New flagship Volvo FH16 750 for Paul Chapman & Sons
Derbyshire-based contractors put FH16 Globetrotter XL 8x4 tractor unit into service
CRUSHING and screening contractors Paul Chapman & Sons have expanded their haulage fleet with the addition of a new flagship Volvo FH16 750 Globetrotter XL.
The FH16 8x4 Tridem tractor unit – one of the first brand-new Volvo Trucks models to hit the road in the UK – features a reinforced bogie for gross combination weights of 100 tonne-plus, which has been paired with a four-axle Nooteboom trailer for transporting heavy-duty construction machinery, such as crushers, screeners and excavators to sites around the country.
Matthew Crofts, managing director of Paul Chapman & Sons, commented: ‘This new truck replaces an older model FH16 650 6x4 that we used for our low-loader work and was trouble-free and very reliable. We have a lot of Volvo construction equipment in the fleet and we get great feedback on the product. So, we were always going to return to Volvo for this new flagship truck.’
Supplied by Hartshorne Motor Services, the high-spec FH16 unit is powered by a Volvo D16K engine that produces 750hp and 3,550 Nm of torque, delivered via an I-Shift transmission with crawler gears – designed to provide power, manoeuvrability and extreme startability, which are crucial to heavy-duty haulage operations whilst also reducing wear on the driveline.
Painted in Volvo’s striking Veiled Thistle Pearl launch colour, the FH16 8x4 tractor unit is covered by the truck manufacturer’s Gold Contract repair and maintenance agreement, which ensures the best possible maximum uptime.
‘We worked in conjunction with Volvo and the team at Hartshorne closely on the specification of the truck. SB Components installed and repositioned new fuel tanks to the rear of the cab but other than that all the work was done by Volvo, including the lightbars and colour scheme,’ said Mr Crofts.
The FH16 truck also comes with several additional safety features, including the industry’s first adaptive high beam headlamps which automatically disable selected segments of the LED high beam when approaching oncoming traffic or another vehicle from behind.
Safety is further improved with the Downhill Cruise Control function, which sets a maximum speed to help prevent unwanted acceleration when travelling downhill, and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) that now works at all speeds even down to zero km/h.
The driver-centric working environment of the Globetrotter XL cab and Drive+ package features an upgraded dashboard with practical new storage areas and a fully digital 12in high-resolution instrument display, as well as leather upholstery/steering wheel and a 33-litre under bunk mounted fridge/freezer.
‘We’re a nationwide company, so the truck can go anywhere in the country at any time,’ said Mr Crofts. ‘It will be in service and used to its full capacity – thereby comfort and reliability are crucial.’
