News

Green & Skinner of Ipswich has celebrated half a century in haulage with the purchase of a new Volvo FE-240 rigid, displaying a special anniversary addition to their distinctive green and yellow livery.

Mike Skinner, MD of the second-generation family-owned business, says of the dozen 4x2 Volvos he currently operates: "They suit our operation well and their unladen weight is very competitive.

"We've been very happy with the fuel economy," adds Skinner, who is getting around 11.5mpg from the 10-tonne payload curtainsiders on groupage work. "We operate all over the UK and our drivers are usually out two nights per week, so it's important that comfort levels are acceptable. We're getting a good payload and excellent body length for the volume of traffic we handle. It's a nice looking vehicle and the driver is certainly very pleased."

The trucks, purchased outright, have 240hp engines and six-speed manual gearboxes. Green & Skinner expects to get a 10-year life from them and favours a basic mechanical specification. "We keep things as simple as we can," says Skinner, who prefers to avoid the electronic complexity of automated gearshifts.

"One of the reasons we've continued with Volvo is because of the close relationship we have built with the local dealer. We work closely with Volvo Truck & Bus East Anglia. As we do our own maintenance, it's important  to maintain a dialogue: when we need a part, we need a part now."

Green & Skinner, which trains its own drivers and currently has a waiting list, also operates 26-tonne rigids and 44-tonne artics, preferring Scania for these heavier duties.