AB2K, ONE OF SCOTLAND’S LARGEST PROVIDERS OF HEAVY PLANT AND NOW PART OF QUATTRO GROUP, IS UPGRADING ITS FLEET WITH SIX NEW FLAGSHIP VOLVO FH16 750 GLOBETROTTER XL TRACTOR UNITS.
Delivered by long-term Quattro Group supplier Truck and Bus Wales and West, the new arrivals include one STGO Category 3 6×4 double drive tractor unit for gross combination weights of up to 120 tonnes, and five STGO Category 2 6×2 tag axle tractor units for operation at up to 80 tonnes.
They each benefit from Volvo’s range topping D16K engine, which produces up to 750 hp and an impressive 3,550 Nm of torque, ensuring optimum power to cope with the heaviest payloads across both challenging terrain and demanding conditions, as encountered by the AB2K fleet. The engine’s flat torque curve also means the driver can stay in high gears during climbs, for greater driving comfort and lower fuel consumption.
The trucks also feature Volvo’s durable I-Shift with crawler gears – a gearbox designed to provide power, manoeuvrability and extreme startability, which are crucial to heavy-duty assignments, whilst also reducing wear on the driveline.
John Murphy, Chief Executive of Quattro Group, says: “We have invested in one of the largest fleets of FH16s in the country, with more than 20 now in service across the business. Our trucks play a critical role in delivering heavy plant wherever and whenever it’s needed, from city centres to remote corners of the Highlands.
“Having a modern fleet you can count on to do the job safely and efficiently is essential. From experience we know it also helps attract the very best drivers.”
Mark Kirkwood, Service Manager at Cambuslang-based AB2K, explains: “We demand a lot from our heavy haulage tractor units, and the FH16s soak it up all day, every day. Nothing else comes close.
“When you combine their sheer pulling power, with Volvo’s reliability and service levels, and the comfort and visibility they offer for the driver, it is a very tough combination to beat.”
The new medium chassis height tractor units replace four older FH16s and a pair of trucks previously supplied by a rival brand. They have been built with front steel and rear air suspension, plus heavy-duty SAF Holland fifth wheels for maximum durability, combined with a leather interior, Drive+ package and two-bed living package for great on-board driver comfort.
All six new vehicles have been provided on four-year contract hire agreements through Volvo Financial Services, each backed by a Volvo Gold Contract which will see all maintenance taken care of by the local Volvo Trucks dealer in Blantyre, Inverness and Aberdeen.
AB2K expects the new trucks to cover up to 120,000 km a year and be on the road between five and seven days a week, supporting its work within the civil engineering, ports, quarrying, rail and energy sectors.
Each vehicle has been prepared by Truck and Bus Wales and West to an exceptionally high standard, following the delivery of 16 FH16 750 tractor units into service with Quattro Plant in 2019 – at the time one of the largest orders of its kind received in Europe.
The six new vehicles also feature a roof-mounted light bar and beacons, a Direct Vision Standard Safe System Kit and personalised registration plates.
