New DAF 8x4 ‘tridem’ offers ‘unique proposition’ for Rory J.Holbrook

With rear-steer capability, sleeper-cab, air-suspension, a lightweight ‘highway’ chassis and Fruehauf’s all-new Aggri-Roll (Mk III) non-tipping ‘V’ body, Rory J.Holbrook describes the new DAF fleet as a ‘unique proposition’ for road surfacing and associated operations. Trucks are being supplied by the local DAF Dealer in Norwich, Ford & Slater.

The first CF 410 FAW is returning immediate productivity benefits for Rory J.Holbrook and its contract with road construction company, Kier Highways. Fruehauf’s aluminium construction Aggri-Roll body delivers aggregate via a moving conveyor floor which dispenses material directly to the road surfacing machine. The fixed ‘V’ body eliminates the inherent problems of using a conventional tipper when in proximity with over-head power lines and road-side trees, thus drastically improving safety and reducing the need for road closures. The 16 cubic-metre hopper discharges just under 20-tonnes of aggregate in under two minutes.

DAF’s innovative ‘FAW’ axle configuration – the latest addition to DAF’s multi-axle range – strikes the optimum balance between on/off road traction and handling agility, combining four-axle payload potential with 6x4 manoeuvrability. A new 10-tonne front axle brings additional loading tolerance across the chassis. The new FAW axle configuration is also available with the XF cab in Space, Super Space and ‘Comfort’ cab variants and with both MX-11 and MX-13 engines with ratings up to 530hp. The FAW can be specified with the ZF TraXon automated gearbox or the optional Ecosplit 16-speed manual gearbox.

“The truck ticks so many boxes for us,” said Managing Director, Rory Holbrook, “it really is a unique proposition. No other truck manufacturer can offer the combination of a lightweight ‘non-construction’ chassis on a four-axle tridem set-up, a sleeper cab and air-suspension. After my contact at Kier saw a conveyor floor on one of our trailers, he asked if the methodology would transfer onto an eight-wheel rigid. We sat down with DAF, Ford & Slater and Fruehauf and the answer was ‘yes’. The result is a truly no-compromise solution. Apart from the health and safety and productivity benefits,” he said, “the new truck is a massive hit with the drivers – especially the [TraXon] auto-box and the high-spec CF sleeper cab.”

General Manager at Kier Highways, Andy Mayos, added, “The introduction of the non-tipping DAF with the conveyor floor body for our surface dressing operation has delivered a significantly safer working environment for our workforce. We no longer contend with overhead cables and the associated risks of cable strikes. Also, our clients no longer need to undertake time-consuming overhead cable surveys, and there’s no requirement for us to implement ‘no tipping zones’. Our operation is wholly more efficient as a result,” he said, “and we hope that the wider industry adopts this solution as standard practice.”

Rory J.Holbrook acquired its first 14 DAF CF 8x4 tippers in 2003; the company says a number of which are in ‘semi-retirement’ yet remain in service still today. The Holbrook fleet now comprises a majority of 40 DAFs from a total of 65 vehicles. Regular Repair & Maintenance is carried out at Rory J.Holbrook’s wholly-owned Attleborough Service Centre company.

Now in its 32nd year in business, Rory J.Holbrook is based in East Harling in Norfolk with rail-head operations in nearby Norwich and in Brandon, Suffolk, plus a substantial 10-acre recycling centre in Lakenheath, Suffolk.