Actros 2551 - FSW (4)

Black Country haulier FSW Storage & Distribution has christened its new Actros tractor units with the names of three of the shire horses used by its founder 100 years ago.

The 2551 variants, with flat-floored BigSpace cabs and 12-speed Mercedes PowerShift automated manual transmissions have taken on the names Boxer, Goliath and Tommy Boy.

These horses were used by Thomas George Fuller to pull coal on carts during the 1920s.

Supplied by Midlands Truck & Van, the trucks are additionally fitted with Jost sliding fifth wheels and camera systems by SM UK Midlands, of Tamworth.

Parent company Fuller & Sons established the FSW brand in 2005 to serve the United Pallet Network, of which it is a shareholder member.

Current director Stuart Fuller – great-grandson of the founder – said: “They’ll start work early on a Monday and won’t go cold again until Saturday morning.

“FSW has been pretty much an all-Mercedes-Benz operation since we set it up 17 years ago.

“The Actros suits us perfectly. It’s proved to be highly reliable, while the servicing costs are also competitive.”