Fuelled for long term success with Isuzu Truck

At Southampton based oil and fuels distributor WP Group, the longevity, manoeuvrability and reliability of a tanker vehicle are the driving factors when specifying new assets for their 32-strong fuel distribution fleet. The recent addition of a brand new 11-tonnes Isuzu
midi tanker resulted from the proven performance of the company's first Isuzu, an 8-tonne baby tanker, that has given the company outstanding performance over its working life.

As Russell Fairchild, Operations Director at WP Group says, “We have run our first Isuzu on a daily basis for over 11 years and its reliability, manoeuvrability and driver recommendation were all deciding factors in ordering an Isuzu again for this latest slightly bigger new midi tanker.”

Supplied by local Isuzu dealership, Ferndown Commercials Ltd, this newest vehicle within the WP fleet is an Isuzu F110.210 rigid, specified with Isuzu’s popular Easyshift transmission. The 4x2 rigid has been fitted with a 7,500-litre, twin compartment Magyar aluminium tanker body that conforms to the latest ADR and UK petroleum industry regulations.

The tank is built on a subframe that gives it the necessary extra strength, but also allows the chassis to flex in normal operating conditions. One additional safety feature of the tanker body is its fuel metering system that allows the driver to read the tanker capacity levels from ground level, therefore keeping the driver off the top of the tanker itself.

WP Group currently operates 32 commercial vehicles, ranging from the Isuzu 8-tonne baby tanker right up to 44-tonne articulated tankers that are capable of delivering 37,000-litres of fuel. According to WP, the role of each of these vehicles is critical in the supply of fuels and lubricants to its customers and, although most of the WP fleet consists of much larger tankers, there is considerable demand from customers for a specialised service.

After considering a number of options, the versatility of the 11-tonne Isuzu was the best solution for this latest midi tanker acquisition and as Russell Fairchild confirmed, “The new Isuzu is currently performing really well in a number of demanding roles from those ‘hard-to-reach’ rural customers needing heating oil through to keeping large generators running at many public events across the South of England.”

This Isuzu 11-tonne midi tanker is based at the WP depot in Southampton and operates primarily in the South of England covering approximately 25,000 miles per annum. The standard tanker replacement policy at WP is 10 years, but in the case of Isuzu this timescale is flexible following the proven reliability of the first Isuzu tanker, which already has 11 years uninterrupted service under its belt.

“The Isuzu brand has many attributes that appeal to dedicated and specialist operations and is certainly carving a niche in the oil and fuel distribution sector. The reliability, manoeuvrability and long-term performance of the product are built-in features that are required to help maintain the high standards of operational service required by customers such as WP. We are confident that their new 11-tonne Isuzu will give them many years of premium quality service during its working life,” said Keith Child, Marketing Director at Isuzu Truck UK.

Posted in: Isuzu,Logistics,Truck