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"The cabs stand up to the constant movement of the driver, in and out,
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very well." Martin Green Delice de France was established 15 years ago and today functions as part of IAWS, the largest food-producing group in Europe. In the UK the company has eight depots at strategic locations around the country but 5o trucks out of its fleet of 120 7.5-tonners operate out of its Southall HQ.
Health and safety manager Martin Green tells us: "We started out with Mercedes-Benz 7.5-tonners. They were an expensive piece of kit but ultimately didn't prove strong enough for the job we do. Those on distance work can make up to 20 drops a day; on suburban distribution, that number goes up to 30 to 40 and in inner London they can make as many as Go drops a day.
"This intensity of stop-start work can be extremely punishing. Our operations director had previous experience with Daf vehi cks so now the fleet consists predominantly of Daf LF 7.5-tonners and we have 13 working in London's congestion charge zone.
"We sell European bakery products. The load only weighs about z.o tonnes but each vehicle is equipped with a refrigerated box, fitted out with shelving. We designed a pivoting cold curtain rail at the rear, which gives clear access. The curtain does not get damaged so easily and the temperature is maintained. We have bought our fridge bodies from Reeps of Plymouth for many years. The Zannotti fridge is Italian. We have tried them all and think that they are the best but both push up the unladen weight. We have Go now.
"Daf is competitive on price. There was a slight saving of just under LI,000 compared to what we were paying for the Mercedes. We used to lease but buying them outright and then replacing them after about four years is
better financially for us. As an alternative to purchasing new units, we often refurbish the box and the fridge, which can represent a 50% saving on the cost of buying new.
"Fuel consumption varies a great deal throughout the fleet. It can be as high as 4.ompg in London or as economical as 19.ompg on a run.
"The LF is very robust. We get on with them very well, and the drivers like them. They are very comfortable, the gear change is smooth and they are relatively quiet. "Overall they have been very reliable and we are not seeing a repetition of the previous problems we suffered with our earlier trucks. The cabs stand up to the constant movement of the driver, in and out, very well, "Annual mileages range from15,000 to 25,000 which is low—but that doesn't compensate for the tough environment. The combination of body, fridge and chassis makes a good truck fit for the purpose for which we buy them."