Customer service seals deal for first Volvo’s for Pontrilas Timber

Pontrilas Timber, based in the village of Pontrilas, Herefordshire, have taken delivery of their first-ever Volvo trucks. The highly respected and well-known Herefordshire company has been family-owned and run since 1947. The four new Volvo fleet replacements are all FH-500 EGR, 6x2 tag-axle forestry trucks. A further seven are on order.

“These are our first-ever Volvo trucks. I went for Volvo’s because of their good lead times, good customer service and excellent after sales support from the local Volvo Dealer at Eardisley,” says Pontrilas Timber Transport Manager Phil Davies, “We went for the 6x2 tag axle configuration as most of the work is off-road in the forest, they’re better for traction in these conditions and manoeuvrability is improved. We specified I-Shift for improved fuel economy, increased driver friendliness and as the days are long, this reduces stress and makes the working day a bit easier on the drivers.”

Phil continued “The Volvo Dealer is providing a full days training for each driver which will cover everything from best use of the truck, getting best fuel economy and understanding all the key features on the trucks like use of the engine brake. The overall best feature has to be the build quality. Some of the drivers are out up to 4 nights per week and the Volvo’s are a lot more spacious with more storage space for personal equipment.”

Covering up to 120,000 kms per year, the four trucks were supplied by Volvo Truck and Bus Centre Wales and West of Eardisley, near Hereford. Each comes complete with a five-year Volvo Repair and Maintenance contract, with all work carried out by the supplying Dealer.

Pontrilas Timber also operate Volvo Construction equipment – an L90, which can carry up to 6 trees at a time, for clearing the log station and loading the mill and an L60 loading shovel. These machines work at the two company-owned mills, one for softwood and the other for hardwoods - typically Oak, Ash and Beech. Round timber goes in and sawn timber comes out which is then distributed U.K. wide. Currently, they are fulfilling a contract replacing the Oak lock gates for British Waterways. The company also offers general haulage to back load anything into the area.