News and Updates

DVS-Ready DAF Tractors

Dawsongroup truck and trailer has introduced 75 DVS-ready DAF XD450 FTG 6x2 tractor units to its contract hire, lease and rental fleet well in advance of the October deadline.

Talking about the introduction of the new Direct Vision Standard vehicles, Darren Leeming, National Sales Manager for Dawsongroup truck and trailer, said, “Our ambition is to help operators get ready in time. With any legislation changes there’s always a temptation, given all their other pressures, to leave things until nearer the start date. However, with such a major potential impact on our customers, we wanted to get ahead of the game and demonstrate what we can offer them on contract hire, lease or rental. With these vehicles now ready to go on the road, operators can save the high capital investment costs of outright purchase by using any of our acquisition options, or simply trial the vehicles before making any final decisions. What we refer to as our ‘Try before you buy’ strategy.”

“We know everyone is working on this – they have to be! Manufacturers are producing DVS ready trucks and supposedly simple fixes are available in kit form for non-compliant vehicles. However, we foresee genuine business-damaging potential for operators from bottlenecks in supply and fitting: we want our customers to be clear of those dangers.”

Road to Logistics

We have donated a vehicle to ???????? ???? ??????????????????, a national training programme that fosters new talent in the transport and logistics industry. This initiative supports individuals from diverse backgrounds, providing them with the help they need to regain self-confidence and independence. ??

Find out more about this initiative: About Us - Road To Logistics

Walls and Floors Takes Delivery of Nine DAF LF 18t Curtainside Trucks

Tile Mountain Group, the UK’s largest privately owned tile and bathroom retailer has taken delivery of nine new DAF LF 18t low height curtainside.

The new fleet is on a three-year contract hire package and covers every running aspect except tyres and fuel. ?

Mark Wood, Transport Manager at Tile Mountain Group explains, “Previously, we owned and operated a sizable fleet of vehicles, including twenty-four 7.5t trucks. However, following the Covid pandemic, we reevaluated various aspects of our business operations and identified transportation as an area that required adjustments. Although we already possessed a few 18t and 26t vehicles, after consulting with Dawsongroup, we discovered that contract hire was a more cost-effective solution that would also provide us with a brand-new fleet!?

"Out of the nine trucks we acquired, seven were intended as replacements for existing vehicles while the remaining two were to accommodate the Group's growth.

"A key part of that fleet profile today is the low 3.9m body height. There are low bridges on many of our regular delivery routes, and that can add as much as 40 miles to a round trip, which is expensive, both in terms of driver hours and fuel costs.?The height of the new fleet will enable us to make financial savings whilst also being kinder to the environment.”

Mark, who started as a driver and is now a 25-year veteran with the business, estimates that the extra mileage driven to avoid low bridges could have previously cost the Group up to 1500 gallons of additional fuel a year.

The DAFs have all been liveried by the operator with the Group’s three brands.

Reciprocity With Lawrence David

Lawrence David (LD) is one of the UK's leading manufacturers of trailers, curtainsiders, box vans, rigid bodywork and last mile delivery vehicles, and they have worked with Dawsongroup for over twenty years – in more ways than one.

LD’s relationship with Dawsongroup is a prime example of reciprocity. Dawsongroup material handling is LD’s largest material handling provider, whilst Dawsongroup truck and trailer exclusively buys its pillarless curtainside trailers from LD. Recently, Dawsongroup emc joined the relationship with LD by ordering a plant trailer as part of its new plant team.

Renewing The Fleet

When Andy Dodge, Managing Director of LD, realised that their fleet of forklift trucks needed renewing, he turned to Gary Fothergill, Commercial Director for Dawsongroup material handling.

“Dawsongroup is always our first call for everything,” said Andy. “Our relationship goes back a long way because they do things right and they do things well. Dawsongroup is a fantastic business, the number one hire business in the UK, and we work closely together to provide solutions for each other.”

As LD wanted to begin the move away from diesel, some of their older forklifts were traded in for new electric trucks, whilst the rest were replaced with new diesel models.

The ten new Hangcha forklifts, five electric and five diesel, feed the production lines in LD’s five production halls at their Peterborough site. They are an essential part of their truck and trailer manufacturing process.

The Right Decision

Whilst LD is primarily associated with their trademark curtainside trailers, they actually build just as many truck bodies as they do trailers, ranging from 3.5T to 32T and from home delivery vehicles to double deck trailers. They are actively growing their portfolio to offer more to their customers in the future, including plans for flatbed trailers and tippers very soon.

New types of trailers are not LD’s only initiative. The company has recently had solar panels installed on the roof of their Peterborough site, which will be used to power the charging points for the electric forklifts – another step in LD’s journey to decarbonisation.

Another advantage of the new forklifts, which has made a huge difference to LD, is their additional safety features, including perimeter lighting and reversing lights as well as full cabs to ensure the operators stay warm when working outside.

“Gary listened to everything we wanted,” said Andy. “He engaged with the managers as well as going on the shop floor and listening to the people working there about what they needed. Everyone involved in the decision has said it’s the right one.”

Carnevale Puts Dawsongroup Iveco On The Menu

Carnevale, the Italian family-run, manufacturer, importer and national distributor of ambient and temperature controlled Italian food and drink products, has added four Iveco Daily 7.2t vehicles to its fleet.

Supplied on Contract Hire by Dawsongroup truck and trailer, the 180 BHP Dailies are all 4x2 Euro 6/CAZ-compliant vehicles with Carrier Xarios 6 fridges on temperature controlled single compartment Paneltex bodies, allowing a 3.1t payload.

They also feature 8-speed auto gearboxes, rear barn doors and Ratcliff Palfinger tuck-away tail lifts.

Carnevale was formed 1966 when two young brothers, Carmine and Giovanni Carnevale, from Capracotta in Southern Italy, established the company and began manufacturing and selling mozzarella and ricotta in central London.

Today, Carnevale’s wide range of premium products is distributed across the UK from its six depots through its own 84-strong multi-temperature fleet that includes 26t, 7.5t and 3.5t vehicles.

The company remains a family-run business, with many of the family’s second generation now supporting the growth of the operation which has become a leader in the field.

The move to contract hire through Dawsongroup, says Carnevale Transport Manager, Ben Ayrton, “Gives us the opportunity both of trialling these Iveco Daily 7.2T vehicles and seeing how the Dawsongroup service and maintenance contract can help support our operations. We are still in the infancy of the contract, but the vehicles are out working and service experience so far has been very responsive when needed. The vehicles provided by Dawsongroup were all customised to our specific business needs which is making a huge difference.”

CONTACT US

For more information on our available fleet for Contract Hire, Lease and Rent please get in touch: 0800 032 9766 | [email protected] | dgtt.co.uk