The AS440S50TX/P is the third Stralis to join the company’s fleet, which operates from its UK headquarters in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear.  It increases TWP Packaging’s total commercial vehicle fleet to six and this has been supplied on a three year contract hire agreement from Iveco Finance, supported by a CostCare repair and maintenance agreement which will see the vehicle serviced at NETV’s northernmost dealership in Blaydon.

“The new Stralis will be on the road five days a week and is expected to clock-up between 120,000 and 150,000 km a year, collecting raw materials from Hull docks and transporting finished pallets nationwide,” says Anthony Howe, Operations Director.  “We placed this order with NETV as they have supplied us with all of our commercial vehicle requirements since 2006, and the equipment and services have proven very reliable.

“The new truck benefits from Iveco’s new flagship long-distance AS Super³ cab and has been specified with a more powerful 500 hp engine, which we expect to deliver cost savings through improved fuel consumption,” he adds.

The new Stralis is certified to stringent Euro 5 emissions standards and is fitted with the latest on-board diagnostics equipment (OBD2), combined with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology.  This ensures it meets the requirements for the Reduced Pollution Certificate (RPC) and entitles TWP Packaging to benefit from a reduction in Vehicle Excise Duty of £500 per year.

With a 28 year history in the manufacture of pallets, the successful growth of its new packing case product, and expansion in China, it was inevitable that the company should undergo a complete re-branding from Tyne & Wear Pallets to TWP Packaging Ltd.  The change in November 2007 fully reflected the growing international stature of the company. The full scope of TWP can be seen through its web-site www.twp-packaging.com