The firm specified the FH tractor units with Globetrotter cabs, each built with rear air-suspension and a lightweight fixed pusher axle on 17.5-inch wheels, helping to maximise payload potential. Also contributing to the vehicle's low tare weight are brushed aluminium rims, aluminium fuel and air tanks and an aluminium trailer connection arch mounted behind the cab.
They are joined in service by two new FM rigids in a matching two-tone white and blue livery, with tipper bodywork from Swadlincote Aluminium & Welding.
Supplied by Hartshorne Motor Services, the new trucks will deliver the company's products around the UK – the FHs pulling bulk powder tankers, while the 8x4 tippers will carry aggregates.
"Companies need to take a longer-term view to a more sustainable future," says James Hopkinson, Transport manager at Longcliffe Quarries. "Coupled with our new state-of-the-art washing plant and wind turbines, we are clearly demonstrating that we take our environmental responsibilities very seriously, and that is why we are committed to delivering a less-carbon intensive transport fleet.
"We've had very positive feedback on the Volvos; we placed the order after being really impressed with how the FH demonstrator performed. We already knew about Volvo's reputation for reliability, which is a major factor in our kind of work."
The 6x2 FHs are powered by Volvo's latest Euro-6, Step D, 13-litre diesel engine delivering 500 hp and 2,500 Nm of torque, while the 8x4 rigids generate 420 hp and 2,100 Nm of torque. The FHs also benefit from Volvo's long-haul fuel package, which combines the latest generation technologies to deliver the best fuel efficiency on every journey – keeping emissions to a minimum.
All new trucks have been specified with four-way cameras for added safety, along with a tyre pressure monitoring system to proactively notify the driver should any tyres be operating above or below optimum inflation pressures.
To maximise driver comfort, the tractor units also feature Volvo's Drive+ and Living1 packages, which includes an under-bunk fridge/freezer.
"Our drivers do a lot of long-haul work and can often be away overnight, so comfort is also important," says Hopkinson. "The Adaptive Cruise Control is also very popular; it makes the use of cruise control much easier – again giving our drivers less to worry about and more peace of mind."
Joining Longcliffe Quarries' fleet of 41 commercial vehicles, the new Volvos will be in service for five years and are expected to cover approximately 100,000km per year, working up to six days a week.
For nearly 100 years, Longcliffe's Derbyshire quarries have been a market-leading supplier of high purity calcium carbonates. The company produces limestone annually for a vast range of critical industries, from animal feeds and pet foods to supplying the UK's pharmaceutical and food industries. The new Volvo trucks will contribute to Longcliffe's ongoing efficiency goals, as well as to its objective of reaching zero-carbon quarrying operations by 2027.
