Volvo FH Aero has returned to the Gary Fletcher Surfacing fleet as the Derbyshire contractor celebrates its 50th anniversary with the purchase of a new flagship tractor unit.

The new 6×2 tag axle tractor replaces a vehicle from a rival manufacturer and will transport the company’s heavy plant equipment to customer sites across the UK. The order also marks a return to Volvo Trucks after the business cited positive previous experience with the manufacturer’s aftersales support. 

Craig Fletcher, Director at Gary Fletcher Surfacing, said: “It’s our anniversary next year so we wanted something a little bit special to mark the occasion, and this stunning FH Aero certainly fits the bill.”

Returning to Volvo

Gary Fletcher Surfacing has previously operated Volvo trucks, but more recently had switched to another manufacturer.

Fletcher said the decision to return was influenced by both the reputation of the new Volvo FH Aero and the level of support the business had received in the past.

“We have run Volvos in the past and have come back now having had a bit of a bad experience with our previous manufacturer,” he said.

“The aftersales support had always been superb when we ran our older Volvos, and we’d heard great things about the FH Aero, which meant it was a straightforward decision when it came to this latest order.” 

Built for heavy plant transport

The new tractor unit has been supplied by Crossroads Truck & Bus and will operate with a low-loader trailer transporting the company’s Vogel paving machine and two rollers to projects throughout the UK.

The business has also invested in a tipping trailer to support the movement of aggregates as part of its expanding operation. 

Power comes from Volvo’s 13-litre Euro VI D13K engine, producing 540hp and up to 2,600Nm of torque between 1,000 and 1,450rpm.

The engine is paired with Volvo’s 12-speed I-Shift automated transmission, designed to deliver smooth gear changes while helping improve efficiency and drivability. 

Anniversary specification

To mark the company’s milestone anniversary, Gary Fletcher Surfacing has specified the truck with an extensive list of factory options.

Finished in Millennium Silver Metallic, the exterior includes a roof-mounted light bar, air horns and Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels.

Inside the Globetrotter cab, drivers benefit from a custom black leather interior, microwave, fridge/freezer, foldaway table, adjustable air pocket spring mattress and Volvo’s I-Park Cool battery-powered climate control system. 

The truck is also fitted with Volvo’s Camera Monitoring System (CMS), replacing traditional mirrors with cameras to improve aerodynamics and visibility in poor weather, low light and tunnel driving.

“We’ve left no stone unturned on the specification,” Fletcher said.

“It’s fully loaded with everything we could possibly need. This is the only tractor unit that we run so we worked closely with the team at Crossroads to make sure everything was spot on.” 

Supporting long-term operations

The Volvo FH Aero is expected to cover around 80,000km each year and is backed by a Volvo Gold Contract, providing comprehensive repair and maintenance support to maximise vehicle uptime. 

Based in Dronfield, Derbyshire, Gary Fletcher Surfacing provides surfacing services for highways, roads, footpaths, driveways, car parks, sports grounds, petrol stations, industrial sites, retail developments and airfields.

Its customer base includes national housebuilders, civil engineering contractors, retailers, local authorities and private homeowners, making reliable transport for heavy plant equipment a key part of its daily operation. 

More Information

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