Selwood worked in partnership with Mercedes-Benz and Hiab to finalise the design of two new Actros long distance 3351 LS 6x4 GigaSpace 5 Tractor units, the only ones of their kind in the UK fitted with a specialised pipe handling crane.
The trucks are fitted with Hiab crane loaders and pipe grabs which reduce the workload of teams loading pipework onto the trucks at the depot, and minimise risks during delivery by limiting the need for people to work at the back of the vehicles.
John Lovell, managing director of Selwood Pump Rental Solutions, said: “Historically we have had to pre-sling pipework in our depots before loading, to eliminate the need for people to have to get on the back of the trucks to connect the pipes to a crane on site to unload.
“The Hiab loaders and pipe grabs on the new trucks will see the need for pre-slinging loads, and the additional risk of people coming into contact with cranes, reduced and potentially eradicated.
“The vehicles will also bring more efficiency by only requiring the operator to undertake loading and unloading duties, meaning this is now a one-person job rather than a three-person operation.”
The two new vehicles will be based at Selwood’s headquarters at Chandlers Ford, near Southampton, and at its Middlesbrough supercentre, and will deliver pipework and pumps throughout the UK. They will be used by teams installing pipework on sites, and around Selwood’s branch network for large projects and depot stock deliveries.
The trucks were specified with the GigaSpace cab, which provides enough room for the driver to stand in, and has home comforts including a bed, television, microwave and refrigerator.
