A Berkshire-based firm has taken delivery of one of its first-ever Volvo trucks, with a further 16 due to join its fleet in the near term, thanks to excellent product performance and swift sales support.
Supplied by Ryan Masters, Transport Solutions Executive at Volvo Truck and Bus Centre South & East’s Reading depot, Shorts Group has welcomed a new 26-tonne Volvo FMX 380 day cab 6×2 rigid to a fleet already containing around 50 heavy goods vehicles.
The deal represents the first of many new Volvo trucks to join Shorts Group’s modern fleet, with the company also due to replace its entire 15-strong line-up of skip loaders with Volvo FLs starting in September 2022. A Volvo FE sweeper is also due to join its fleet this year.
Bryony Morten-Short, Operations Manager at Shorts Group, says: “A switch to Volvo Trucks has been on our radar for some time now and, luckily for us, our local dealer was able to source an FMX chassis at unprecedented short notice thanks to a cancelled order.”
The new FMX, powered by a 10.8 litre Euro-6 Step E diesel engine producing up to 380 hp and 1,800 Nm of torque, will be used primarily for moving plant equipment to construction sites across Shorts Group’s operating areas of Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire.
Decked out in a sleek, revamped version of its traditional green and grey livery, the new truck is already delivering for the company.
“It’s definitely turning heads,” says Morten-Short. “Our driver has been out working in the truck practically since the moment it arrived. The positive early impression we’ve had has pushed us to want to expand and extend our relationship with Volvo Trucks moving forward because everything has been so easy.”
Shorts Group has been particularly impressed by the local dealer’s proactive sales support team, especially its point of contact, Lara Chadburn – noting not just the team’s expert assistance but its swiftness from contact to delivery.
“Other manufacturers usually only offer an update when the vehicle is ready for delivery, but Lara has been fantastic in keeping us updated at every stage of the process,” she explains. “Regular updates such as on the last dates we can make additional changes to the specification, or just to let us know that she’s been in direct contact with the bodybuilder to ensure our order was on track, have been priceless.
“I’ve bought many trucks in my role across the last eight years and can confidently say that Volvo’s communication has been second-to-none.”
Built to handle even the toughest and most demanding assignments, the FMX is an ideal fit for Shorts Group given that it is frequently tasked with moving heavy equipment to and from construction sites. The vehicle also benefits from Volvo Trucks’ innovative I-Shift automated gearbox technology which enables perfectly timed gear changes to make driving easier, safer and more comfortable.
It has been mounted with a bespoke-built Andover Trailers low profile plant body, complete with a double crank beavertail. “We’ve consistently found that Andover Trailers is the best on the market and so the majority of our plant bodies are already supplied by them,” adds Morten-Short. “We have a superb relationship with their team and have always found them very accommodating of all our needs.”
With 65 years’ experience under its belt, Shorts Group offers a diverse range of products and services including waste management, plant and tool hire, demolition contracting and agricultural services. Shorts Group’s new FMX will be maintained at its own on-site workshop, though it will source Genuine Volvo Parts through the Reading dealership to maintain it to factory standard.
