First Euro 5 Volvo’s into growing Midlands timber operator

A to Z Lloyd Transport Limited, based at Clows Top near the Wyre Forest, Kidderminster, has taken delivery of two top-of-the-range Euro 5 Globetrotter XL-cabbed Volvo FH-520 6x2 tractor units for their growing timber haulage operation.

Commenting on the recent purchase Alan Lloyd, Co-Director of A to Z Lloyd Transport said, “The trucks go into the forest as well as travelling nationwide, split roughly 50/50, so we had to have a quality truck for the demanding job we do. Volvo was very competitive on price and we could have bought something cheaper, but not better. Overall, the best features of the Volvo’s are driver comfort and reliability.”

Although one of the new FH’s is a fleet replacement, the other is an additional vehicle purchased to support their growing business, the 6x2 tag-axle tractors are ideal for off-road work. Weight is transferred to the drive axle for better traction and a shorter wheelbase makes for improved manoeuvrability. The trucks are specified with many driver enhancing features including leather upholstery, microwave, fridge-freezer, aluminium wheels and additional light bars.

The company also operate Volvo Construction Equipment including wheeled loaders for loading the trucks.

Alan added. “With working in the forest and with timber, we wanted a truck compatible with what we do and it needed to be as green as possible. The Euro 5 engine fitted the bill, as well as giving us reduced road tax for the lifetime of the vehicle through the RPC. We also like to look after our drivers. The FH’s were specified with I-Shift automated transmission, which takes a lot of the stress out of driving, leading to a more relaxed driving style. I’ve put my best two drivers on these. They’re ‘over the moon’ with them and can’t fault them.”

Working on contract with M and M Timber Ltd., Europe’s largest manufacturer of machine rounded and associated timber products, the trucks not only take the timber out of the forest and deliver to the sawmill, but take the finished products to customers in the retail and wholesale timber markets including the Forestry Commission, Wyevale and Countrywide.

The trucks, supplied by the Pensnett depot of Volvo dealer Hartshorne Motor Services, are expected to cover 65,000 miles per year delivering as far afield as Thetford in Norfolk and all along the South coast as far as Devon and Cornwall.