad tread between the four straight circumferential grooves compress the tread pattern as far as possible to the inside of the tyre contact surface, lessening rolling resistance considerably. The very narrow grooves are supported by pyramid-shaped inner elements that prevent unwanted movement in

the tread. The trailer tyre thus runs just as lightly as it does quietly. The result of this intelligent tread design is fewer flexing movements in the tread, reduced operating temperatures and a stiffer tyre structure that helps to prevent deformation. The stiff backbone of the new trailer tyre also withstands the high side forces arising when a rigid trailer axle unit is manoeuvred. As with all tyres from the new second generation, the L range features unique AirKeep® technology, a special inner layer which reduces slow air loss and keeps inflation pressure at the right levels for up to 50% longer. The new HTL 2 product completes the high-tech second generation package for long-distance trucks and trailers. The new product perfectly compliments the existing HDL 2 drive axle tyre and the HSL 2 steer axle tyre. The HSL 2 is available in two versions in certain sizes, one of which has a higher load rating than the other, allowing heavier loads on the front axles. The HTL 2 ECO-PLUS trailer tyre is available

in size 385/65R22.5. Further sizes including 385/55R22.5 will also be available from 2011.

For more information: www.conti-online.co.uk

Faulty used wheels could see hauliers imprisoned

New long distance trailer tyre

John Ellis

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Scottish Coal has renewed its tyre supply agreement with Bridgestone for a further 12 months. The largest surface mining company in the UK, and the second largest UK coal producer, has operated a 100% Bridgestone tyre policy since 2003.With over 130 massive 100 tonne rigid dump trucks and another 50 plus smaller machines, this is the largest heavy plant company in Europe. These machines mine around four million tonnes of low sulphur coal each year, which is supplied to all of the country’s major power generators. One of the main challenges in this market sector is to squeeze every penny’s worth of value out of the tyres which can cost almost £7000 each. It’s here where Bridgestone score with their computerised Tyre Management System. This software calculates the wear rate for each tyre, and can indicate the optimum time when the tyres should be changed from the rear axle onto the front. It also estimates when new tyres will be required, allowing the customer to make more accurate budgets as well as helping tyre stock management which is critical as these tyres are still in short supply.“We spend well over £3 million a year on tyres,” comments Scottish Coal’s Plant Director, Sam Cornes, “and we’ve built up a very strong

relationship with Bridgestone. We’re very impressed, not only with the product itself, but also the after sales service they offer.”Bridgestone is the UK’s market leader in earthmover tyres, with about half of the market.

Globally too, Bridgestone is the biggest supplier in this most demanding sector.

For more information: www.bridgestone.co.uk

Vacu-Lug and Pirelli have strengthened their partnership by jointly being awarded the contract to supply W. H. Malcolm Group’s logistics division with new and remould tyres for the next three years.The decision to move to a Vacu-Lug and Pirelli tyre policy was made after an intensive product test and tender process, which saw the UK’s leading truck tyre manufacturers submitting their products for performance comparisons.The combination of Pirelli’s new FR01 front steer tyre together with their ST35 trailer tyre being fitted to any new equipment, along with Vacu-Lug’s Duramold range of drive and trailer tyres for all replacements, has provided a major boost for the partnership between these two suppliers.The agreement sees ATS retained as the service provider which will supply and fit products locally and respond to any roadside requirements for the entire W. H. Malcolm Group fleet of 300 tractors and almost 1100 trailers.Steve Sugden, W. H. Malcolm

Group’s Fleet Engineer, commented: “Change is sometimes difficult and both Pirelli and Vacu-Lug had some tough competition to improve upon, but product performance shone through and we are looking forward to realising the benefits on our bottom line and in our service levels to our other partners, our customers.”Based in Linwood, Renfrewshire, The W. H. Malcolm Group has grown from modest beginnings to become one of the UK’s elite logistics providers by adopting the simple mantra “Practical Solutions, Successful Partnerships.” As a company with a long family history dating back to the mid-20th century, W. H. Malcolm Group has much in common with Vacu-lug, which was created by Grantham, Lincolnshire entrepreneur Louis Morley and is still based today on its original site in Gonerby Hill Foot on the outskirts of town.Since its inception Vacu-Lug has been involved in the retreading of tyres, initially agricultural tractor tyres using an American-invented procedure known as ‘re-lugging’. Mr Morley and his associates

developed and refined the process up to the point whereby trials conducted by Farmers Weekly magazine in 1950 concluded that, “no tests have so far been capable of loosening the lugs or causing any loss of traction.”By the 1960s the company had established its Duramold brand name and was producing remoulded car, truck and earthmover tyres in addition to its agricultural range. Today, the company distributes approximately 200,000 tyres per annum. This figure includes retreads as well as new Yokohama commercial vehicle tyres, for which Vacu-Lug is the sole GB distributor, and industrial and earthmover tyres. Vacu-Lug

also manufactures the Pirelli Novateck range of retreaded tyres.Over the past two decades, the focus of the business has shifted from selling via a regional network of third-party outlets to providing operators with a bespoke range of tyre fleet management contracts. Today, the Vacu-Lug Fleet Management programme (VFM, see separate press release ref: 08-03) is at the centre of the company’s operations, delivering operators with a comprehensive tyre fleet management programme backed by a secure web-based reporting system, which is fully accessible 24/7/365.

For more information: www.vaculug.com

Scottish Coal renew contract with Bridgestone

W.H. Malcolm Group supply agreement

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The UK distributor for Yokohama tyres, Yokohama HPT Ltd, has announced that it will supply the UK market with a selection of the company’s W.drive winter tyres, for the first time. Adopted by manufacturers such as Audi, Bentley, Lotus and Mercedes AMG as winter options and recommended by motoring organisations around Europe, the W.drive range provides grip and safety on snow and ice, allowing drivers to maintain control in all conditions. The W.drive (V902) has been

developed specifically to deal with snow and ice conditions, providing drivers of passenger cars and SUVs with Yokohama’s famous grip and safety levels in these most tricky of road conditions. The tread patterns, construction and compounds have been created to provide grip on snow and ice, two very different conditions from a tyre’s point of view. The inner tread blocks provide grip on snow, while the radial grooves help to clear loose or slushy snow, enabling the tyre to contact the road directly where possible. The design

of the sipes, or smaller grooves, creates lots of edges that generate grip on ice while the larger outer tread blocks provide grip and stability on dry or wet roads. The result is a tyre that provides the driver with confidence and security whatever the conditions throughout the winter. The W.drive outperforms the company’s previous winter tyre in all respects and its low rolling resistance fits within Yokohama’s commitment to improving the environment by reducing vehicle fuel consumption.

The V902 W.drive has been approved by Audi for both the S6 and S8 models as original equipment winter tyres, as well as by Bentley on the Continental and the acclaimed Lotus Evora, as well as Mercedes AMG for the S-Class and CL-Class AMG variants. The W.drive is available now in the UK in a range of sizes, from 15in to 20in and includes the 16in run-flat option for the Mini.

For more information: www.yokohama.co.uk

Snap-on Equipment is pleased to be returning to Brityrex International at Manchester Central (G-MEX), October 5-7 with an equipment portfolio that’s as strong as ever. One of Europe’s leading manufacturers of garage equipment will be making a big impact at Brityrex, showcasing a comprehensive range which includes tyre changers, wheel balancers and alignment systems. Equipment under the respected Hofmann and John Bean brands include entry-level machines that are ideal for low-volume workshops, through to top of the range equipment for high-volume operations.Providing customers with the right technology to handle the latest developments in undercar

technology is a key driver behind Snap-on Equipment’s focus on innovation, exemplified by the recently introduced Hofmann Quadriga 1000 automatic tyre changer, as well as the latest generation of John Bean Visualiner wheel alignment systems featuring advanced 3D technology. All Hofmann and John Bean tyre changers and wheel balancers are manufactured at Snap-on Equipment’s factory in Italy to the high quality standards expected by a member of the Snap-on family. Leading vehicle manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and VW provide OEM recommendation for Hofmann and John Bean equipment.

Snap-on Equipment understands that garage equipment is business-critical and provides customers with comprehensive aftersales support, which includes an industry-leading two-year warranty, product installation, training and service. The company is also the first manufacturer to achieve independent, third-party authorisation to provide training courses for the safe mounting and demounting of run-flat tyres from WDK, the Association of the German Rubber Industry.

For more information: 0118 929 6811 or www.snapon-equipment.co.uk

Leicester City Council has appointed ATS Euromaster to supply and service the tyres across its fleet of 883 vehicles, which ranges from civic limousines to 32-tonne refuse collection trucks, and includes over 600 vehicles plated at 3.5 tonnes or below.The new contract will see the fleet supplied with a range of Avon, Taurus, Kumho and Encore tyres and follows a 10 year period which saw the council’s tyre needs met by a local independent service provider. Leicester City Council Fleet Manager Stephen Kerry says: “With ATS Euromaster we can enjoy access to an extensive network of service centres across the UK, which ensures we get the best possible back-up when we send a bus or coach on a journey outside of the Leicester area.“ATS Euromaster’s wide-ranging expertise also means its staff are as skilled at working on cars and vans as they are on heavy trucks. Plus they’re used to servicing the tyres on all manner of specialist municipal equipment, such as loading shovels, mobile access platforms and compact sweepers,” he adds.Key to ATS Euromaster’s ability to support a major local authority fleet is its accreditation by the Contractors Health and Safety Scheme (CHAS) - a government-backed initiative for

health and safety pre-qualification. It gives organisations such as Leicester City Council the confidence that ATS Euromaster will meet a nationally recognised and accepted threshold standard, with ATS Euromaster being the first national tyre supplier to be accredited by CHAS.Another major benefit for the council is access to ATS Euromaster’s free-phone rapid response service, which ensures its commercial vehicle drivers can request emergency assistance at the roadside in the event of a tyre-related breakdown. Indeed, across the UK in 2009, ATS Euromaster arrived at the scene of a call-out in an average of just 71 minutes - 24 hours a day, seven days a week.Kerry adds: “The fleet’s performance is paramount to the council, as it supports a huge number of our key services, such as meals on wheels, special educational needs transport, social care transport, cleansing, civil engineering, plus the ongoing maintenance of our many parks and green spaces.“This means that getting the maximum performance out of the fleet, including its tyres, really does matter - and the council welcomes the support of ATS Euromaster, and the expertise it can provide.”Amongst the more diverse vehicles found within

Leicester City Council’s fleet are two mobile libraries, together with various agricultural and construction vehicles. It also operates a dedicated refuse collection and recycling fleet, highways maintenance vehicles, skiploaders, sweepers, tankers, gritters and over 140 MPVs, minibuses and welfare buses.

For more information: www.atseuromaster.co.uk

New winter tyres introduced to the UK

All roads lead to Brityrex International Stand 11A

Comprehensive fleet support

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Enigma Vehicle Systems PLC have launched a special version of the company’s proven SK125 tracking unit designed specifically for trailers, or other unpowered assets, where theft recovery or location information are key requirements. It is therefore ideal for a wide range of trailers within the plant, agricultural and logistics sectors, as well as caravans and horse boxes. The new SK125 TT tracking unit is already in use by a number of organisations in the UK such as A-Plant and Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions. Ian Keam-George, CEO of Enigma Vehicle Systems PLC, said: “We have been aware of the issues around trailers for some time and have been striving to provide an affordable, reliable and compact product. Trailers present unique problems as they are often targeted by thieves, have no driver and cannot easily be found at times of immediate need. They are also capable of carrying very high value loads, with criminals often stealing trailers with

their own vehicle or disabling systems fitted to the operator’s tractor.”The SK125 TT tracking unit features a long-life battery together with sophisticated battery management software providing approximately 150 days operation based on its own internal battery, working in a low power mode and reporting twice daily. However, when connected to a vehicle, the battery management in the SK125 TT is so efficient, it takes just 2.5 hours to completely recharge and replenish a fully discharged battery. Once recharged, it will report just like any other device attached to Enigma’s market leading Skyline remote asset management system. In addition, once connected to an external power supply, the SK125 TT comes to life with fully detailed journey reporting, movement alerts and distance travelled reports. Additionally Skyline users can request positions at any time and achieve a response within just a few seconds.Having completed exhaustive trials in both Europe and the Middle East,

the new SK125 TT system has been tested in the extremes of both low and high temperatures. It is a proven and robust unit housed in a weatherproof enclosure and is designed for both external and internal installation.Completely Internet-based, Enigma’s very successful Skyline GPS advanced tracking, security and telematics system provides detailed, relevant and user friendly reports on plant, vehicle or equipment status on

a 24/7 basis. Customers can access information from any computer, PDA, Blackberry or mobile phone with internet access. This requires no special tools, only industry-standard browsers, so there is no need to install additional software on the customer’s devices.

For more information:www.enigmavehicle.co.uk

Enigma launches new tracking and security product for trailers

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It was in 2005 that VBG Group AB set up a wholly owned subsidiary VBG Group Sales Ltd to provide a dedicated service to its customers throughout the UK and Ireland. This service covers the whole spectrum from specification to after sales support.VBG Group AB itself was formed in 1951 and has its head office and manufacturing base in Vanersborg, Sweden. Within VBG GROUP AB are sister companies each producing transport related items, Ringfeder draw bar couplings, Armaton body products, Onspot snow chains, Sesam, and Edscha sliding roofs.Prior to 2005 VBG’s products had been marketed in the UK and Ireland through “partner” companies but to develop the business further it was decided to form a UK based VBG subsidiary company. UK Sales and Marketing Manager Howard Ostle told FACTS: “The facility in Warrington was established with the smaller customers in mind, including trailer and body builders etc. We can now offer a complete package from concept through to finish, including workshop service/repair and driver training. We are not just trying to sell a coupling we strive to give the end user the correct specification and a complete product support package.“VBG Group Sales Ltd pride’s itself on being the

preferred choice for quality products, and after sales support. The VBG work ethic is second to none and has helped to forge strong partnerships with our customers. This ethos has helped to build customer trust in VBG products and service which is vitally important especially in today’s tough market.”VBG were the first drawbar manufacturer to offer a full EC approved draw bar kit program that not only includes the coupling and its mounting beam, but also approved rear under run systems (fixed and foldable types) that meet the latest EC strength requirements and conform with Whole Vehicle Type Approval legislation.“Over the last five years since opening our Warrington office our business has grown, apart from last year when the commercial vehicle industry experienced a decline. Previous years saw a year on year growth and there are some positive signs for the future.“VBG is proud of its reputation as a manufacturer of high quality items and its customer support policy. The proof that we have got this right can be gauged by customer retention. Some customers have over 20 years experience of VBG couplings and many older design couplings are still in use today after giving many years of reliable service.”

The VBG designers in Sweden do not rest on their laurels but still continue to push the boundaries in terms of technological advances in the drawbar market expect to hear a lot more about VBG in the years to come.”

First from VBG:

• 1951 - VBG produce the first 57mm coupling and drawbar eye, now called the Swedish standard. Acknowledged as the preferred choice for UK operators. • 1955 - VBG produce first Automatic coupling • 1984 - VBG produce Air operated coupling • 1998 - VBG introduce rotating pin for extended lifetime • 2006 - VBG introduce Modular coupling system • 2009 - VBG launch world’s first fully automatic coupling to enable driver to couple and un- couple without leaving the cab.

For more information: www.vbgltd.co.uk

VBG going from strength-to-strength in UK and Ireland

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JOST-GB Limited has introduced a one-stop service for drawbar operators with the launch of a new all-inclusive package for users of its ROCKINGER drawbar couplings. Designed with safety and operator convenience in mind and covering all ROCKINGER 40mm, 50mm and 57.5mm products, the new service includes every aspect of coupling installation from initial specification through to build, fitment and aftercare.“The reputation of our ROCKINGER brand is founded on product quality and durability and we are now extending those values by incorporating JOST’s sales engineering, installation and aftersales

expertise into the mix,” comments Mike Johnson, Sales and Marketing Director for JOST-GB Ltd. “Drawbar couplings are a safety-critical item of equipment and I cannot overstress the importance of ensuring the correct match is made between equipment, vehicle and application in every case. From an operator’s point-of-view, a single call to JOST is all that’s needed to ensure vehicles will be equipped with precisely the right model coupling for their own particular operation.” ROCKINGER offers couplings for every popular drawbar application, with all major components EC approved in preparation for the introduction of the European Commission Whole Vehicle Type Approval. As part of the new one-stop package, all pre-delivery specification and development is managed by JOST’s team of in-house specialists with fitment available either at the company’s Heywood, Lancashire headquarters or on site at customer premises. For customers electing to have equipment fitted at Heywood, JOST offers a vehicle collection and delivery service.Designed and manufactured in Europe, Rockinger drawbar couplings have a long history stretching back to 1875. Initially devised to solve specific operational safety issues for a Munich brewery, the benefits soon became apparent to and adopted by a wide range of Bavarian transport operators.

Over the years, the brand continued to develop and grow into a key supplier of couplings and tow hitches to the German commercial vehicle and agricultural sectors. The company’s success in its home markets was replicated across the Continent and in 2001, Rockinger became a member of the JOST World family. That saw the introduction of the brand into the UK, a move which has seen Rockinger products rapidly establish a reputation for safety and efficiency in operation, as waste management operator Stephen Blakeley, Managing Director of Blakeleys Waste Management, confirms:“We reviewed the marketplace and concluded the rugged construction of the Rockinger RO*57 made it simply the best product out there when it comes to drawbar couplings.“Durability is obviously a pre-requisite for on-off road operations such as ours. Moreover, the chassis-mounted coupling controls are quick, convenient and simple-to-use. They also represent a considerable safety aid, as it means no reaching under for our operatives. Another bonus is that the coupling’s two-piece funnel arrangement allows for easy and economical replacement should the unit suffer damage in service.”

For more information:www.jostgb.co.uk

JOST introduces safe and convenient one-stop service for drawbar operators

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Goldhofer has launched a new flatbed semi-trailer for transporting wind power plant blades up to 62 metres long.The new Goldhofer SPZ-P 3AAA is the first trailer to be designed to carry turbine blades still in their shipping frames, and has the capacity to extend from 20 to 62 metres.Its deep extendable spine can take a 13-tonne load 10 metres from the front, which is where the frame’s front bolster supports the blade. The rear bolster can then be transported at the extreme rear of the trailer, with the blade extending 10 metres behind it. This increases manoeuvrability and reduces trailer length to 52 metres.Ivan Collins, Sales Director of Andover Trailers, the sole UK distributor of Goldhofer heavy haulage equipment in the UK and Ireland, says the trailer is likely to be a big hit with wind farm manufacturers and specialist hauliers. The UK has more than 260 wind farms and almost 3000 turbines - and wind power is its second largest source of renewable energy after biomass.“No one’s seen anything as impressive as this over here,” says Collins. “Its length is astounding enough - let alone all its special features.”The trailer’s three rows of pendular axles give a steering angle of 60˚, and its hydraulic suspension has an axle stroke of 600mm, meaning any stress

is taken off the blade during off-road transportation. It has a gross weight of 62 tonnes and a payload of 38.3 tonnes, with a deck height of 1 metre when laden. At a loaded height of approximately 4.3 metres, it can pass through tunnels and under bridges - including through the Elbe tunnel in Hamburg, which saves a long detour on certain continental routes. Transportation of blades on the new trailer complies fully with all Vestas transport requirements.

Goldhofer is a global specialist in heavy haulage and special transportation, catering for the movement of everything from super-yachts to submarines as well as plant and materials for the mining, construction, chemical and power industries.

For more information: 01264 358 944 or www.andovertrailers.co.uk

New 62-metre wind blade trailer

Montracon have taken another step toward compliance with whole vehicle type approval by gaining accreditation to ISO9001: 2008 quality standard for the design and manufacture of trailers and trailer bodies.This formal recognition of the ‘quality’ of the company’s methods and procedures comes well in advance of the planned implementation date for whole vehicle type approval, April 2012, and illustrates the company’s progress across a broad front.Following major investment, their two UK plants rank with the best of any in Europe in the application of the latest technology and methods to ensure that maximum production flexibility goes hand in hand with maximum production efficiency.

It also offers a three tier availability system that runs from ex stock for popular models, quick delivery for stock trailers fitted on line with a range of factory engineered options and, finally, bespoke.Couple this with such things as a canted front roof to provide a fuel consumption edge for those running max height trailers, the MAVIS sliding coupling for added safety and the health and safety conscious double deck curtainsider, it is perhaps easy to understand why operators return time and again with repeat business.

For more information: 01302 732500 or www.montracon.com

Straight and stepframe modelsin Montracon’s tipper line up.

Trailing in front

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The demonstration of low and zero emission vehicles and technologies returns to the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh on September 2.When whole life costs of a vehicle are taken into account, it can be demonstrated that a green vehicle can mean cost savings as well as CO2 savings. The Energy Saving Trust has calculated that Scottish organisations could save over £250 million a year through reduced fuel bills by switching to greener company cars - a figure based on the 290,000 company cars that are registered in Scotland over the last three years. Typically, a company running 100 vehicles can expect to save £85,000 annually by implementing a range of best practice recommendations.Fleet managers are under constant pressure to deal with a range of issues, such as reducing costs, increasing safety and, importantly, introducing environmental policies to cut down on CO2 and other tailpipe emissions. GreenFleet Scotland aims to convince fleet managers and those responsible for vehicle procurement that a greener fleet doesn’t have to mean a higher

level of investment.Following the success of last years inaugural Scotland event, GreenFleet is once again coming to Edinburgh on Thursday September 2. It will prove to be a must attend event for fleet managers and those responsible for vehicle procurement by, showcasing a range of green vehicles and technology the extent of which has never been seen previously in Scotland.

Eco-driving experience The eco-driving experience will start the days proceedings and will involve teams navigating their way to a number of ‘checkpoints’ in the Edinburgh area in order to test their eco-driving skills. The teams from public and private sector organisations in Scotland will all drive the same model of car, and their fuel use will be accurately measured by Millbrook Laboratories, one of Europe’s leading organisations for the testing, development and demonstration of many vehicle types.Starting of at the Royal Highland Centre, teams taking part in the Eco driving Experience will visit Road Safety Scotland HQ, the

Green Business Partnership in Midlothian, Hibernian FC, Lauriston Castle and then Heart of Midlothian FC before returning to Ingliston Showground. Once the eco-driving experience teams have set off, visitors will be able to peruse the latest offerings from the leading manufacturers, and will be given an opportunity to test drive the cars and light commercial vehicles which are pushing low emissions technology forward, as well as some of the tools that might also help reduce mileage.

Seminar programmeThis year’s free event will also see the addition of a range of seminars, where the latest fleet issues can be discussed. Focussing on the most current fleet topics, attendees will be able to hear about the latest developments and share their experience and knowledge of the issues of the day. John Curtis, Head of Low Carbon Vehicles and Fuels at the Scottish Government will discuss its strategy for migration to low carbon transport. Dr Colin Heron, Head of Programme at One North East,

will look at the ‘Plugged in Places’ project, and the progress in developing infrastructure for electric vehicle recharging. After the vehicles have returned from the Eco-Driving Experience, and the results have been calculated, Millbrook Laboratories will detail how the testing for the Eco Driving Experience is carried out, along with an overview of fuel saving devices and technologies, before announcing which teams have performed best. The full programme is available at www.greenfleetscotland.co.uk/seminars

About ESTThe Energy Saving Trust is supporting the GreenFleet Scotland event in September and is doing so as they have been working with a number of public and private sector bodies to help them understand how they can save money and reduce their impact on the environment. With funding from the Scottish Government, the Energy Saving Trust already manages carbon reducing initiatives such as green fleet reviews and travel planning. It is keen to continue to promote these messages to business fleets through the GreenFleet Scotland event.The Energy Saving Trust encourages the adoption of travel alternatives, such as video conferencing or using public transport, but it also appreciates that there are times when travel by car or van is necessary. That is why the Energy Saving Trust is supportive of GreenFleet Scotland’s plans to bring together a selection of low carbon vehicles, so that fleet managers and other transport professionals can ‘touch, taste and feel’ the low carbon alternatives, and assess their suitability for purpose.With all these resources under one roof, the GreenFleet Scotland event will be invaluable in promoting greener and more cost-effective fleets. Attendance if free of charge to those in the fleet and transport professions.

To register, visit www.greenfleetscotland.co.uk

GreenFleet returns to Scotland

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The feedback Ashwoods have had since they have supplied over 130 hybrid vans as part of the Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme (LCVPP) has been extremely encouraging.Managed by Cenex the major LCVPP initiative is designed to accelerate the take-up of low carbon technologies in commercial vehicle fleets.Ashwoods are at the top of their game as far as that is concerned as they are now the UK largest supplier of hybrid commercial vehicles.The Ashwoods Hybrid Transit uses electric power to provide torque assistance to the internal combustion engine. The vehicle uses an electric motor/generator, attached to the drive shaft, to assist the drive of the vehicle in heavy load situations and charge the hybrid battery during deceleration events. This electric torque assist reduces both the harmful emissions of CO2 and fuel consumption as the engine is running in a low load state.Ashwoods Sales Director Mark Roberts said: “We are the sole supplier of hybrid Transits and the feedback we have had from those using them in the public and private sectors has been tremendous.Companies are not prepared to try anything new that may be a risk to their fleet’s operational

efficiency, but they have found the hybrid drive system to be just the product for the marketplace.”Roberts and the Ashwoods team will be present at the GreenFleet Scotland Show in Edinburgh on Thursday, September 2 with some of their hybrid Transits and he is looking forward to meeting prospective Scottish clients.“We have already supplied Perth and Kinross Council with a number of vehicles, while others in Scotland have shown interest so we look

forward to meeting them at the show.”Meanwhile, some exciting developments for the future are also happening at Ashwoods. A three year development project, funded by the Technology Strategy Board, to put together a scalable hybrid drive system is underway and the company are working together in partnership with Citroen on this project.

For more information: www.ashwoods.org

Ashwoods hybrid drive system getting the thumbs up

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Aixam Mega, Europe’s largest supplier of ultra-light electric vehicles, is committed to playing its part in developing the market for electric vehicles, as the UK government, local authorities and private sector groups gear up initiatives designed to encourage adoption of electric vehicles to help combat climate change.

For more information: www.mega-vehicles.com

Eco-Driving Experience partner Arval manages around 145,000 vehicles and has more than 1.2 million UK drivers using Arval fuel cards. Offering the full range of fuel management products and services, the company works with customers ranging from small businesses to large corporations, including internationally managed accounts.

For more information: www.arval.co.uk

Automotive Leasing is a specialist in delivering practical vehicle leasing solutions for the public sector, and currently provides over 550 public sector bodies with an expert service aimed at helping them meet their performance plans and organisational objectives.

For more information: www.automotive-leasing.org

With around 300,000 vehicles currently under management, Lex Autolease is the UK’s leading fleet management and funding specialist. Created in 2009 from the merger of Lex with Lloyds TSB Autolease, the company has over 100 years of combined experience and success.

For more information: www.lexautolease.co.uk

As Scottish Distributors of Goupil Utility Electric Vehicles, Double A Trading is pleased to exhibit the

Goupil G3, a reliable, versatile vehicle that can be adapted to suit the individual needs of each user, whether for maintenance, logistics, cleaning, leisure and tourist sites, industrial sites or green spaces.

For more information: email: sales@doublea.co.uk

Garmin designs, manufactures and distributes cutting-edge navigation, consumer electronics and communications. Its Fleet Management Interface adds an interactive navigation link to GPS tracking systems.

For more information: www.garmin.com

Transport secretary, Philip Hammond, has confirmed that the ‘Plug-In Car Grant’, designed to stimulate demand for low carbon vehicles, will go ahead from January 2011. Speaking at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) offices, Mr Hammond confirmed that from next year, motorists will be entitled to a ‘Plug-In Car Grant’ of up to £5000 when buying an electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell car, providing it meets safety, reliability, performance and warranty standards set by the Office for Low Emissions Vehicles (OLEV) in consultation with industry.Speaking at the SMMT, Mr Hammond said: “The coalition government is absolutely committed to low carbon growth, tackling climate change and making our energy supply more secure. We are sending a clear signal that Britain is open for business and that we are committed to greening our economy. This will ensure that the UK is a world leader in low emission vehicles.”

The low carbon incentive programme was first announced last year and details were set out of the winners of the ‘Plugged-In Places’ scheme. This initiative saw UK cities and regions bid for investment to further the development of the ultra-low carbon infrastructure. The Plugged-In Places investment will see the installation of over 11,000 charging posts in London, Milton Keynes and North East England.There will be another opportunity for additional cities and regions to bid for Plugged-In Places funding. Already confirmed as intending to bid are the West Midlands, Cornwall, Sheffield, the Lake District, Greater Manchester, and Northern Ireland. Industry looks forward to receiving further information from government regarding plans to ensure the infra structure is now in place to support increased numbers of low carbon vehicles on UK roads.

For more information: www.smmt.co.uk

Plug-in car grant confirmed

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Autokontrol are manufacturers of ‘e’ approved top speed limiters for cars and commercial vehicles. Most speed limiters today are fitted to light vans for local authorities, utilities, energy providers and construction companies.

For more information: www.autokontrol.com

Founded in 2003, Elektromotive has grown very rapidly to become the world’s leading provider of recharging stations for electric vehicles. The company works with governments and local authorities to provide Elektrobays and engineering consultancy services to help accelerate a shift towards emissions-free motoring.

For more information: www.elektromotive.com

Allied Electric is a new and innovative vehicle manufacturer dedicated to reducing environmental harm by bringing practical and reliable zero emission vehicles to market. Allied’s products combine the latest in Lithium-Ion battery technology and electronic management software together with a range of reliable vehicles produced my major manufacturers.

For more information: www.alliedelectric.co.uk

Michelin is the world leader in the development of low rolling resistance tyres, the first of which was the Michelin Energy car tyre that was introduced in 1992. Since then the company has further developed these types of tyres and now offers an extensive range for cars, vans and trucks.

For more information: www.michelin.co.uk

Peugeot are in the midst of an exciting phase of new product launches. The New 308 has already been awarded the coveted What Car? Car of the Year 2010 title. The practicality and desirability of this vehicle is further enhanced by low CO2 emissions starting from only 130g/km.

For more information: www.peugeot.co.uk/business

TRACKER is the UK’s number one supplier of vehicle tracking services. With over a million systems installed to date, in everything from cars and motorcycles, to HGVs, plant and construction equipment, its award-winning products ensure our customers have complete peace of mind.

For more information: www.tracker.co.uk

Six successful bidders will share £660,000 match funding from the Department of Business for gas refuelling or electric vehicle charging infrastructure projects.A private business in Essex, three councils across Yorkshire and the West Midlands, a public body co-ordinating transport in Merseyside and a community group on the Isle of Lewis are all winners in the latest round of support from the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Grant Programme.The six new projects will install infrastructure to support public and private sector fleets in trialling a wide range of natural gas, bio-gas and electric vehicles including buses, HGVs, and refuse collection vehicles. The projects offer the potential for fleet users to demonstrate cost and carbon savings as well as making significant local air quality improvements. Business Minister Mark Prisk said: “This funding is part of our commitment to build a low-carbon economy which

will boost economic growth as well as help meet our ambitious climate change targets. It is one of the ways we are supporting changes in consumer behaviour that will drive the shift towards low carbon vehicle technologies.”The £660k BIS funding is in addition to the £500k already committed by the Department for Transport earlier in the year. Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “I welcome this addition funding to support low carbon vehicle infrastructure. Low carbon vehicles provide significant benefits - reducing CO2 emissions and improving air quality - but we need adequate refuelling points if the market for these vehicles is to grow. These projects will help to make low carbon vehicles a viable alternative for businesses and individuals.”

For more information: www.renewableenergyfocus.com

Investment in refuelling and recharging stations for green vehicles

Norman Baker

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Such is the materials handling industry’s involvement across all industries, that the worldwide recession has hit us hard and looks likely to affect us for some considerable time to come.My own company, Thorworld Industries, like many others, has been forced to make redundancies and we have certainly seen a drop in sales across our entire product catalogue, including best-sellers such as our mobile yardramps, loading docks and loading bay safety accessories. More worryingly still, we have also seen a drop in levels of maintenance - a key safety requirement that can put employees at risk and cost companies dearly in

the long run in terms of repairs.This has been reflected across the industry as a whole. As we speak, the six industry sectors that FEM actively represents have all suffered a significant drop in sales over the past two years. In hard figures, industrial trucks have seen sales drop by up to 40%; mobile elevating work platforms between 65 and 70%; racking and shelving up to 40%, elevating equipment between 35 and 40%; cranes and lifting equipment between 40 and 50% and intralogistic systems up to 20%.Since FEM represents the interests of more than 1000 companies across Europe, which directly employ 160,000 people and have a

combined turnover of 45 billion Euros (figures from 2008), this reduction in sales represents a sizeable proportion of the European economy. The good news is that sales across our sector, elevating equipment and indeed the other five categories, now appear to have reached their lowest levels and Europe, including the UK, is pulling out of recession. But FEM is greeting this news with caution and we are advising our members to prepare for the very real possibility of a ‘double dip’.Cuts have been widespread across the private sector, but this hasn’t yet been reflected within the public sector, a situation that with the installation of the new coalition government is now being rectified through cuts and increased VAT and taxation in a bid to repay the huge debts incurred as a result of the banking crisis.And this is likely to result in the second dip for the materials handling industry. This is because we are an enabling industry, in that we enable other industries to move and store their goods. Naturally, when jobs are under threat or taxes rise, people stop spending, which means less goods need to be moved, impacting not only on the industries making them, but also on the industry that supports their movement.We would therefore advise our members to treat signs of recovery with not only enthusiasm but a little caution. We certainly believe that things will pick up in 2011, but until the economy has stabilized, especially here in the UK, we are advising members to remain cautious about undertaking substantial investment.Another factor that will impact on the recovery of the materials handling sector, and one that the FEM are working hard to lobby the European Commission about, is material costs. In the four years prior to recession, the cost of steel rose from £455 per tonne to £910 per tonne. This has meant that products produced by FEM members, particularly the UK and Scotland, which had enjoyed a strong pound, were uncompetitive compared to goods produced in China and Asia, which in turn led to many job losses.Whilst the recession had brought

some respite, with the cost of steel falling to £500 to £550 per tonne, it is now rising again and is back to a level of £700 per tonne.FEM believes that there are several factors behind the exorbitant cost of steel including the role of speculators exploiting the commodity markets, the apparent lack of competition between European steel manufacturers and apparent political interference on steel imports from outside of Europe.As a result, FEM is calling for both the European Commission and the British Government to encourage steel capacity growth in Europe by ensuring full liberalisation of the steel market. At the same time, we want reasonable access to steel from other world regions until European capacity is fully adequate and available at reasonable prices.Another issue that has become even more important with the economic downturn is that of market surveillance. European materials handling manufacturers must comply with a number of regulatory requirements (e.g. noise and exhaust emissions limits, requirements stemming from the EU Machinery Directive etc.), which ensure that their products are intrinsically safe, safe to use by the operatives and third parties, and meet environmental considerations. These requirements come at a price for European manufacturers, who invest time, efforts and money to ensure that their products are compliant.In return, it is public authorities’ duty to prevent unfair competition from non-compliant products. These products, the price of which is attractive to users, put many European companies and the jobs they provide at risk. Yet, the market surveillance by public authorities is all too often insufficient, be it across the UK or in the rest of the EU. FEM and its members have alerted both EU and national authorities about this problem.With these actions, the materials handling industry here in the UK and Europe, should be able to compete on a level playing field, allowing it to not only recover, but come 2011 start to grow once more.

For more information: www.fem-eur.com

Overcoming the challenges facing the materials handling industry

By John Meale, Vice President of Fédération Européenne de la Manutention (FEM), The European Federation of Materials Handling which represents the materials handling industry in Europe, and Managing Director of Thorworld Industries

John Meale

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Hydraulic truck tipping hoist and waste management equipment specialist Edbro has launched a new telescopic arm skiploader and a powerful, lightweight hooklift system, meeting modern requirements for increased productivity, optimum chassis utilisation and maximum safety. The MB14T telescopic arm skiploader provides a lift capacity of up to 14 tonnes, while the TH23 power hook provides a lift capacity up to 23 tonnes. Both offer a fast lift-off facility to dramatically reduce the lifting cycle.Designed for use with 18 tonne and 23 GVW chassis, the MB14T telescopic arm skiploader provides a lift capacity of up to 14 tonnes. Lightweight and fast operating, the MB14T skiploader provides side and front adjustable bin stops, giving it the flexibility to accommodate container sizes from 3.82 to 12.23m3 capacity, and base lengths from 1.83 to 2.31m. It offers independent and sequence arm control for increased flexibility in operation.The compact, robust rear end design offers maximum protection for rear light clusters, increasing equipment durability in the most arduous and challenging waste handling operations. For increased stability on uneven ground, the MB14T features independent jack legs, and both pivoted flat foot and roller options are available. Operator safety is assured through a range of protection features, including dead-man control for increased driver safety.

The skiploader offers ultimate ease of servicing in line with Edbro’s renowned ‘fit and forget’ reputation, so users can be assured of ultimate long-term profitability throughout the lifetime of the equipment.The TH23 power hook is a powerful, lightweight hooklift system designed for use with up to 32 tonne GVW chassis. Weighing in at just 2980kg, the lightweight design gives an extremely high power to weight ratio, with the TH23 providing a maximum lift capacity of up to 23 tonnes, and a maximum tipping angle of 46 degrees. The fast lift facility reduces the lift cycle by as much as 33% compared with conventional equipment, dramatically increasing overall productivity. Further optimising return on investment, the TH23 has been designed utilising fewer moving components than typical alternatives, so increasing reliability, minimising downtime and simplifying servicing.The power hook is constructed from high strength steel to give the optimum combination of high durability and low weight. Large rear rollers ensure safe and accurate bin guiding, while the unique hook profile eliminates the possibility of bin dismount during operation. For increased safety, the fully interlocked design prevents misuse or out of sequence operation, and an in-cab warning system maximises operator safety.An extensive selection of high performance

accessories are available to complement and enhance the complete range of Edbro waste handing equipment, further optimising operational productivity and safety. All components supplied come with the peace of mind that the Edbro name brings, while an extensive network of specialist spares and service agents deliver the very best in servicing and support.

For more information: www.edbro.co.uk

Easilift Loading Systems have acknowledged its successful long working relationship with major construction company Bowmer & Kirkland after recommending the firm for a prestigious national award. Easilift nominated Bowmer & Kirkland for the 2010 Confederation of Construction Specialists Main Contractor of the Year award after the companies worked together on a demanding recent project for Tesco. The scheme,

in Teesport, Middlesbrough, involved the construction of a new 90,000 sq m distribution centre and saw Easilift supply and fit 76 dock leveller loading pods and 15 double deck lifting platforms, incorporating PowerDoor sectional overhead doors and PowerShelter collapsible dock shelters.It was the latest in around 70 projects the two companies have worked on together over the past 20 years, including additional developments

for Tesco and other leading retailers such as Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Next, Boots and B&Q. What made the Teesport project significant was that the building had to be exceptionally airtight, meaning that a significant amount of work went into sealing the junctions between Easilift’s loading pods and the buildings’ outer walls to prevent leaks.Rob Fay, Managing Director of Easilift Loading Systems, said that the problem was solved through close and in-depth co-operation between Bowmer & Kirkland, built environment experts BSRIA and Easilift, who were involved in the project from the planning phase right through to completion. It was this co-operative approach which earned Bowmer & Kirkland Easilift’s nomination, and which eventually led to them picking up the award.The award was presented by Paul Morrell, the Government’s Chief Construction Advisor, to Bowmer & Kirkland’s Regional Director, David Horton, at a recent ceremony held at the RAF Club in Piccadilly, London. Tesco is one of a number of blue-chip companies on Easilift’s customer list,

which reads like a roll-call of some of the biggest names in UK retailing, manufacturing, distribution, logistics, warehousing and the service sector. The company, based in Kirkburton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, has itself just achieved Investors in People Bronze status accreditation, which places the company at the leading edge of best people management practice in the UK in its sector.It is already an active participant in the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) and all its engineers are fully qualified under the CITB Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS).And it was also one of the first in its sector to achieve the prestigious SAFEcontractor accreditation, a scheme which independently assesses the health and safety record and competency of contractors and, as such, confirms to prospective customers that effective policies and systems are in place.

For more information: 08451 301920 or www.easilift.co.uk

New range of skiploader and hooklift systems

A successful 20 year working partnership

For increased stability on uneven ground, the MB14T features independent jack legs, and both pivoted flat foot and roller options are available.

David Horton, Regional Director for Bowmer & Kirkland, receives the 2010 Confederation of Construction Specialists Main Contractor of the Year award from Paul Morrell, the Government’s Chief Construction Advisor

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Like many sectors of industry the van conversion market has suffered a significant downturn in business, in the region of 40-50% in comparison to two years ago, but Fleetshield’s Business Development Manager Kevin Cranstone is reporting that some green shoots of recovery are starting to bare fruit.Fleet operators are now purchasing again with new optimism with opportunities and tenders being produced from the major fleet operators, dealerships, local authorities and utilities, contract hire and leasing companies as well as the private sector.The Colchester based family run business have the capability to produce a one-off bespoke vehicle conversions to a fleet of up to 3500 on the strength of the company’s

35 years of experience in the lightcommercial vehicle conversion business.Fleetshield have witnessed the public sector making a recognisable shift towards downsizing their fleet due to budget cuts and outsourcing vehicles form the private sector. This trend has made a welcome increase in the numbers of vehicles the company are supplying.Comments Kevin: “We pride ourselves on not being just a racking company but being able to offer varied products and services within our one stop shop operation. At Fleetshield we are able to convert vehicles to the specific requirements of all our clients and have vast experience of refrigeration, animal carrying, internal and external racking and storage systems, vehicle security,

tail lifts and ramps, body conversions etc on vehicles form all major commercial manufacturers including Vauxhall, Ford, Citroen, Peugeot, Nissan, Volkswagen, Mercedes etc.“We like to add value for the client and we constantly offer advice as to the best combination of products to suit our client’s needs so that they have the best possible vehicle on the road.” Fleetshield work with many of the industry’ leading company’s to ensure that when a vehicle leaves the Colchester site it is of the highest possible standard and meets all health and safety requirements. Fleetshield have recently expanded by increasing its workshop space by 50% improving vehicle turnaround and houses two new CNC machines, workshop offices and dedicated stocking bays keeping Fleetshield at the cutting edge of the industry and has resulted in an increase in production of 35%. Allowing a roll out of approx 70 vehicles per week. The company specialises in the fitting out and interior conversions of light commercial vehicles, this work involves various different specifications all covered by 3D compute aided design drawings including the manufacture and fitting custom built shelving and storage systems, basic ply lining, roof racks, security locks and systems, beacons, light bars, tow bars, refrigeration, livery and much more. Fleetshield offer crash tested and non-crash tested racking systems to suit the budgets of all clients. A four-year full warranty is offered on all racking systems and the company operates a 24 / 48 hour response time to the vehicle avoiding costly down time.

Fleetshield operate from a modern corporate business park with excellent workshop and office facilities in Colchester and houses 23 members of staff, provides on-site secure storage for up to 300 vehicles and has excellent road links being in close proximity to the M11, M25 and A12. And Stansted AirportFleetshield is a financially stable company that invests its profit back into the company as evidenced by the recent workshop expansion and during the recession all members of staff were retained as the company operated a “business as usual” policy.Concludes Kevin: “The measures taken by Fleetshield over the past 18 months will ensure that the company is around for at least another 35 years as one of the country’s leading LCV conversion specialists.”

For more information:01787 233739 or www.fleetshield.co.uk

The 10 main benefits for using Fleetshield are: • One sub-contractor saving time and expense, i.e. administration costs • No storage or off loading costs • servicing major fleet operators • Competitive quotes for multi fleet contracts • One stop shop facility • Free consultation and added value services • PDI/Clean and national delivery service • H&S and Duty of Care advise • Expert workmanship with excellent facilities • ISO 9001/2 and ISO 14001 accredited

Not just a racking company

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Franchisees of Snap-on Tools have begun taking deliveries of the first of a new generation of mobile stores based on Mercedes-Benz chassis.Designed to provide trade customers in the UK and Ireland with an even better shopping experience, the new concepts won a resounding ‘thumbs up’ when prototypes were unveiled at Snap-on Tools’ annual conference earlier this year. Franchisees can now choose from two models: the

most popular is expected to be the 7.5 tonne Vario 816D chassis cab, which is fitted with a 15ft ‘shop’; for those requiring a bigger display area and higher carrying capacity, a 10 tonne Atego 1018 with 18ft shop is alternatively available.The vehicles have been developed in partnership with Wellingborough-based Mercedes-Benz dealer Intercounty Truck & Van, bodybuilder Kurt Hobbs Coachworks, of nearby Great Addington, Northamptonshire, and

Lynch Diversified Vehicles USA, which builds Snap-on’s mobile stores in the United States.They are now being offered to Snap-on Tools’ sales force of more than 400 franchisees, on lease deals with in-house commercial vehicle finance specialist Mercedes-Benz CharterWay, at highly preferential rates.Snap-on Tools’ UK headquarters are in Kettering, Northants. Its National Franchise Manager Robert Stevens led a working group of franchisees and field managers in drawing up a ‘wish list’ of vehicle specifications.“The Mercedes-Benz chassis were considered ideal for our purposes, because of the manufacturer’s reputation for build quality and reliability, and because of the round-the-clock after sales support available from its dealers nationwide,” confirmed Mr Stevens.“Exceptional payloads were another important factor, particularly in the case of the Vario

- comprehensively racked out, and with a driver and full tank of fuel on board, it will still carry a very impressive 1800kg of tools and equipment.”Mr Stevens continued: “We have modified the specification of the vehicle used by Snap-on Tools’ franchisees in the United States to create a unique retail space for our customers in the UK and Ireland.“These new Mercedes-Benz units allow our franchisees to display, demonstrate and repair hand tools, and to show the very latest diagnostic equipment and tool boxes. They are also equipped with integrated video and audio for demonstrating our market leading products, while their modular design means they can be reconfigured with ease to focus on specific products at any particular time.” For more information: www.snapon.com

Mercedes-Benz vehicles are the perfect tools for Snap-on

Robert Stevens with two new Mercedes-Benz mobile stores

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Trukrax, one of the UK’s leading vehicle racking systems manufacturers is celebrating an upturn in business that has led to them increasing their staffing by 20%.Trukrax who launched their unique ladder loading system for high roof vans, the ‘Toploader’, formally at this years’ Commercial Vehicle show have said that the demand has been overwhelming to such an extent they have had to recruit more employees and also increase their manufacturing working hours by 20% to cope with demand. The ‘Toploader’ has been specifically designed to enable users to be able to load and unload ladders on and off the side of high roof vans whilst the operator is stood on the pavement with minimal effort, Trukrax say this is due to the unique design of incorporating gas springs and dampers to provide the controlled assistance. Trukrax say there is

no longer the necessity for heavy lifting as their new system takes the effort away from the operator. With companies becoming more aware of Health and Safety, both from the perspective of their employees and also contractors working on site (with many sites banning working on the tops of vans), operators are finding it increasingly difficult to get work on sites where ladder use is required unless they have a safe way of loading or unloading the ladders off the roof in the first instance, Trukrax say their Toploader negates these concerns in the safest possible manner as not only can it carry two heavy duty sets of ladders, it also deploys at the side of the vehicle and not at the rear with the user potentially having their back towards traffic.

For more information: 024 7634 9314 or www.roofrack.co.uk

Upturn in business

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The use of biofuels in commercial fleets often splits opinion, but with an increasing lobby of manufacturers and organisations beginning to win the debate over the long term introduction of stronger grades and higher ratios of biofuel, commercial fleets and

operators will face some difficult choices over the coming years. A couple of years ago, when the ambitious plans for conversion to biofuels were introduced, the Millers Oils technical team identified that the greater use of biofuels would make

for a precarious balancing act for fleet operators. While the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuels is a worthy one, this has to be tempered with the fact that greater use of biofuels could lead to higher vehicle maintenance burdens and the susceptibility of vehicles to expensive problems, whether it is a long-distance haulier, short journey delivery vehicle, or public transport. This is potentially manageable when and transport companies across the UK have to squeeze vehicles regularly using biofuels remain in roadworthy condition. The primary problem caused by biofuels is the effects of the bacterial mould deposits left throughout the fuel system, which often affect performance particularly around fuel injectors,fuel filters and the crankcase. Biodiesel attracts moisture naturally, which contributes to component corrosion, as well as bacterial and mould growth that can lead to sludge or slime being produced, hampering the smooth movement of fuel, and filters blocking. A second problem is that over time the biofuels do not burn as efficiently, which leads to larger fuel particle atomization and lower energy levels. This will eventually lead to failures and costly repairs if normal service intervals are used.Once bacteria or mould is present in a fuel system it is difficult to remove. As a result of all these actions within the fuel system, fuel dilution is more likely, which leads to an “increase” in the oil viscosity, problems with pumpability and poor lubrication. Therefore oil drainage procedures need to be scheduled in more regularly, and Millers Oils recommends a best practise of regular sample analysis to stay on top of oil sump management. Monitoring the vehicles from the first use of biofuels is the best way to avoid costly and lengthy vehicle downtime in the workshop. Monitoring bacteria and mould infestations within bulk storage and vehicle tanks can also be undertaken by sampling and treated effectively with Eclipse Shock Dose when required.Despite these drawbacks, there are solutions available using fuel treatments that allow biofuel powered vehicles to meet the ‘holy trinity’ of lower emissions, greater

fuel efficiency, and a consistent vehicle performance that mechanics can turn to and recommend. Extensive research and development into fuel treatment systems - such as the Eclipse range by Millers Oils - has found that using biofuels with fuel treatment leads to an increase in combustion and energy levels, cleaner components, so performance does not become stunted, and a consistent level of improved fuel economy, thereby reducing fuel costs. There is also the significant by-product of greatly reduced carbon emissions from the exhaust. It is understandable that there remains some scepticism on the long term use of fuel treatments, usually dictated by cost, vehicle management, and poor short term results (often influenced by human factors such as driving habits), but the conclusive evidence Millers Oils has built up, working in partnership with fleet performance consultants, Fleetstat Bureau Services, is compelling. During four different independent trials, in four different commercial vehicle situations - from local authority road sweepers to long haul chilled goods distributors using Millers Oils Eclipse - improved fuel economy savings by an average of between 2.5%-5% have been achieved. The net result is that this improvement in fuel efficiency can lead to a significant financial benefit of between £15,000 and £35,000 per 1 million litres of fuel used - per vehicle. Over the same period, this level of fuel economy provides a reduction of carbon dioxide of between 65 to 130 tonnes. Millers Oils continues to advise commercial vehicle operators on fuel management and oil and lubrication issues. Having developed innovative products, such as the Eclipse fuel treatment range and a range of technically advanced engine and transmission oils designed with extended long drain capabilities, through working closely with companies such as WH Malcolm and Stagecoach, we are only too aware of the issues of fleet management.

For more information: 01484 713 201 or www.millersoils.co.uk

Biofuels remain a double-edged sword for CV mechanicsBy Martyn Mann, Technical Director, Millers Oils

Martyn Mann

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Rising fuel costs can be offset by reducing fuel consumption, not service levelsTelematics vehicle tracking combats rising fuel prices by helping service companies increase the efficiency of engineers. Steve Towe, Director at Cybit shows how organisations can use location and driver performance information to dramatically cut their operational costs.Rising fuel costs are one of the most significant pressures coming to bear on businesses, which means that service companies now need to reduce the miles that their engineers cover on the roads.Tracking vehicle activity enables businesses to see where every part of the fleet is being used inefficiently - for example, lengthy vehicle idling periods, speeding, excessive private use or ineffective engineer allocation to jobs. Businesses can use precise reports to implement best practices and meaningful business change that can generate immediate and significant cost savings. Adding to the day-to-day and week-to-week analysis, companies can identify long-term trends that will help generate additional cost savings and operational improvements. In addition, integration with other business systems, such as routing and scheduling and service management applications, can help to further reduce the burden on engineers and subsequently cut the number and length of journeys that they need to do.The balancing act for businesses today is taking as many miles off their vehicles and as many vehicles off the road as they can - while still maintaining the same levels of service that their customers are used to.Other ways of saving on fuel costs include clamping down on instances of speeding and harsh driver behaviour. Throttle abuse, harsh braking and accelerating as well as excessive speed all contribute to larger amounts of fuel being used. These types of activity can be monitored through CanBus vehicle engine management systems. The reports that can be generated help to educate drivers on how they can achieve better economy from a full tank.

Green IssuesAnother prominent business issue this year is carbon neutrality. It is certainly an important issue, and because of increasing media and government pressure, businesses are now being scrutinised for efficiency in their use of fuel. Lift sharing, elimination of unnecessary journeys and more energy-efficient

transport are all key issues in the quest to become more environmentally friendly. If companies are able to present an environmentally friendly image to their customers and prospects, their brand image will improve dramatically. All of these improvements in green efficiency also carry significant

benefits for the bottom line.The two issues go very much hand in hand.Telematics can help to eliminate unnecessary journeys and excessive engine use - cutting out examples of carbon waste and at the same time extra cost.

For more information: www.cybit.co.uk

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Bunkercard, the specialist HGV refuelling service, is offering major hauliers the chance to obtain high value oil market information at a nominal price. It has joined forces with the Oil Market Journal to bring its BP and Esso fuel card account customers the latest oil market news, for just £1 per day.

Paul Davies, Bunkercard Commercial Manager, said: “By specialising and only serving the largest diesel users, we are able to offer major hauliers the best immediate week-by-week savings on fuel costs. For the most accurate long-term budget planning, though, transport managers need access to the best available oil market

intelligence.” Oil Market Journal constantly researches and analyses the world’s complicated, volatile oil markets to deliver high-value, leading-edge market intelligence to subscribers. This includes global oil prices, with information and analysis on markets in New York, London and Rotterdam, all presented in reader friendly formats. Its analysts produce a daily energy journal, a weekly energy roadmap and an outlook on the longer term oil price direction. Oil Market Journal is published by Platts, which has been globally renowned for its expertise for decades and produces exactly the sort of information needed by transport managers for long-term fuel cost forecasting.Paul Davies said: “Supplying the latest Oil Market Journal news to Bunkercard customers for a nominal £1 per day underlines our commitment, as an HGV specialist, to helping them towards the best in fuel cost management. It is one more benefit offered to major hauliers, who are increasingly looking for more from their fuel cards than just discounts.”Hauliers are increasingly turning

to Bunkercard for its added-value services. “They don’t want to wait in a call-centre queue for an operator who has never heard of them and, worse, thinks that AdBlue is a pop group,” said Paul Davies. “Hauliers want to talk to the same account manager every time and they want that person to understand their business.”HGV operators see clear advantages in knowing that their account managers only ever deal with big truck firms. They don’t spend their days talking to companies running a couple of vans or a handful of cabs. It means that the customer never has to explain why the HGV business is different, because they already speak the language. Other extra-value benefits being welcomed by major HGV fleets include such routine reassurances as zero liability when cards are lost or stolen, PIN security for cards, regular customised reports and immediate alarms if card usage goes beyond normal parameters.

For more information: 0113 384 6265 or www.bunkercard.co.uk

High-value market intelligence on offer

The storage of fuel oil in quantities above 200 litres in Scotland must incorporate secondary containment such as a bund or drip tray. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £40,000 and substantial clean-up costs being incurred.Overfill preventionGiven that overfilling of tanks is one of the main causes of fuel oil pollution there are a number of tank manufacturers making various claims regarding the safety and integrity of their products. Some tank manufacturers are promoting the use of the Level Remote Control (LRC) overfill prevention device.Allan Joyce, MD at Balmoral Tanks, explained the broader issue on overfill prevention to FACTS: “An LRC is one component of a two part system which combine to provide an overfill prevention system. As part of their bunded tank product range some tank manufacturers supply the probe element of the LRC system as standard.“To enable the probe to operate successfully, fuel supply vehicles must have the second part of the system fitted; this essentially couples with the tank probe. The problem is that very few, if any, UK fuel distributers have the second part of the system fitted to their vehicles.”“On its own, the probe is totally useless when it comes to preventing an overfill and cannot compare to mechanical overfill prevention devices supplied as standard on most other bunded tanks.

“The lower cost of an LRC probe over the mechanical device is significant but responsible tank manufacturers believe that the elimination or minimisation of risk associated with fuel oil pollution is far more important and cost effective to end-users in the long run.”

Fact or fiction?FACT Very few, if any, fuel distribution companies’ use or plan to fit their fleet with LRC-compatible equipment.FACT The LRC is considerably cheaper to fit than a mechanical device. This represents a saving for the tank manufacturer with no benefit, and

potentially catastrophic consequences, for the end-user.FACT Only one tank manufacturer uses the system.FACT LRCs, used on their own, are not “Failsafe” as promoted.Allan’s message is unequivocal: “Before you buy or replace your tank be sure to know how an overfill prevention device actually works. Be very clear on what tank manufacturers are trying to sell you.”

For more information: 01224 859000 or www.balmoraltanks.com

It pays to be clear about what you’re buyingAllan Joyce: “Know what you’re buying before you commit.”

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Unipart Automotive have announced an agreement with Mobil to supply Mobil 1through its distributor network from August 2010. The addition of Mobil 1 to the extensive Unipart engine oil range will aid garages in servicing a wider variety of vehicle applications to the highest standards. Top quality brand Mobil 1 provides exceptional protection against engine wear under the most extreme conditions.To fulfil the objective of matching the right oil with the right car, garages can pick the exact engine oil type

by using smaller pack sizes, helping to cut down on waste and improve engine efficiencies. As with most of the Unipart oil range, packaged Mobil 1 oil will also come in 20-litre, five-litre and one-litre sizes. Barrels of 208-litre Mobil 1 will be delivered directly to the customer. Unipart’s oil portfolio comprises a total of 31 grades and covers fully synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral oils with an additional comprehensive range of long-life products. Larger workshops can specify 205-litre barrels or obtain

bulk quantities from 400 litres up.Unipart Automotive Customer Marketing Director, Wendy Williamson, said: “As the technology of the modern petrol and diesel engine leads to longer service intervals, Unipart has played its part to reflect the changing requirements of the aftermarket sector. Mobil 1 is a valuable addition to Unipart’s extensive oil range, providing garages with even greater choice and enabling them to meet customers’ precise servicing needs effectively.”

Contact your local Unipart distributor for application specific recommendations and advice

HGV operators across Scotland want better service from fuel card suppliers, according to The Fuelcard People, and are particularly unhappy about having to deal with faceless call centres.Steve Clarke, General Manager of The Fuelcard People, said: “If a customer needs to discuss their account, they inevitably have to deal with a random call centre operator. They might not have spoken before and might never do so again. All the operator knows about

their business is what they see on their screen - and they will not know that much until the customer explains who they are. Next time, they have to repeat the process. ‘Customer Services’ is not a very appropriate name.”The Fuelcard People was formed under that name for a simple reason. Steve Clarke said: “We believe that customers would rather deal with a human being than a system. If somebody else wants to be the such-and-such ‘company,’ that is up to them, but we are staffed by people and so that is what we called ourselves.”Here is what it means to a customer. To order more fuel cards, replace a lost card or raise any account query, you call The Fuelcard People. A human being answers. You don’t ask for ‘Customer Services,’ ‘Accounts’ or any other department. You ask for a person, by name. Then, you talk to

the individual who always takes your calls, your dedicated account manager. They know you, they know what business you are in and they understand your circumstances. Almost certainly, they were the individual who originally discussed your refuelling needs with you to help you find the best fuel card from the wide range on offer.You get faster service and you get better service. It is just one of the many reasons why growing numbers are calling The Fuelcard People, rather than a fuel card company that wants them to accept an anonymous call centre. The main reasons are still the major fuel cost savings they can make with the right fuel card and the real reduction in their administration workloads. For more information: 0844 870 9856 or www.thefuelcardpeopleco.uk

FPS EXPO 2011, the UK’s largest annual oil distribution industry exhibition which is due to take place on April 13-14 at the Harrogate International Centre has been boosted by the news that the number of exhibitors booking for this year’s event is significantly up on the previous year.Despite the difficult economic climate and the problems facing the sector 80% of the space has been booked which is an 18% increase on the same time last year. Exhibitors already booked include Central Welding, Cisternas Cobo, Dantac Ltd, Harlequin Oil Tanks, Elaflex Ltd, Felbinder (UK) Ltd, Harvest Energy, Indox, Mabanaft Ltd, Magyar, Maidment Tanker Services Reelcare and first time exhibitors Novaflex Ltd.Vanessa Cook, FPS EXPO 2011

Marketing and Events Manager, said the surge in exhibitors was excellent news and underlined the strength and resilience of the industry.“This is excellent news and will ensure that FPS EXPO 2011 will be a leading showcase event for the oil distribution industry, FPS EXPO 2011 will provide a terrific platform to show visitors the latest industry technology and give them the opportunity to source solutions from a comprehensive cross section of oil distribution industry manufacturers, distributors and suppliers”.In addition to the packed exhibition halls, highlights of FPS EXPO 2011 will include the presentation of three prestigious industry awards by the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) to Driver of the Year, Depot of the Year and Young Employee of the Year at a glittering awards event on the final evening of the exhibition

that attracts up to 700 guests.FPS EXPO 2011 will also host a comprehensive workshop programme which will deliver informative sessions to help the industry with legal and legislative topics. Delegates also have the opportunity to take part in the annual FPS Golf Day, which will be held at the prestigious Pannal Golf Club, Harrogate on Wednesday 13 April.

“Interest in FPS EXPO 2011 has built rapidly this year and we hope to have an even bigger event than 2010. We have grown continuously to become the most important annual event in the oil distribution industry’s calendar,” adds Vanessa Cook.

For more information: www.fpsshow.co.uk

Unipart to supply Mobil 1 oil range

The personal touch for fuel card users

Record bookings for oil expo

Steve Clarke

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Lancashire based technology business, Triscan Systems recently gained recognition for its products and services from the Association for Public Sector Excellence. The prestigeous award - APSE Approved Partner, was presented at the association’s national transport seminar following a rigourous audit of Triscan’s experience in the

areas of fuel cost and CO2 reduction.The Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire, provided the venue for the association’s latest seminar where over 80 delegates’ from councils across the country, listened intently to keynote speakers on a number of topics relating to the management of fleet resources in challenging times.Triscan’s Barry McLeod was one of the speakers and commented: “Fuel cost and carbon footprint reduction are key issues for public authorities at this moment in time for much publicised reasons. Triscan are particularily pleased to be able to work alongside APSE in this respect to reiterate some of the key messages. As one of a small number of Approved Partners, we are also uniquely positioned to provide insight into some of the technical solutions available in the market to both measure and manage resources”.Councillor Richard Lyle from North Lanarkshire Council presented the certificate to Triscan at the end of a session entitled ‘Achieving more for less’. The presentation included a review of fuel management best practice and an advance glimpse of the new Triscan Management Control Dashboard; a major feature of the company’slatest web based management software. The dashboard provides an executive, summarised

view of fuelling operations and overcomes the challenge faced by many transport professionals in getting a clean, true and up to the minute picture of their fuelling operation.Barry McLeod continues: “Ultimately, software exists that enables managers to take informed decisions that in turn save money and the environment - Why waste it?” Our own products now provide comparative summaryinformation which if needed, can be further drilled into for specific performance data relating to sites, vehicles or drivers.Reconciling and presenting data as useful information is not a challenge peculiar to government authorities. It is a generic problem for all organisations and public accountability and scrutiny over cost management is likely to be at the top of the agenda for public organisations over the coming months. Triscan are keen to support APSE and enable member bodies to more easily manage their key performance indicators; specifically those relating to carbon footprint.Triscan will next be involved with APSE at their annual seminar in Derry; September 8-9.

For more information: www.triscansystems.com

Established in 1969 Ledbury Welding & Engineering Ltd (LWE) having now amassed over 40 years of manufacturing expertise, their integrally bunded storage tanks comply fully with current DEFRA and Environment Agency requirements for above ground oil storage of diesel fuels and lube oils. No further bunding is necessary. The ‘Derv Pack’ comprises a separate bund, independent inner tank, and removable convex roof, allowing full maintenance access, thus extending the operating life potential of the unit. The ‘Economy Derv Pack’ model is built to the same exacting standards but with a fixed roof making it more cost effective for the smaller operator requiring less capacity. Both are available in either single or multi-compartment formats up to 200,000 litres capacity for the ‘Derv Pack’ or 150,000 litres for the Economy version. Now with green fuels very much on the agenda the LWE design team have developed a biodiesel version of the established ‘Derv Pack’ complete with insulation and a heating package specified accordingly to ensure the fuel

is maintained at operating temperature, and are available up to 100,000 litres capacity. AdBlue® is now also very much in the spotlight and responding to this the LWE team have designed standalone tanks up to 30,000 litres with the option of either a stainless steel or a polyethylene inner tank sat within a mild steel bund. The Adblue tank can also be incorporated within the same bund as a diesel tank together with tanks for lube oils etc. thus creating a fuelling station.LWE is also the sole European manufacturer of the ‘SuperVaultMH ‘above ground storage tank for petrol and other highly inflammable products offering a capacity range up to 80,000 litres again in either single or multi-compartment formats. The Supervault is the only tank in the world to hold a 4-hour fire rating and multi-hazard accreditation. Along with true secondary containment the Supervault has a monitored interstitial space and class 1 leak detection. The lower capacity units can be mounted on a galvanized skid frame needing only a site electricity supply thus appealing

to remote sites with no installation works and ease of re-location.To complement its tank ranges LWE offers impartial environmental site audits, decommissioning and a full installation service, together with a successful hire division which offers a tank range of

varying capacities fully equipped with dispensing pumps, lockable cabinets and gauges etc. and are available for short or long term hire.

For more information: 01531 632222 or www.lweltd.co.uk

Achieving more for less with Triscan

Compliant storage

Richard Lyle with Barry McLeod