Hermes UK has bolstered its fleet with 54 Euro-6 DAF models from hire firm Ryder and renewed a three-year tyre-management contract with Michelin Solutions.
Supplied on a contract hire basis, the new trucks include 30 DAF CF tractor units, of which 20 are fleet additions and 10 are replacements. Completing the deal are 24 DAF LF 12-tonne rigids directly replacing fleet 7.5-tonners.
Rob Elmore, Hermes’ Fleet Services Manager, said, “We handle more than 200 million collections and deliveries per annum, via our network of 9,000 couriers, so it is essential that this operation has the resources in place to meet the precise needs of our retail customers.”
Hermes’ renewed deal with Michelin Solutions follows a 12% reduction in fuel costs during the past three years. It will cover the entire Hermes UK fleet of 190 tractor units, 368 rigid trucks and 760 trailers.
Claire Phelan, Head of Procurement for Hermes UK, said: “Michelin Solutions has provided us with a tyre policy that, in conjunction with our other investments in more fuel-efficient trucks and aerodynamic trailers, has helped to optimise the operation of our fleet. This has led to a double-digit fuel saving over the past three years, saving nearly 1,000,000 litres of diesel.”
Hermes is looking to specify all of its new vehicles with Michelin tyres, the majority of which will come from the X Line Energy range designed to improve rolling resistance and fuel consumption. Tyre re-grooving, re-treading and replacement will be carried out by ATS Euromaster and Michelin certified centres.
