Downton truck

CM Downton has made a £4.5m investment in its fleet after a take-off in demand, purchasing 50 new tractor units and 60 curtainsided trailers.

The orders consist of 30 MAN TGX 6x2s, rated at 480hp; 20 Daf XFs, rated at 460hp; and 60 trailers from Tiger Trailers, featuring an over chassis beam floor and a load restraint system suitable for the movement of kegs, bottles and paper reels.

The fleet will be put into operation across its nationwide network. The tractor units will be delivered this month, with a further 120 trucks likely to be ordered in early 2015.

Finance director Richard Downton said: “Like many operators we’ve had to run lean during the recession, but demand has recently taken off at a surprising and remarkable rate. We are investing in this new fleet capacity to take advantage of these opportunities.

“The industry has faced some tough years, but we’re seeing significant improvements in the market and customers are looking for increased capacity across the board.”

CM Downton recently won a new contract with the plastics division of DS Smith.

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