THE Ipswich-based UK arm of international grain merchant Nidera has invested in five new Actros 2545 trucks, supplied by regional Mercedes Benz commercial vehicle dealership Orwell Truck & Van.

The new vehicles, paired with bulk tipping trailers, feature fuel-efficient 450hp engines and Mercedes’ latest 12-speed automated transmission, and will be inspected by Orwell under seven-year repair and maintenance contracts.

Nidera UK runs a fleet of 44 tractor units, most of them made by Mercedes Benz, and has six more new Actros units on order for delivery in the new year.

Tim Capey, the company’s general manager for industrial operations, said: “We’ve heard a lot of good things about New Actros, particularly in terms of fuel consumption.

“Mercedes-Benz was talking at launch about an improvement in economy of up to 7%. Given the fact that the previous Actros is itself a highly fuel-efficient vehicle, if the new model comes even close to that figure then it’s an easy decision.”

He added: “They’ve only been on the road for a few weeks so it’s too early yet to comment on the mpg returns, but we’re certainly very pleased with our New Actros.

“They look fantastic and the drivers, who typically spend two or three nights away each week, are delighted with their comfortable cabs and beds, as well as the smooth performance of the trucks.”

Nidera’s new Actros cabs also equipped with the Daimler FleetBoard telematics system, which analyses driver performance against a range of criteria, including over revving, harsh braking, idling and speeding, highlights areas in which improvements can be made.

Nidera has also retro-fitted all of its other trucks with FleetBoard hardware within the last year and calculates that as a direct result of the data produced, and the targeted training it has then delivered to address driving style issues, it has achieved a 17% saving in fuel costs.

“We purchased our first Mercedes-Benz trucks about 12 years ago,” said Mr Capey, “and since then Orwell Truck & Van has steadily been increasing its share of our fleet.

“We have a very close working relationship with the dealer and as well as the Ipswich workshop also rely on the service teams at its Colchester and Newmarket depots for after sales support.”