Thomas Beton
Transporting more, consuming less
Transporting more,
consuming less
Kiel-based concrete specialist Thomas Beton operates three concrete mixers from DAF, which are delivering some surprising results compared to the rest of the fleet.
The automated gearbox shifts effortlessly into the next gear as Thomas Weber leaves the construction site at the mouth of the Schwentine river in Kiel. "The gearbox in the DAF never jerks or sticks. It drives wonderfully quietly", enthuses the long-distance driver from the Kiel plant that belongs to Thomas Beton GmbH.
Thomas Weber, driver
"It drives wonderfully quietly"
Fleet Manager, Dirk Nickelsen:
"The DAF trucks use less fuel than our other truck brands, especially in city traffic"
Weber is on his way back to the Grasweg site in order to pick up a new batch of concrete. The short distance between the construction site and the plant means that he has travelled back and forth between the two locations almost ten times today. "It's a gruelling job in city traffic. You need steady nerves and a reliable vehicle", the driver explains.
Thomas Weber has been part of the driving team employed by the Kiel-based concrete specialist for three and a half years. The company has a team of 97 long-distance drivers who travel from the 25 German plants to serve various construction sites across northern Germany. The fleet consists of more than 80 specialised concrete vehicles. "We decided to build our own fleet of vehicles around twelve years ago", explains B. Rainer Brings, CEO of Thomas Beton in Germany.
The company's fleet now includes three DAF CF 410 Mixer Construction vehicles with a drum set-up from Putzmeister, and a fourth vehicle is due for delivery soon. "Around two years ago, Neumünster-based DAF dealer Fricke Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH persuaded us to test a DAF and we are still so impressed that we have already started discussing additional vehicles. The DAF truck has the potential to supersede one of the other brands currently in the fleet", says B. Rainer Brings.
Financial considerations is one of the elements at play here. "The DAF trucks use less fuel than our other truck brands, especially in city traffic", explains Dirk Nickelsen, Fleet Manager at Thomas Beton. In addition, Thomas Beton can transport 8.5 cubic meters of concrete per delivery, which is half a cubic metre more concrete than what heavier competitor vehicles can manage. Another important element is the fact that the drivers feel comfortable in the new vehicles. "The DAF is comfortable to sit in and the cockpit is clearly laid out", says Weber, the long-distance driver. Driving the vehicles is a genuine pleasure.
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