Doubling-up cuts Q8 fleet
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• P&O Distribution has now equipped nine of its 17-tonners to carry both packaged and bulk products on a contract with Kuwait Petroleum Lubricants. The company says the dual-purpose vehicles have allowed it to cut two 17-tonners from its fleet.
P&O Distribution took on the Kuwait work in September last year, extending it in June with a contract won from Exel Logistics to supply filling stations. It uses four artics and 10 17-tonners to deliver lubricants from Kuwait's blending plant in Leeds.
The converted MAN 17.192s are curtainsiders, equipped by Retank of Batley to carry up to eight 1,000-litre flowbins in cages as well as smaller packaged drums. The first of them entered service in May.
Loads for customers who order a mixture of packages and bulk products can often be delivered on one lorry instead of a tanker and a curtainsider, says Peter Seaword, distribution manager on the contract. As a result two tankers that were to be bought to cope with the additional work have not been needed.
Carrying a full load of eight flowbins would normally mean overloading the front axle, so no more than five flowbins — or intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) — are carried, with up to four tonnes of packaged lubes. Blackmer pumps have been added, which are powered from the gearbox.