Frozen, chilled and ambient food product supplier London FoodService has taken deliver of two new 7.5-tonne Fuso Canters fitted with the new DUONIC automatic transmission. The 7.5-tonne Fuso Canter’s key ingredients of high payload and compact footprint have made it the truck of choice for the Heathrow-based firm, which runs seven fridge-bodied Fuso Canters with 7.5-tonne gross weights – all of which arrived via Aldershot Mercedes-Benz dealer Rossetts Commercials.
The latest two Canters are London FoodService’s first from the updated 2012 model range, so also its first to come fitted as standard with DUONIC transmissions – the world’s first dual-clutch automatic gearbox for light trucks.
Both Canter 7C18 models are powered by range-topping 180 bhp engines and have insulated, single-compartment bodies built by Coolfreeze, of Manchester, and are maintained at operating temperatures of -18 degrees C by GAH Javelin refrigeration units. The body and fridge together weigh some 1750 kg, affording each vehicle an impressive 3200 kg payload capacity.
Rossetts also supplied London FoodService’s five 3.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, and will shortly deliver the operator’s biggest vehicles yet: a pair of 18-tonne Mercedes-Benz Axor 1824s, which will also have Coolfreeze bodies.
London FoodService distributes in and around London and the Home Counties, going as far afield as Bristol and Nottingham.
“We were using vehicles supplied by another manufacturer, but because of the benefits it offered we changed to the Fuso Canter last year,” said managing director, Khalid Mirza.
“Most of the outlets we serve are in busy urban areas. The fact that the Canter is narrower than most 7.5-tonne trucks is a big advantage when making deliveries, while it also means our drivers can negotiate width restrictions with ease.
“The Canter also offered a significant increase in payload, compared to our previous trucks,” Mirza continued. “We make full use of this extra capacity, which has allowed us to increase the efficiency of our operation – the Canter is very fuel-efficient too. It also carries more so we make fewer journeys, which allows us to minimise our carbon footprint.
“The new automatic transmission has been very well received by our drivers. They spend a lot of time in heavy traffic and as well as making their lives easier, it will also improve safety by leaving them free to concentrate fully on what’s going on around them.”
