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Fuel Oil News Tanker of the Year 2023: entries of note

In a year of standout entries with every submission sharing a tanker that has made a real difference to the distributor, here are some further highlights worthy of note.

Fuel Oil News Tanker of the Year 2023: entries of note

Barton Petroleum – entry 2 – must have technology

A Cobo built 26t DAF 6-Wheeler with a rear steer axle to access those hard-to-reach drops that a traditional double drive 6-wheeler just can’t reach.

As this vehicle delivers into London, we have equipped it with the very latest in camera technology to comply with the revised TFL Direct Vision standards which come into effect in October 2024. This includes AI technology to distinguish between static objects and Vulnerable Road Users for the ultimate in safety.

A future-proofed tanker equipped with vital technology.

Cotswold Petroleum

A Cobo built 26t DAF 6-Wheeler. Similarly to Barton, Cotswold Petroleum have used images from the local area for its livery on its latest tanker. This one has the gorgeous Cotswold village of Lower Slaughter which sits on the River Eye.

“Our tankers are a regular feature delivering oil there and we are very excited to show this tanker off in the village.

A great nod to serving the community.

Craggs – eye-catching graphics

A Scania Super 500R 2023 Magyar with 6 pots of 7000l giving a total capacity of 42,000l

Top and Bottom Loading with Emco Gardener Denver BLVR.

Eye-catching graphics

“On one side we have Stoodley Pike which is visible from our head office in Hebden Bridge and dominates the landscape of the upper Calder Valley. On the other side we have Pendle Hill which is visible from our Lancashire depot at Padiham.

“It was important to us to represent significant landmarks which showcase both our Yorkshire and Lancashire bases.”

A nice touch from Craggs that reflects the distributor’s passion for the area it serves.

Heltor – designed to excel as an ideal tanker for an idyllic location

An IVECO Daily 7.5t chassis carries an aluminium tanker built for Heltor by Magyar with the 4500l, 2-compartment tank mounted on a subframe for better tank strength.

“Going down the narrow country lanes of Devon and Cornwall can be daunting at most times. If you have taken a holiday in a cottage in that idyllic area and have driven down the lanes to these picture postcard villages, you notice your wing mirrors are touching the hedge rows and the grass is growing up the centre of the lane… Now, think of the poor tanker driver that also has to negotiate these lanes to deliver fuel to those “idyllic” cottages that you stay in; it is tough driving in the car but even tougher with a tanker of fuel!

“So, to make these deliveries in a truck that can weave its way through the gentle narrow lanes and rolling hills – here is the answer!

The IVECO Daily 7.5t chassis is narrow in all the right places to get to those hidden holiday gems. Mounted on the chassis is the tried and trusted Magyar aluminium tanker. The 4500l, 2-compartment tank is mounted on a subframe for better tank strength.

The metering system and BLVR is the Emco DATA PLUS 2. The pump is the Alfons Haar 2” which fits neatly into the chassis. The tank is painted in NEXA autocolour and is done when the tank is off the chassis for better coverage underneath.

All pneumatic pipework is colour coded and numbered both ends for ease of maintenance. Air to operate the system is provided via a small electric 12v compressor that has proved itself over many years. The latest SCULLY connect system is used for the HLCO.

The Collins Youldon reel is the narrow specification to allow the overall tank length to be kept to a minimum and fitted with a 200’ x 1.3/8” Trelborge hose.

ADR adaptation was undertaken by TANKTEC at its workshops in Avonmouth.

A cleverly designed build where the intended usage of the tanker has been considered at every stage, making it an invaluable addition to this rural distributor’s fleet.

Rix Petroleum – build innovation delivers improved reliability and performance

A Cobo-built, rigid body tanker with a 20,000l capacity on a DAF XD chassis.

All Cobo tankers are designed with the latest, high-quality aluminium alloys, (AL 5186 111 – Xtral, Alus-tar, and Elongal) and are manufactured through a production line utilising robotic welding technology and Cobo patented extruded profiles.

With Cobo’s patented chassis section used as a subframe stiffening up the truck chassis, the tanker is manufactured with this as its core design. The chassis has unique sliding bolts to allow the fitment of sub-assemblies quickly and cost-effectively. This also means assemblies are standardised and, in the event of an accident and where a replacement is necessary, stock items can easily be obtained and fitted.

Innovating tanker design

The introduction of a new 6m seam welder for sheet aluminium changes the design of the main tanker barrel which is now manufactured out of three pieces of aluminium sheet rolled into a tube and not the six pieces needed when 4x2m sheet was the standard. This removes potential weak points by removing a circumferential weld and six welding Ts.

The other major improvement has been the design and manufacture of a dished end/baffle machine that presses the aluminium over a steel jig and then uses high-pressure water to deform the aluminium gently. The overriding design improvement in this is that every one of these is identical and fits inside the tube that has been manufactured in the process above.

Cobo tankers use ‘one-piece’ aluminium pipework and no welded joints for improved reliability and flow, reduced weight, and less corrosion.

Rix Petroleum’s Managing Director, Duncan Lambert, commented: “As a business, we currently run over 100 tankers across the country from our various locations.

“When we received Cobo’s tankers, we were so impressed with the quality, performance, and onboard features that we placed an order for a further five more rigid tankers – due for delivery early next year. We’re very excited to include them in our fleet and look forward to receiving more in the new year.”

Exciting to see inspirational build innovation.

WP Group – investing in equipment to meet the demands of the changing fuel landscape.

A 32T Scania XT tanker with a capacity of 25,000l and 5 compartments.

WP Group commissioned Just Tankers to construct a tanker capable of carrying full loads for bulk deliveries. The result is a 32T Scania XT tanker with a capacity of 25,000l and 5 compartments.

Equipped with a MechTronic OptiMate 800 metered hose and bulk facility, the tanker features a fully automated compartment follow-on functionality that enables the driver to set OptiMate to empty each compartment in turn, without leaving the delivery point. It also comes with Smart Product Grade Indicators (SPGI), and PRC3 Blue remote control with start/stop, hi/low flow, litre repeater, and hose rewind function to meet WP’s requirements.

With climate change a pressing concern, WP Group are delivering multiple fuel grades, including AdBlue and HVO, to a wide range of customers. OptiMate helps to achieve this with ease. The system has been programmed to automatically perform a line change when delivering a new product, such as HVO, eliminating the need for the driver to manually calculate a line change.

This procedure proves particularly beneficial when carrying mixed fuel loads, as drivers can continue with their deliveries safe in the knowledge that they are delivering clean fuel to customers.

Adapting for fuel evolution

Paul Kyte, Operations Manager at WP Group said: “The fuel distribution landscape is changing, and we recognise that, as a supplier of diesel products in today’s market, requires continual business evolution.

“Our customers are demanding cleaner fuels such as HVO and OptiMate helps us to meet our customer’s demands and deliver on our environmental objectives.”

Enabling customers to switch to future fuels with ease makes this a highlight for us!