In a significant conquest deal, timber expert Anglian Timber Limited, has selected the Renault Trucks Range D for its latest specialist vehicle. The 18-tonne Range D18 wide 4x2 low 280 E6, supplied by Renault Trucks Felixstowe on a 5-year full rental through BRS Ltd, is the first Renault Truck to join the 5-strong fleet and will be used to carry custom-built roof trusses to building sites across East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, London and Oxfordshire.
Built to Anglian Timber’s own specification, the Range D features an unusual low ride height of 1 metre from the ground to the floor as well as a special flat platform body, produced by Norfolk-based Harvey Coachbuilders Ltd, to meet with height restrictions for bridges and power cables.
Commenting on the decision to introduce its first Renault truck into the fleet, Director Roger Steed said: “The lease had come to an end on one of our vehicles and we were looking for a replacement. Our current supplier was unable to provide the type of truck we were looking for on this occasion, so we turned to Renault Trucks Felixstowe who proved to be extremely committed to supplying the specialist vehicle we needed.”
Roger Steed continues: “Delivering timber to building sites can be challenging so we needed a truck that was durable and manoeuvrable but, crucially, could comply with height restrictions on route. Renault Trucks, together with Harvey Coachbuilders, was definitely our best option; they took the time to understand our requirements and subsequently provided a truck which is perfect for our needs.”
Harvey Coachbuilders’ Director, Gary Harvey, comments on the ease of bodying the Range D: “We’ve been working with Anglian Timber for 25 years and we discussed their requirements very closely. Our job was to produce a specialist, bespoke body with the minimum floor height and Renault Trucks helped us to achieve this with ease – the particular advantage in using the Range D is that the chassis is configured in such a way that it is designed to keep everything low. In addition, it was extremely straightforward to achieve the Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) which made the whole process hassle-free.”
Peter Todd, Renault Trucks Felixstowe comments: “We are delighted that Anglian Timber has chosen the Range D for the first time and that they are happy with the end result. As well as being an extremely robust vehicle, the Range D is designed with numerous mechanical and electrical pre-equipment to simplify the bodybuilding operation so it’s great to hear that Harvey Coachbuilders found it so straightforward – we very much look forward to working with both companies again in the future.”