Mercedes Arocs for Day Aggregates
High-profile Day Aggregates is running its first Mercedes-Benz truck for more than a decade, a muscular 8x4 Arocs supplied by Surrey and Sussex Dealer Rossetts Commercials.
The Day Group operates from a network of depots in Greater London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hants, Dorset, Somerset and Gloucestershire. It handles more than four million tonnes of construction material each year, as well as providing services to the construction, demolition and water treatment industries.
The new Arocs 3240K is powered by a state-of-the-art straight-six engine, which transmits its 290 kW (394 hp) output via a Mercedes PowerShift automated gearbox. Fitted with an Aggrelite steel tipping body by Boweld, of Holywell, Flintshire, and equipped with a full complement of safety features, as well as an on-board weighing system, the truck offers a 19.5-tonne payload.
“Every kilo counts in our operation and that’s a pretty good figure,” confirmed Group Transport Manager Chris Cooling, who is responsible for a mixed-marque fleet of 150 trucks, the majority of them eight-wheelers.
The Arocs is based at a depot in Newhaven, East Sussex, and currently working on a £94-million project to build a relief road between Bexhill-on-Sea and Hastings.
“We used to run Mercedes-Benz 18-tonners a long time ago, but over time they became a bit heavy, and we’ve previously steered clear of its 32-tonners for the same reason,” explained Mr Cooling.
“The 8x4 Arocs, however, is right on the money in terms of weight and payload capacity. It also looks to be every bit as strong and well-built as you’d expect of a Mercedes-Benz and, if it lives up to its early promise, is going to be more fuel-efficient than any of the other eight-wheelers we have in the yard.
“It was these factors, coupled with the persistent door knocking of Rossetts’ sales executive Ian Carlisle, that convinced us to give the truck a proper trial. Only time will tell but on the evidence of what we’ve seen so far I’d be optimistic that this truck is going to do a job for us.”
Rossetts Commercials Dealer Principal Perry Reeves added: “Day Aggregates is the biggest tipper operator in our area and we are delighted to have been given this opportunity.
“This is probably the most important vehicle we have supplied over the last couple of years. I’ve every confidence that backed-up by Rossetts’ 24-hour after sales support, the Arocs will prove itself worthy of a more substantial role in the Day Group fleet.”
The original Day & Sons was established by the late John Day, who delivered coal to London's power stations, businesses and homes during the Second World War. By 1955 the company had outgrown its site in Hanworth and moved to a British Rail goods yard at Brentford, which remains its headquarters to this day.
In 1974 this railhead allowed trains carrying limestone to be brought into London, for the first time on a regular basis, directly from Foster Yeoman’s Torr Works quarry in Somerset. This, together with the demise of coal for power stations, businesses and homes shaped the future of Day Group. Over the subsequent years further railheads and wharves were acquired throughout South London, Surrey, Sussex and Kent, giving the company unparalleled coverage of its area of operation.
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