Following its acquisition of Browns Chilled Distribution in September, Newmarket, Suffolk-based Turners (Soham) has started taking delivery of 50 new Mercedes-Benz Actros tractive units as part of a replacement programme for the Browns fleet.

The trucks, which are all 6x2s, will be based at Browns’ Bicker  site, near Spalding, and will operate at maximum GVW on a mix of regional and national work, said Turners’ group fleet engineer Tim King.

Around 20 of the new trucks are already on the road; the rest will be delivered before the end of January. All are fitted with an Isotrak telematics system and are expected to do about 180,000km a year, said King.

King said the remaining 70 or so Browns trucks would also be replaced soon - probably during the first half of 2013.

Eight further Actros are on order for Turners’ own fleet at Newmarket.  All 58 vehicles are being supplied by Ipswich Mercedes-Benz dealer Orwell Truck & Van.