Destined to be a contender for the highly coveted Irish Van of the Year Award, the new rear-wheel drive has benefitted from a comprehensive revamp that has seen improvements introduced in all departments, the most notable of which are measures designed to reduce running costs.

Thanks to the introduction of new engines and a new drive system – matched to the availability of new BlueEFFICIENCY technology that has revolutionised emissions output in the Mercedes-Benz passenger car range – owners can anticipate an enhanced level of performance matched to lower fuel consumption and emissions levels that are up to 15 per cent lower than before, depending on the engine variant.

Other important changes include a new chassis that delivers better ride comfort, increased payload, upgraded appointments in the driver and passenger compartment and a striking new facia that includes design elements influenced by features from the passenger car range – all matched to a robustness one expects from a commercial vehicle.

Exterior features include new reflector headlamps and daytime driving lights and a new upgraded front bumper design with honeycomb look that is optionally available in a painted and smoothed finish in the vehicle’s exterior colour.

Five units make up the new Vito range – four diesel and one petrol – beginning with the 95bhp four-cylinder Vito 110 CDI. Others include the 136bhp 113 CDI, a more powerful 116 CDI and a top-of-the-range V6 224bhp 122 CDI version. A V6 258bhp petrol version is also available.

All new models comply with the Euro 5 emissions standard and all diesels are equipped with an oxidation catalytic converter, a particulate filter and cooled exhaust gas recirculation. A new six-speed ECO Gear manual transmission on all four-cylinder models offers a broad gear ratio spread for optimum performance with low fuel consumption and emission levels.

Describing it as a ’van for all reasons’, Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles sales manager Fergus Conheady said that the new Vito’s lower emissions, reduced running costs, attractive good looks, latest technology and all-round workability will combine to make it one of the most competitive vans on the Irish market.

The show dates are 16th, 17th and 18th November at Earls Court in London. The Eco2 Transport show is a business event focusing on sustainable products within the business transport sector and operates as a market place for transport solutions to reduce emissions. Trakm8 are keen to demonstrate to fleet managers how their fleet management packages can reduce their carbon footprint in addition to cutting fleet costs.

This exhibition is particularly relevant to Trakm8 as they can directly monitor a fleet’s carbon emissions by using their intelligent technology. This technology utilises a link to the vehicle CANBus to show exact fuel usage (MPG) and ‘true’ carbon emissions, in addition to standard tracking and reporting facilities.

Trakm8’s vehicle connectivity technology also allows fleet managers to measure driver behaviour, another major element that can affect carbon emissions and cost. Gear usage, harsh acceleration, vehicle idling and braking can all be monitored and improved by driver education with the overall objective of reducing fuel consumption.

Effective route planning is a more obvious way of reducing CO2 emissions and costs. The Trakm8 fleet management system can view exactly where vehicles are using detailed aerial photography to enable businesses to plan effective routes.

Trakm8 will be demonstrating its full range of technology on stand and explaining to customers the various packages available and how they can be tailored to meet every fleet management, reporting and carbon measurement requirement.

Duncan has more than 24 years experience in the tyre industry in a variety of sales and management roles, including most recently working with Bridgestone on its pan European regional and national fleet accounts.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for me,” said Platt, “I’m really looking forward to the challenge of working across all the tyre brands but especially to working with customers to enhance their fuel savings with the benefits of Continental’s fantastic product range and services.”

As part of his new role, Duncan will be responsible for overseeing sales of the Continental, ContiRe, Semperit, Uniroyal and Barum brands in both the UK and Ireland as well as liaising with key account customers in both markets.

Arthur Gregg, Sales and Marketing Director – Commercial, welcomed Duncan on board and commented: “The General Sales Manager role is an extremely important one within the Commercial Vehicle Business Unit. Duncan’s previous experience and knowledge of the industry will be of great help to customers but also when coordinating with our Network Partners”.

Duncan is married with two children and currently lives in St Helens where he was born and raised. He is a keen sportsman and was previously a semi professional rugby player with Widnes and Oldham.

The stand design is inspired by the renowned scientist, inventor, artist and sculptor, Leonardo de Vinci – with the centre of the stand featuring a depiction of Vitruvian Man.

Staff across the 2,700 m2 stand will also be using the latest iPad technology to help convey information about Iveco’s extensive vehicle range to visitors from around the world.

The theme of the company’s stand will be “Driving innovation to reality” – a statement that signifies the fact that in recent years some of the most important technological innovations made by Iveco – such as electric vehicle and hybrid drive technology – have become commercially available. As a further testament to this, many of these vehicles now bear the livery of major Iveco customers who use them across Europe in a diverse array of applications.

The Iveco stand will be split into three sections: urban, medium & long distance and off-road. In the urban section four EcoDaily light commercials in different variants will be exhibited, including a zero-emission EcoDaily Electric van. Additionally, Irisbus, Iveco’s bus and coach division will be displaying a 12 metre series hybrid Citelis bus which uses a diesel engine to drive an electric generator working with batteries to drive the vehicle. This Citelis is capable of reducing emissions by up to 30 per cent and contributing significantly to improving air quality in cities.

The medium and long distance section will be devoted to the Stralis, Iveco’s flagship, which will be shown in multiple configurations to highlight its versatility. Taking pride of place on display will be a new enhanced productivity version of the Stralis, which will be enjoying its world premiere. It has been designed to make a major contribution to the sustainability of road transport and is technologically advanced – helping to optimise performance, reduce fuel consumption and cut CO2 emissions to a minimum.

Amongst the vehicles on show in the off-road area will be an example of the Trakker, which is popular in quarries and construction sites all over the world. It will be joined by the Light Multirole Vehicle (LMV), which Iveco has designed for tactical military applications and peacekeeping missions.

In keeping with the company’s theme “Driving Innovation to Reality”, and developed in collaboration with the Fiat Research Centre, Iveco will display the Iveco Glider, a technology platform which explores the boundaries of excellence in productivity and environmental impact.

Iveco will also be demonstrating its innovative Blue & Me Fleet system, which is built on a Fiat-Microsoft platform and developed in partnership with Qualcomm, global leader in web-based solutions for managing vehicle fleets.

A prominent place on the stand has also been reserved to highlight Iveco’s international sponsorship programmes and key customers: from Ferrari to the Fiat Yamaha Team and from Coca-Cola to the Italian Civil Protection service.

An external display area will see eight Iveco vehicles on show, including a fire appliance, equipped with a telescopic 32m turntable ladder, manufactured by Iveco Magirus, together with a natural-gas powered Stralis. Also being exhibited is an example of the Leoncino, a medium-range truck based on a Chinese vehicle platform. This vehicle carries the name of a famous truck produced from 1950 to 1968 by Officine Meccaniche OM of Brescia, which later became one of the founders of Iveco. The Leoncino will be sold from next year in overseas markets outside Europe.

The Irish Tyre Industry Association believes Environment Minister, John Gormley is set to introduce a new tax to fund scrap tyre waste disposal, and is canvassing support from interested stakeholders to fight  the tax.

IRHA president said: “Not for the first time Minister Gormley is demonstrating his inability to produce imaginative innovative solutions to environmental issues other than to further burden the already hard pressed, over taxed motorist” he added.

The ITIA has warned Environment Minister, John Gormley that any increase in tax would see hundreds of jobs lost to Northern Ireland as motorists from the Republic head north for their tyre requirements.

The warning is contained in a submission to the Minister, who is believed to be considering the tax increase as a way of financing the disposal of old tyres.

“At a time when everyone is under greater financial pressure, plans by Minister Gormley to further increase tax on tyres will inevitably lead to even higher prices for buyers, and that could lead to delays by drivers in replacing tyres that have reached the minimum tread depth for road safety,” commented Dave Naughton, President ITIA.

“Tyre dealers across the country are seeing at first hand how reluctant motorists are to change their tyres, and how sensitive a factor is price,” he added. “In this environment a further tax on tyres would be seriously misguided and can be considered as a tax on safety.”

According to the Association’s research, up to 60% of motorists now allow their tyres to wear below the legal tread depth limit of 1.6 mm before changing them. It warns that in the current climate any increase in the price of tyres will lead to further deferral of purchases, with potentially lethal consequences.

The Minister is believed to be considering this tyre tax following RTE’s Prime Time report dealing with the illegal stockpiling and illegal disposal of tyres by rogue waste tyre collectors.

However, the ITIA says the problem is to do with Government not providing the resources for enforcing the law against registered waste tyre collectors.

“As a result collectors are being allowed to stockpile tyres or dispose of them illegally. The tyre industry has absolutely no influence over this,” Naughton pointed out.

“All that is needed to resolve the problem is enforcement by the local authorities, not another ill-conceived expensive State–run alternative, which will face the very same issue as the current scheme, but at much greater cost to the customer and the industry.”

The ITIA contends that the proposal will cost the industry hundreds of jobs, as dealers will be able to avoid the disposal tax by simply importing tyres from Northern Ireland.

“This unnecessary scheme could see up to 1,000 jobs sacrificed to the North,” said Naughton.

Here in Ireland, almost 120,000 Transits have been sold and, down the years, they have played a significant part in this country’s economic development … covering more than five billion kilometres in the process.

The coming of the Transit coincided with T.K. Whittaker masterminding plans for Ireland’s economic expansion. Soon Transits were a familiar sight in building sites, town centres and burgeoning industrial estates. They were also an unwelcome sight for thousands of children, as countless school buses bore the Transit badge! 1,745 Transits were built in Cork at this time.

There have been five distinctive styles of Transits, the second of which came after 13 years. With it came more fuel-efficient OHC engines and a new automatic transmission. A new model in 1995 saw more developments, like new security features, three-point seatbelts with pre-tensioners and optional airbags.

The current Transit arrived in 2006, as the Celtic Tiger was in full roar, helping it to become one of the best-selling vehicles – car or van – on Irish roads. This latest model was voted International Van of the Year in 2006 by a panel of Europe’s most experienced commercial vehicle journalists. There are now over 140 configurations of the van available as standard.

The most recent version of this iconic vehicle is the new Transit ECOnetic which is based on the front wheel drive Transit T280 Van with short wheel base and 2.2-litre 115 PS Duratorq TDCi engine. As the “greenest” van on the road, the new Transit ECOnetic has target fuel economy of just 7.2 l/100 km (39.2 mpg), while average CO2 emissions are 189 g/km and best in class. The Transit ECOnetic is the first Ford commercial vehicle to offer Stage V emission standards in its segment.

The Transit has also won accolades from Irish motoring journalists. It was twice the winner of the Semperit Irish Van of the Year crown. The Transit stable also spawned the Transit Connect, a sub1-tonne sibling that took the International Van of the Year award by a record margin in 2003. The Transit family’s payload now stretched from 768 to 2,200kg (enough for two baby elephants!).

Almost every sizeable Irish company with a transport need must have used the Transit down the years. Eircom, An Post, Iarnroid Eireann, the Irish Army, the Health Boards and the Garda Siochana are just some of the household names which adorn the side panels of Transit vans.

And then there’s the countless one-man operators which are the mainstay of the Transit custom. The term “white van man” is often used negatively, but it does have some justification: over 90% of Transits are delivered in white, although other colours are gaining in popularity.

“Ford has delivered a number of motoring icons, but I don’t think any can compare with Transit,” comments Eddie Murphy, Chairman and Managing Director, Ford Ireland. “The Transit name is by far the most enduring on our books, and it’s a perennial best-seller in this country. Of course it’s not sentiment that keeps it at the top: it’s functionality, reliability and low running costs.”

Enhanced mileage and traction with greater damage protection are the main benefits. These tyres were launched at Bauma 2010, the world’s largest construction exhibition, in April.

Goodyear Omnitrac MSS II tyres are for steer axles and Omnitrac MSD II for drive axles and feature Omnitrac Max Technology. The new tyres have excellent damage resistance, good durability and consequently excellent retreadability. Advanced casing features give enhanced mileage performance, improved damage resistance in tough mixed service conditions, corrosion propagation resistance, less ‘growth’ and improved robustness. This means less risk of damage and better retreadability; in essence more reliability, less downtime and greater economy.

The Omnitrac MSD II drive tyres feature a wide tread for greater mileage, which improves the wear characteristics giving better self-cleaning. Mud traction is enhanced and road noise is reduced. The main benefit of the new design is 17% greater mileage potential than its predecessor, the MSD. Rolling resistance has also improved, which means lower fuel bills. This tyre is 20% quieter than the MSD. The Omnitrac MSD II fulfils future (2012) Noise and RR EU regulation 661 requirements.

Management at Finning, the world’s largest Caterpillar dealer, took over the running of the franchise, formerly held McCORMICK Macnaughton on Monday.

General Manager, Sean Madigan said all 69 jobs at the franchise are safe for the moment, and that the new management team was currently reviewing the business.

Finning has acquired assets from McCORMICK Macnaughton valued at €2.7 million, including equipment and specialist tools, but not the premises.

There were 2,760 trucks registered in the July, down 25.8% to 32,115 for the rolling year. For vans the total for the month was 17,309. This means a 0.1% rise to 204,514 for the rolling year.

Truck registrations for the month were up 9.1% against last July’s near record low. “The recovery in van registrations continues with truck figures also up,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. “Whilst the forecast for 2011 is more positive, the prospects for the rest of the year are gloomy and we expect a near record low for trucks.”

The fully electric 3.5 and 5.2 tonne models stand out for being designed, engineered and manufactured by Iveco, rather than aftermarket conversions or a bespoke offering from a small volume manufacturer. This means they benefit from a full Iveco warranty plus the support of Iveco’s worldwide dealer network.

The EcoDaily Electric marks the future of urban transport and is ideally suited to short-distance journeys and door-to-door deliveries in an urban environment. It qualifies for a 100 per cent discount from London’s Congestion Charge.

Martin Flach, Product Director of Iveco UK, says: “Iveco has invested heavily in alternative fuel technology since the mid-1990s. As a direct result, we offer the largest selection of low-carbon commercial vehicles available in Europe, with the EcoDaily Electric joining natural gas variants of our EcoDaily, Eurocargo and Stralis, together with an innovative hybrid Eurocargo.”

The EcoDaily Electric benefits from pure electric traction using a three-phase motor controlled through a DC/AC inverter to provide effortless driving and range-extending regenerative braking (in a similar way to the Formula 1 KERS system).

Power comes from advanced NaNiCl2 battery technology, which can be fully recharged in eight hours from any normal 32-amp 415-V three-phase socket. The power output is 30kW continuous (60kW peak) for 3.5 tonne models and 40kW continuous (80kW peak) for 5.2 tonne models, which is sufficient to pull away on gradients of up to 16 per cent when fully laden.

All drive components and batteries are housed either in the engine compartment or within the chassis side rails, ensuring there is no compromise in load space. This is made possible as EcoDaily Electric is designed, manufactured and sold by Iveco – which also brings further advantages regarding both planned and unplanned maintenance, as there is one supplier, one invoice and one warranty to manage.

Flach adds: “In terms of driver appeal it looks no different to a regular EcoDaily, whilst its electric motor provides instant access to maximum torque. This makes driving through town and city centres a breeze, not to mention a comfortable, quiet and eco-friendly experience.”

Every EcoDaily Electric features a dashboard display which provides the driver with relevant information such as the battery’s charge level, system voltage, temperature and traction current. Power is provided by Zebra Z5 traction batteries which are fully sealed and do not produce gaseous emissions or require maintenance. The batteries are also fully recyclable.

Real-life trials have shown the vehicles to have an effective range of between 55 and 80 miles, depending on the number of batteries specified and the vehicle’s application. Furthermore, EcoDaily Electric can be driven just like a conventional vehicle fitted with an automatic transmission, using a gear lever to select forward, neutral or reverse. Each vehicle has a maximum road speed electronically limited to 45 mph, although this can be set to a lower level to further improve the range.

Since its introduction, a lot has changed, including a huge increase in the number of vehicles on the road, an improved road network and big changes in driver and buyer behaviour.

SIMI is now questioning whether the system was still delivering as it might for all of the key stakeholders, Gardaí, Local Authorities, motorists and the Motor Industry as well.

Some 54 per cent of new cars are sold within the first quarter of the year, 70% in the first six months and there is no doubt that the registration system plays a big part in this.

Eddie Murphy said, “The issue of seasonality causes problems for a number of the key stakeholders and particularly for us in the Motor Industry. This all results in huge cost and staff pressures put on businesses in the first half of the year.”

Murphy acknowledged the positives in the current system and believes that we can hold on to these while seeking to implement some improvements.

“Our current system is easy to understand and is a big driver of sales; however, if there is a bad start to the year, it means that the State’s revenue will have no chance to recover, as sales in the second half are so low. It is a high-risk system.”

This seasonality of new car sales also has a knock-on effect on the NCT system. “The NCT testing system is also based on the date of first registration and suffers huge backlogs in the early part of the year with a very quiet final few months. There isn’t a quick fix solution but we need to open up the debate with all those involved to see if we can find a way to improve the system to benefit all of the key parties” he said.

The renewal will see Wincanton continue the petroleum distribution for Topaz Energy in the Republic of Ireland, further strengthening the long-established relationship that is now entering its 18th year.

Mark Peard, Operations Manager for Topaz noted: “We are very pleased to renew our relationship with Wincanton. They have continued to build and deliver a strong culture of health and safety and have demonstrated flexibility in their operational activities helping Topaz to deliver its message to its customers – “Topaz – that’s better.”

Neil McDonnell, Contracts Manager, Wincanton commented: “We are delighted to have secured a contract renewal with Topaz Energy, when the Irish petroleum market is experiencing such challenging conditions. In the continued partnership, we’re keen to demonstrate our dedication to obtaining best-in-class performance in key areas, such as health and safety, operational efficiency and continuous improvement.”

With 1,619 exhibitors it is the biggest of its type in Europe by far, with 190,000 square metres for indoor and 30,000 square metres for outdoor exhibits.

Some 730 of the exhibitors are German firms. Amongst the 889 foreign exhibitors, Turkey leads with 107, reflecting the strength of its growing automotive industry.

The UK is seventh in the 40-strong list of exhibitor nations. The 200 or so van, truck, trailer, bodybuilder and bus stands take up nearly 60 per cent of the exhibition space. If you plan to go to the show and need a hotel room, book soon before the rush.

Two of the new FL Narrow Track tankers were available for operators to view together with an FE 6×2 rear-steer tanker to full ADR spec. The latter was plated at 26 tonnes GVW. The 16 tonnes GVW FLs were loaned from Shell Gas and West Country fuel oil distributor, Tincknell Fuels.

Although the emphasis was firmly on the technical capabilities of the FL Narrow Track, the event also focused on Volvo’s ability to work in partnership with customers on a variety of issues. These include the use of Dynafleet telematics, Fuel Management Service consultancy and Volvo Service Point Online to reduce their fuel bills, monitor and manage maintenance costs and protect their ‘O’ Licences.

The Tincknells FL Narrow Track fuel oil tanker has a payload of 11,000 litres and Shell’s FL Narrow Track gas tanker carries approximately 6,200 kgs of LPG. These payloads, which mean the FL

Narrow Track may not have to reload as frequently as a 7.5 tonner, coupled to its suitability for operation in rural areas, demonstrate that it can be a viable alternative to the lower GVW truck.

The trailers are being used to transport adhesives between the UK and Belgium and the double-deck design allows over 60 pallets to be stored comfortably and enables certain fragile loads that are unsuitable for block stacking within a trailer to be carried two high.

The tri-axle trailers have been specified with front and rear lifting axles, which remain raised if the trailer is running below fully laden. Ordinarily, the trailers run on the single axle but built-in sensors prompt the front and/or rear axles to drop down as more weight is added. This feature ensures that the load is evenly distributed over the optimum number of axles and the equipment is compliant for both UK and European regulations when the trailers are on the road.

However, because the front and rear-lifting axles remain raised unless the weight of the load demands they are lowered, rolling resistance is dramatically reduced when lighter loads are in transit. As a result S&J European have noticed that they are making considerable fuel savings with the new trailers.

“Because we have seldom had to have all three axles down, rolling resistance has been minimised and we are achieving fuel efficiency of around 2 miles per gallon,” explains S&J’s transport manager, Mark Turner.

“This may not sound hugely significant but in monetary terms it means cost efficiencies of £65 per trip per vehicle. The trailers are working seven days a week so that’s a noteworthy saving,” he adds.

The trailers, which are fitted with Michelin’s X One MaxiTrailer tyres and finished in S&J European’s distinctive livery, have been built using Schmitz Cargobull’s patented weld-free bolted and galvanised production technique.

Women truck drivers are a rarity. For example, in Great Britain there are around 309,100 drivers of heavy trucks and less than one per cent of them are women, according to figures for 2008 produced by the independent organisation Skills for Logistics. In 2006, Britain had a shortage of 46,000 drivers and Skills for Logistics, which works in parallel with the transport industry, issued a widespread appeal in order to attract more drivers, both young people and women.

The situation looks similar across large parts of Europe and in Sweden, which often beats its chest on equality issues, the proportion of women drivers is still just four per cent.

“Truck driving requires professional skills and places great demands on the driver, but there is no practical reason why women should not drive heavy trucks,” says Liam Northfield of Britain’s Freight Transport Association (FTA)

There are a number of preconceptions about the driving profession that make women reluctant to come forward. One is that the profession involves long periods of time away from the family, although the fact is that international long-distance transport services are a small part of the transport cake. Less than three per cent of all freight is transported further than 500 kms (around 300 mls) and a massive two-thirds of goods travel less than 50 kms (30 mls) on Europe’s roads.

Another argument is that women quite simply do not have the physical requirements to make it in the driving profession, an argument which to a certain extent would have held water 30 years ago, when working in haulage was usually physically stressful for the driver. Today the situation is very different, as, for example, Swedish truck manufacturer Volvo Trucks has long focused on building vehicles that suit as many people as possible.

“Our vehicles should be able to be handled by both tall men and short women,” says Rikard Orell, Design Manager at Volvo Trucks. “A few years ago it was pointed out that the manual gearboxes were difficult to handle for shorter people; they had difficulty reaching the gear lever from the high seat. So we immediately changed that,” relates Rikard Orell.

Today these aspects are completely integrated in the design department’s thinking. Driving a truck today is not a tough job, he explains saying, “Our task is to create trucks that are as comfortable and functional as possible for the specific tasks for which they will be used. The driver should benefit, irrespective of whether it is a woman or a man behind the wheel.”

Even those aspects that are not directly connected to the actual driving process have become less physically strenuous. As Rikard continues, “Previously, loading and unloading was an unbelievably hard operation as, for example, heavy sacks of potatoes were loaded by hand. Today the whole logistics industry is so standardised. All packages are on pallets which are handled using electric pallet trucks, so it requires no strength.”

Technology and design are one thing, but the focus is also on making it easier for women to enter the driving profession. In order to target women directly Volvo Trucks in Sweden has been organising all-women events since 1999. One such event was held in September last year, when over 100 women were invited to Volvo in Gothenburg in order to have the chance to try truck driving and to listen to talks on the driving profession, trucks and the freight industry.

Susanne Frödin is Market Communications and PR Manager for Volvo Trucks in the Nordic region and the initiator of Women’s Day. She says, “We have too few women in the truck industry. Volvo Trucks would like the situation to be more balanced, making it more fun, more creative and contribute to the development of the driving profession.”

Rolf Wallin, Training Manager at Swedish logistics company BDX in Luleå, believes that women drive in a more environmentally-friendly manner, are fuel-efficient and are more cautious with vehicles. In spite of this BDX only have between five and ten women drivers in its 1,700-strong staff. Therefore, in conjunction with haulage interest group ‘Sveriges Åkeriföretag Norr’ and local upper secondary schools, they started the ‘Drivers on the Road’ project, which was all about attracting more young people, mainly girls, to the driving profession.

“The best way to succeed in attracting women to the driving profession is for women who already drive trucks to talk about what it’s like. And since there are so few women, we have a problem, so we must get this process underway,” he adds.

Dutch haulage company Oegema Transport hauls freight throughout Europe and undertakes domestic distribution assignments. Of around 240 employees only ten are women, but three of them drive on international routes.

“When we recruit drivers we choose those who suit the job best irrespective of whether they are women or not,” says Sibbele Oegema, CEO of Oegema Transport. “However, I would like to have more women drivers since they drive more cautiously and are more fuel-efficient. My main challenge for the future is to have a sufficient number of drivers to meet customer demand. The problem at the moment is that there are so few women entering the driving profession.”

The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) has decided that by 2013, all member associations must take the necessary measures, both at national and at company level, to recruit substantially more women to the transport industry than is the case today.

Brigitta Paas, Vice Chairperson of ETF and active in the organisation’s equal opportunities team, says, “I would like to see the EU’s Transport Commission do something so that the number of women drivers in the different countries is surveyed. So far, however, there is no organised register. I want to have hard figures for the number of women truck drivers on a European level in order to be able to put pressure on transport companies and politicians.”

“There is no rational reason why women should not be able to drive trucks,” says Lennart Pilskog, Director of Public Affairs at Volvo Trucks. “It is mainly about attitudes. The transport sector will increase again and when it does, the lack of drivers will once more become an issue for the industry. So it is even more important to be able to attract women to the profession.”

Goldhofer has launched a new flatbed semi-trailer for transporting wind power plant blades up to 62 metres long.

The new Goldhofer SPZ-P 3AAA is the first trailer to be designed to carry turbine blades still in their shipping frames, and has the capacity to extend from 20 to 62 metres.

Its deep extendable spine can take a 13-tonne load 10 metres from the front, which is where the frame’s front bolster supports the blade. The rear bolster can then be transported at the extreme rear of the trailer, with the blade extending 10 metres behind it. This increases manoeuvrability and reduces trailer length to 52 metres.

Ivan Collins, Sales Director of Andover Trailers, the sole UK distributor of Goldhofer heavy haulage equipment in the UK and Ireland, says the trailer is likely to be a big hit with wind farm manufacturers and specialist hauliers. The UK has more than 260 wind farms and almost 3,000 turbines – and wind power is its second largest source of renewable energy after biomass.

“No one’s seen anything as impressive as this over here,” says Collins. “Its length is astounding enough – let alone all its special features.”

The trailer’s three rows of pendular axles give a steering angle of 60°, and its hydraulic suspension has an axle stroke of 600 mm, meaning any stress is taken off the blade during off-road transportation.

It has a gross weight of 62 tonnes and a payload of 38.3 tonnes, with a deck height of 1 metre when laden. At a loaded height of approximately 4.3 metres, it can pass through tunnels and under bridges – including through the Elbe tunnel in Hamburg, which saves a long detour on certain continental routes.

Transportation of blades on the new trailer complies fully with all Vestas transport requirements.

Goldhofer is a global specialist in heavy haulage and special transportation, catering for the movement of everything from super-yachts to submarines as well as plant and materials for the mining, construction, chemical and power industries.

The 620 is the latest Euro 5 specification with Scanias High spec package, including new aerodynamic side skirts, Scania retarder, Durabrite alloys, rear mounted batteries with 1500 litres of fuel capacity.

The 500HP is a Topline International, which is also specified with Scania’s legendary retarder.

The deal was handled by Michael Treacy at Westward’s Retail Division in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.

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]]> http://www.hgvireland.com/08/05/new-scanias-for-iggy-madden-transport/feed/ 0 http://www.hgvireland.com/08/05/new-rear-view-camera-unveiled/ http://www.hgvireland.com/08/05/new-rear-view-camera-unveiled/#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 06:20:59 +0000 John Loughran http://www.hgvireland.com/?p=3202 Lighting specialist, Hella has partnered with Samsung Electro-Mechanics to produce a small, lightweight camera that can be installed in cars or trucks of any size.

The camera, dubbed the RVC3, can be installed in a vehicle’s tailgate or rear emblem.

The vehicle’s navigation screen displays a video image of the 130-degree view directly behind the rear bumper.

Among the factors dictating the exhibits is the Euro 6 emissions standard which prescribes European-wide uniform norms for truck emissions. In response to this challenge, this internationally operating automotive industry supplier’s five divisions are presenting new developments and innovative components for commercial vehicle engines.

KS Kolbenschmidt is premiering a number of new aluminum and steel materials specifically intended for commercial vehicles and to be used in the manufacture of high-duty aluminum and monobloc steel pistons. An important role in this context is being played by tier-one piston assemblies (Power Cylinder Units, PCUs). Sharing in the development of these systems or assemblies are the affiliates KS Aluminium-Technologie (cylinder working surfaces), KS Gleitlager (bearings), and the alliance partners Nippon Piston Rings (piston rings) and Metaldyne (connecting rods).

Among the products on show by KS Gleitlager is the new steel bushing for the rocker arms typical on truck engines. KS Aluminium-Technologie is presenting aluminum castings designed for sophisticated chassis and driveline components as well as transmission housings for “heavies.”

These products are in line with the low-consumption trend-in fact, over the past decades commercial vehicle fuel consumption has fallen by around 30 percent and the trend is continuing. Such a decrease is increasingly reflected in a sharp decline in CO2 emissions per t/km.

Among the suppliers contributing toward the cleaner vehicles has been Pierburg with its technologies. At the IAA CV Show, Pierburg is exhibiting its exhaust gas recirculation systems, a new mass flow sensor for the recirculated gases, and an all-new family of turbochargers. Pierburg Pump Technology is showing its variable coolant and oil pump specifically engineered for commercial vehicles.

The new transmission drives like an automatic transmission, but unlike a fully automatic torque converter transmission, it makes for lower consumption figures and therefore lower exhaust emissions.

The double-clutch transmission is an automated manual transmission. As with a fully automatic transmission it is a two-pedal system, there is an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal and a selector lever. The selector lever allows automatic or manual gearshift mode to be selected.

The M038S6 “Duonic transmission” has six forward gears and a reverse gear. The P-function ensures safe parking by preventing the vehicle from rolling away. “Duonic” features a non-wearing wet clutch, which lowers maintenance costs by eliminating the need to replace worn clutch discs.

A creep function has been added to the wet clutch, as is usual for automatic transmission with a torque converter. This enables the vehicle’s speed to be easily controlled when moving slowly – for example when manoeuvring or in stop-and-go traffic – and hill-starts are also made easier.

Thanks to its emission-free drive system, the Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL is ideally suitable for inner-city operations and for particularly environmentally sensitive areas. The Vito E-CELL operates with no emissions and almost silently, and imposes no restrictions on the operator in terms of load capacity and payload. Production of a small series of 100 Vito E-CELL vans has already commenced this year, and a further 2000 units are planned from 2011.

Deliveries to inner-city areas and pedestrian precincts, operations in areas with rigorous access restrictions, in-company transport in production shops, delivery access via underground car parks – the quiet, emission-free Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL with its purely battery-electric drive system is the perfect answer to the question of delivery operations in environmentally sensitive areas. Moreover, the Vito E-CELL is not only able to carry out its transport assignments in areas with high exhaust pollution, but also where there are noise restrictions protecting e.g. health resorts or in residential areas with night-time driving bans.

In response to the growing environmental burden in the densely populated areas of Europe and other regions of the world, the relevant authorities are increasingly introducing vehicle access restrictions in the form of environmental zones based on emissions or with time constraints. Emission-free vehicles with electric drive are usually exempted. Accordingly the Vito E-CELL is eminently suitable for environmentally sensitive areas, both in commercial and public service operations, and in many areas of the service sector including e.g. parcel and postal deliveries, maintenance work and for other service providers.

There are also numerous incentive schemes for the purchase of emission-free vehicles. These are available in many countries and take widely different forms, ranging from direct purchasing subsidies to significant reductions in toll charges or vehicle taxes and exemption from access restrictions.

The Vito E-CELL is also considerably less expensive to operate. A comparison between the current diesel price and the cost of electrical power shows a factor of four to seven. This means that for the same driving distance, a Vito powered by an internal combustion engine incurs four to seven times the costs of a Vito E-CELL recharged overnight with low-priced off-peak power.

The stand design is inspired by the renowned scientist, inventor, artist and sculptor, Leonardo de Vinci – with the centre of the stand featuring a depiction of Vitruvian Man.

Staff across the 2,700 m2 stand will also be using the latest iPad technology to help convey information about Iveco’s extensive vehicle range to visitors from around the world.

The theme of the company’s stand will be “Driving innovation to reality” – a statement that signifies the fact that in recent years some of the most important technological innovations made by Iveco – such as electric vehicle and hybrid drive technology – have become commercially available. As a further testament to this, many of these vehicles now bear the livery of major Iveco customers who use them across Europe in a diverse array of applications.

The Iveco stand will be split into three sections: urban, medium & long distance and off-road. In the urban section four EcoDaily light commercials in different variants will be exhibited, including a zero-emission EcoDaily Electric van. Additionally, Irisbus, Iveco’s bus and coach division will be displaying a 12 metre series hybrid Citelis bus which uses a diesel engine to drive an electric generator working with batteries to drive the vehicle. This Citelis is capable of reducing emissions by up to 30 per cent and contributing significantly to improving air quality in cities.

The medium and long distance section will be devoted to the Stralis, Iveco’s flagship, which will be shown in multiple configurations to highlight its versatility. Taking pride of place on display will be a new enhanced productivity version of the Stralis, which will be enjoying its world premiere. It has been designed to make a major contribution to the sustainability of road transport and is technologically advanced – helping to optimise performance, reduce fuel consumption and cut CO2 emissions to a minimum.

Amongst the vehicles on show in the off-road area will be an example of the Trakker, which is popular in quarries and construction sites all over the world. It will be joined by the Light Multirole Vehicle (LMV), which Iveco has designed for tactical military applications and peacekeeping missions.

In keeping with the company’s theme “Driving Innovation to Reality”, and developed in collaboration with the Fiat Research Centre, Iveco will display the Iveco Glider, a technology platform which explores the boundaries of excellence in productivity and environmental impact.

Iveco will also be demonstrating its innovative Blue & Me Fleet system, which is built on a Fiat-Microsoft platform and developed in partnership with Qualcomm, global leader in web-based solutions for managing vehicle fleets.

Richard Lee Compliant and Enforcement Manager of the DOE in Northern Ireland has recently accepted the use of a decelerometer for heavy goods inspection sheet brake testing.

Richard stateded: “I can confirm that a decelerometer may be adequate for checking brake efficiency on some vehicles especially if it

is linked to a printer and a record of the brake test can be recorded. This would be consistent with our Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness which has a section (5) detailing safety inspection and repair facilities.”

The DOE is now advising commercial vehicle operators, commercial repairers and in house workshops to complete regular inspection sheet brake test.

BrakeCheck will conduct a service, secondary and parking brake test with ease and store in its memory for later printing via PC or portable printer.