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Air we go again Fitting a specialist high-cube air kit
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Page 51
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has helped Wickes improve its fuel economy by 100/0, and enjoy other benefits, too.
Words: Andy Salter
Wickes opted for Daf's CF range for
a very specific reason. According to Wickes' transport manager Walter Ross, the Dutch marque is the best in the business in terms of fuel economy.
But sticking a high-cube trailer behind even the most economical of tractor units is always going to have a detrimental effect.
Even with Dan factoryinstalled air kits, the adoption of 48-pallet high-cubes caused a serious problem. On the one hand, the company's operation demanded their use; on the other hand, increasing fuel bills demanded headache pills and some pretty radical action in equal measure.
"We considered the aero high-cube trailer option, but, because they only take 22 pallets on the top deck, it wasn't really an option," explains Ross. "We work our vehicles very hard; many of them operate for 20 out of 24 hours.
"We run full and quite frequently up to the 44-tonne limit. Dropping trailer capacity just wouldn't have worked."
Showing faith
The first attempt to remedy the situation saw Wickes set Daf's ZF AS-Tronic gearbox to auto mode. While this produced a marginal fuel saving benefit, it was an approach that made Ross feel deeply uncomfortable.
"We only employ drivers in whom we have confidence; and if they come back to us and say that defaulting to auto mode alone is a bad move, then we're smart enough to listen to what they have to say,"
reveals Ross. -While efficiency is of vital
importance to us, road safety is our first priority, and one that takes absolute primacy over anyother consideration."
However, the issue of poor fuel returns continued. At this point, the
supplying dealer Ford & Slater became involved, suggesting a meeting with Suffolk-based Hatcher Components.
This led to the aerodynamics specialist producing a spoiler which was suitable for a 4.8m high-cube trailer, and, in addition, a set of side collars that serve both to close the tractor trailer gap and, by standing very slightly proud of the trailer body, to deflect airflow and thereby reduce drag.
This prototype was fitted to a single Wickes CF, and, over the course of a six-week trial, the results proved o he noteworthy.
Stability and economy
"The vehicle went out with a large number of our drivers, on a number of different routes, and at a variety of weights," explains Ross. "Over the course of the tnial, our fuel consumption dropped from a fleet average of 2.68km/lit to just under 3km/lit. Some of our drivers returned figures consistently in excess of 3kinilit. This represents a 10% improvement.
"Also significant was the fact that some drivers commented that the design made our high trailers behave in a more stable manner when being driven in windy conditions, and, like any other operator using high-sided equipment, we have more than half an eye on this."
But what does 10% mean in real money? According to Ross, quite a lot: "Over the six-week period, we saved £431.36 in fuel costs. Since then, fuel has increased by 4p/lit, so fuel savings have improved since then.
"As a result, the decision to fit the high-cube air kit to the rest of our vehicles was a simple one to take.
By our calculations, we will save close to £175,000 per annum in fuel costs over our 47-vehicle fleet, meaning the payback period for fining the improved air kits will be just a few months."
Green is great
For group fleet manager South West Andy Ray, while a 10% fuel saving is obviously desirable, the environmental benefit is also worth it. He says: "No-one can escape the issue of the environment, and, as a company, we have to do everything we can to minimise the effect of our operations on the world around us," he says. "Happily, in this case, we win on both counts. I'm saving money, and I'm doing my bit to save the planet, too.
"This is an example of customer and supplier working as one to make things better, and the relationship we have with Hatcher is one that is likely to continue and develop in the future."