A valuable asset for Martin Fortune Transport
Irish transport firm continues to rely on fleet of Volvo tipper trucks for on and off-road work
CO. Wexford-based Martin Fortune Transport have relied on Volvo tipper trucks since the business was established in 2006. The company’s three Volvo 8x4s are complemented by a pair of five-axle FMX 10x4 chassis, both of which permit a 27-tonne payload.
Supplied by Joe Baker, truck sales executive at McCarthy Commercials Ltd, the 3.4m wheelbase FMX chassis are powered by Volvo’s D13K engine rated at 460hp. I-Shift gearboxes and tandem single-reduction rear axles complete the powertrain assemblies. The front steel parabolic spring and rear air suspension prove ideal in a tough operating environment, which includes both on- and off-road work. The 42-tonne GVW FMX’s are also fitted with Fitzgerald Vehicle Body Builders tipper bodies, manufactured locally in Cork.
The all-Volvo fleet also standardizes on Hyva tipping gear and Alcoa alloy wheels to boost the trucks’ payload figures. In addition to the transport of topsoil and stone, Martin Fortune Transport also load frequently from the MSK Silver Sands Ltd quarry in nearby Ballyraune. Full loads of top-quality sand from this location are sent across the length and breadth of Ireland to equestrian, sports and construction customers.
‘We order our Volvo trucks with a five-year Volvo Service Contract, which is carried out by McCarthy Commercials’ Kilkenny dealerpoint,’ said company owner Martin Fortune.
‘The most important aspect of our business is customer care,’ he continued. ‘McCarthy Commercials provide us with excellent service and back up levels, which in turn let me concentrate on providing a reliable and consistent service to my customer base.
‘We’ve just taken delivery of another FMX 8x4 tipper with a 500hp engine and a Fitzgerald body. We also have a 420hp Volvo FM concrete mixer that is contracted to Roadstone. Our fleet averages fairly high mileages and McCarthy Commercials also carry out the required 13-week safety checks.
Importantly, our drivers also rate the Volvos very highly and are extremely enthusiastic about the brand’s quality and comfort standards. We always specify cabs with air suspension to help with the latter.’
