New Volvo FMX for Casey Plant Hire

Plant hire firm upgrades 14-year-old FM9 truck with new brand new FMX 8x2 rigid model

SPECIALIST plant equipment business Casey Plant Hire have taken delivery of a Volvo FMX 8x2 rigid, replacing an older FM9 that had provided exceptional service for 14 years, covering more than 700,000km.

Supplied by Paul McNicholas, customer solutions manager at Thomas Hardie Commercials, the multi-wheeler has been specified with a hydraulically steered rear axle for optimum manoeuvrability and is mounted with a Palfinger crane and plant body with beavertail. It also comes factory prepared for drawbar operations, allowing it to haul a two-axle Chieftain drawbar trailer.

Jane Parker, transport and hire co-ordinator at Casey Plant Hire, said: ‘As a business we have always been very satisfied with Volvo and have run them within our fleet since as far back as 1968. When we needed to upgrade our FM9, we got in touch with our local dealer straight away – plus we also benchmarked their offer against other manufacturers.

‘The service Thomas Hardie Commercials provided was head and shoulders above the rest. Paul took the time to understand exactly what we wanted – asking the right questions to ensure our next vehicle met the future needs of the business. He came back with a strong proposal, and has delivered exactly what we needed.’

Finished in a striking yellow livery, the new truck will be used to move the company’s construction, earthmoving, quarrying and waste equipment to sites across the North West of England. It operates from the firm’s headquarters in Rochdale and is on the road up to six days per week. 

Ms Parker added: ‘Our drivers love the new FMX and say it drives like a dream. Indeed, if it performs as well as its predecessor, then it could be on the fleet until 2035!’ 

The FMX is built with Volvo’s latest Euro 6, Step D, 13-litre diesel engine, producing 460hp and 2,300Nm of torque, operated through a 12-speed I-Shift automated gearbox, which makes driving easier, safer and more comfortable. 

It also comes equipped with Volvo’s Dynafleet telematics system, which allows the exact location and status of the truck to be tracked 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for security and efficiency. The Dynafleet system also analyses both vehicle and driver performance data to recommend ways to reduce fuel usage and emissions.