Organic mission ahead for Abel & Cole’s new Daily fleet
Organic food delivery specialist Abel & Cole has replaced 20 five year old 3.5 tonne Iveco Daily panel vans with new Daily chassis cabs mounted with custom-built refrigerated bodywork. The delivery reaffirms Abel & Cole’s 100 per cent Iveco fleet policy and sees the 70-strong home delivery fleet split 50/50 between van and chassis cab models.
Supplied by Iveco dealer Hendy Van & Truck, the new vehicles have been optimised to ensure the maximum payload capacity and accessibility for the driver. The Paneltex bodywork has seen the payload increase from 940 kg on earlier van models to 1,100 kg on the new Daily 35S13 chassis cabs. The bodywork has been custom-built to meet driver requirements, with flexible shelving space and sufficient roof height to allow drivers to stand-up fully inside.
Each of the Daily’s has been specified with Iveco’s ‘Blue & me’ Bluetooth connectivity, together with a Cybit Fleet Star satellite tracking system. They have each been supplied on a five year Iveco Elements repair & maintenance contract with an average annual mileage allowance of 60,000 miles.
Ben Reardon, Head of Logistics at Abel & Cole, says: “We’ve standardised on Daily across our fleet as we feel it offers us the best mix of reliability, durability and whole life cost. The support we receive from Hendy Van & Truck has been second-to-none. Dealer relationships are incredibly important when selecting a vehicle supplier, and in Hendy we enjoy excellent back-up and their team play an integral part in the design and specification of our vehicles.”
Every vehicle features a cab roof-mounted Hubbard temperature controlled system. Those vehicles used outside of central London, where higher speeds are commonplace, also benefit from an aerofoil to streamline the flow of air over the cab roof, chiller unit and bodywork.
Reardon explains: “The aerofoil adds 60kg to the vehicle’s unladen weight, but it can deliver fuel economy savings on those vehicles which frequently travel above 40mph. It’s just another example of the lengths we are going to to fine-tune the running of our fleet.”
The Daily 35S13s are powered by Fiat Powertrain Technologies’ (FPT) new 2.3 litre common rail diesel engine which is capable of producing up to 126 hp between 3,050 and 3,600 rev/min and up to 290 Nm of torque between 1,650 and 3,050 rev/min.
The quality of the FPT engines is highlighted by the constant maximum torque over a wide range and available from the lowest engine speed, meaning they are comfortable in heavy traffic and respond quickly to sudden acceleration.
Also key to Daily’s suitability for multi-drop urban distribution is its independent front suspension and best-in-class turning circle, which delivers excellent manoeuvrability and productivity. The traction provided by the rear wheel drive set-up also gives the vehicle excellent grip under all road conditions, especially when starting from rest on a steep slope.
Safety is further enhanced thanks to the latest generation ESP (Electronic Stability Program) featuring as standard equipment, which guarantees shorter braking distances and reduces the risk of skidding.
Abel & Cole is a pioneer of organic food retailing in the UK, operating from distribution centres in Andover, Maidstone, Ongar, Tamworth, Warrington and Wimbledon. With over 800 products sourced from the very best organic producers and suppliers, Abel & Cole provides an ethical, environmentally-friendly alternative to the supermarket. The company supports UK farmers, growers and producers, by working in partnership to plan crops and other produce in advance and by guaranteeing an agreed fair price.
