Ryder partners with Howdens to replace entire fleet
12th March 2015
Ryder has secured one of its largest deals to date for Euro 6 tractor units by supplying 100 DAF CFs to Howdens Joinery, the leading supplier of kitchens in the UK.
The deal for 75 CF460 6x2s and 25 CF440 4x2s is part of a total fleet upgrade programme whereby Howdens will replace its existing inter-depot fleet with contract hire vehicles from Ryder. The new DAFs all have space cabs and feature high tech specifications including lane departure systems; adaptive cruise control; forward facing cameras and the latest version of Microlise telematics.
The 100 new tractor units will operate across Howdens Yorkshire and Northampton distribution hubs and its four regional transportation hubs, delivering to nearly 600 trade depots.
As a customer focused business we take our environmental and safety responsibilities very seriously, comments Charlie Nissen, Howdens national transport manager, so specifying Euro 6 and numerous safety features was a logical business decision.
We had previously carried out our own evaluation of various makes and models and concluded that the total life cost of operating the DAF CF was not only the lowest, but that it also offered the best value proposition for our business. In addition the CFs mpg figure was an improvement on the existing fleet and it scored highly in our own driver satisfaction survey.
Because our own service levels and expectations are high we are very demanding in what we want in a contract. So we found that being associated with one of the biggest national suppliers in the truck contract hire market will provide us with the high service levels that are critical to the continued success and expansion of our business.
Robin White, sales and marketing director at Ryder, concludes: As a result of this new deal Howdens now has the most modern and high tech fleet in its sector and one which will provide significant operating efficiencies and brand image benefits. We look forward to a long and healthy working partnership with Howdens and helping the company continue to grow and expand.