Glencoe Plant Services takes first Mercedes-Benz Econic skiploader

Construction services company Glencoe Plant Services has put its first skiploader on the road, which is based on a low-entry Mercedes-Benz Econic, chosen for its five-star Direct Vision credentials. An Econic 1830L, the truck is powered by a high-torque, 7.7-litre in-line six-cylinder engine which generates 299hp and drives through a fuel-efficient, 12-speed Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated manual transmission. It is fitted with Hyva skiploading gear.

The fully air-suspended Econic comes with Active Brake Assist 4 emergency braking technology which incorporates a pedestrian recognition capability. The truck was awarded a five-star Direct Vision rating by Transport for London, thanks to its deep, panoramic windscreen, and full-height, glazed folding side door. A seating position that is much lower than that of a conventional truck also allows the driver to make direct eye contact with cyclists and pedestrians at junctions or in traffic queues.

Glencoe Plant Services’ new 18-tonner was supplied by S & B Commercials and is being inspected and maintained under a five-year Mercedes-Benz Complete Service Contract at the dealer’s workshop in Welham Green, Hertfordshire. Part of the Masterson Holdings Group, a family owned and managed construction business with a turnover of some GBP140 million, Glencoe Plant Services works from premises in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire. Glencoe Plant Services runs a fleet of a dozen other trucks, most of them eight-wheeled tippers and six-wheelers with cranes.

However, the two 26-tonners it has purchased in the past couple of years from truck-mounted concrete pump specialist Schwing, are also by Mercedes-Benz. The company provides plant and equipment to two fellow members of the Masterson Holdings group: carpentry and joinery business Atlantic, and Getjar, which specialises in groundworks and reinforced concrete frames. Both work predominantly in London and the Home Counties.

Damian Kilcoyne, plant manager at Glencoe Plant Services, explained the purchase: “Having previously put the skip work out to sub-contractors, we saw an opportunity to gain more control and increase efficiency by purchasing our own vehicle for collecting construction waste material from sites and taking it to recycling centres. “Given that this truck will spend so much of its time in and around London, an Econic was the obvious choice. Safety and compliance were our top priorities and having driven and learned about the vehicle at an event hosted by the manufacturer we were confident the low-entry Mercedes-Benz represented the best way forward.

“The great all-round visibility offered by the Econic’s cab can only help to make the roads safer for vulnerable road users. The fact that our driver can see so much more means that time spent at the wheel is less stressful for him, while the vehicle’s low height and easy cross-cab access also enhances health and safety because he can always choose the best side from which to exit. “Safety was the key driver behind our decision to purchase a Mercedes-Benz on this occasion, but we’ll also be looking to the Econic to provide the reliability we need to support our ‘sister’ businesses, as well as competitive running costs.”

Like all new Econics supplied through the manufacturer’s UK Dealer Network the latest addition to the Glencoe Plant Services fleet is backed by a three-year/160,000 km manufacturer’s warranty.

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