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CASE STUDY: EDDIE SMART
Page 60
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One company which uses drawbars to good effect is Eddie Stobart. Fourteen months ago the company launched a major investment in its drawbar fleet. spending £3.6m on 40 new Scania rigids with Boalloy bodies, and putting another 25, worth £2.25m, on order. These are scheduled to join the fleet in June. Stobart currently runs 85 drawbar rigs. On average they are 18 months old; it plans to keep them in service for about five years.
Dale Foster, divisional director for drawbars, says there are sound business reasons behind his choice: "We've upgraded the drawbars from five to six axles at five axles they had a gross weight of 41 tonnes with a 24-tonne payload; at six they run at 44 tonnes with a 28-tonne payload. That gives us a capacity for 30 pallets across the bed as opposed to 26 in a normal artic... it's all about cube."
They are used an dedicated contracts, primarily delivering raw materials to factories and picking up general haulage backloads. "We pick up filled goods from the factories if we can and otherwise find the nearest reloading point," Foster reports.
The drivers like the drawbar units for several reasons, he adds: "Having driven them, I'd say if anything they are a bit more manoeuvrable than an artic. They do need a slightly bigger turning circle, and if you want to unload from the back you need to split the unit. But generally our customers are happy with side loading and tipping.
"We can also get great attention to detail and work carefully with the bodybuilder to get the right construction for the customer's needs. As long as you stay within the overall permitted length, you can alter the respective lengths of the rigid or trailer as you wish.'