New DAF helps ensure the bins get emptied

A specially equipped DAF LF45 is helping to reduce downtime for damaged refuse collection vehicles and those in need of maintenance throughout the UK helping to get them quickly back on the road collecting bins.

Leading recycling body and waste collection equipment manufacturer Terberg Matec UK are using the DAF to provide a next-day bin lift replacement service at customer’s premises. The bin lift is the hardest worked part of a refuse vehicle’s equipment and its location at the back makes it particularly susceptible to damage from rear end collisions or when reversing.

At their Warrington headquarters, Terberg Matec UK Ltd. keep in excess of 25 bin lifts in stock to ensure that they can always offer loan binlifts to customers during the repair or refurbishment of their own unit. When a customer requests a replacement binlift Terberg’s DAF-based Customer Support Unit delivers the appropriate type of binlift to their premises where Terberg’s trained driver/fitter exchanges the old unit and loads the removed binlift onto the truck to bring it back for repair work to be carried out.

Terberg Matec UK Ltd’s workshop manager Mick Bullock and a member of his engineering staff designed the body for the DAF to their own specification. They then fabricated and fitted it themselves in accordance with DAF’s body builder guidelines and road transport regulations. The specification is borne of over ten years experience with a DAF 45 Series, which has proved very reliable but whose geographical capability was being increasingly limited by legislation, particularly the London LEZ.

“Each time we went inside the M25 circle with the previous vehicle it was costing us £200 a day,” explains Mick. “As well as saving this cost by moving to a Euro 5 compliant vehicle, we also saw the opportunity to upgrade to an 11 tonne gross train weight. This has the benefit of allowing us to transport up to four bin lifts, whereas before – at 10.3 tonnes gtw – we could only carry three. This will clearly increase our productivity, reduce operating costs and make significant contributions to improving our customer service level.

“When designing and equipping the vehicle we were able to take advantage of a decade of experience with the old DAF on the same job. We built the 20 foot flatbed body out of a lightweight galvanised steel with a hard-wearing hardwood floor and fitted alloy lockers along the sides to house tools and load restraints. We also had a Hiab 066BS – 2 DUO crane mounted behind the cab with a longer reach than the old one, which gives us more flexibility when carrying out a changeover.”

Terberg’s new DAF-based Customer Support Unit will operate throughout mainland Britain ensuring that around 200 bin lift changeovers per year go smoothly for local authorities and private contractors. When out at work its progress will be tracked using Terberg’s own muniTRACK system, which feeds GPS positional and vehicular data back to their Warrington headquarters, this will allow Terberg to control a range of operational issues, including compliance with the Working Time Directive and other relevant legislation.

At 160 bhp the DAF LF45 delivers a more than adequate 14.5 bhp/tonne at its maximum 11 tonne gtw enabling good traffic compatibility and journey times. A six-speed gearbox has been specified, the front axle has been uprated to 3600 kg to cope with the front mounted crane and heavier duty 225/75R 17.5 tyres have been fitted all round.

Terberg’s Customer Support Unit was supplied through DAF dealer North West Trucks of Huyton.