We gathered insights from some key industry voices: Joby Clarke of Cobo Tankers & Services, Dave Stanley of Tankquip, Adrian Mason of Road Tankers Northern and Mark Skelton of Road Tankers Armagh.
Their responses highlight both common themes and differing experiences across the sector.
Challenges in 2024
The primary challenges faced by tanker manufacturers in 2024, varied depending on the company. Joby Clarke of Cobo Tankers & Services pointed out that rising costs in energy and labour significantly impacted pricing in 2024.
With some of the lead times for 2022 / 2023 contracts meaning these trucks were delivered in 2024, production costs had risen significantly in the interim – an increase that, depending on the nature of the agreement, could not always be passed on to customers. This has resulted in customers that are looking to place orders now experiencing notable price increases compared to orders that were fulfilled in 2024, but placed two to three years ago.
For Dave Stanley at Tankquip, the biggest hurdle was ensuring continuity in barrel supply, an issue they have now successfully resolved. Meanwhile, Adrian Mason at Road Tankers Northern noted that 2024 was largely a good year, with no major challenges aside from ongoing uncertainty in Europe, which affected parts pricing and made life difficult for the buying department.
Supply chain and parts availability
There was unanimous agreement that the supply chain has improved significantly compared to previous years. Joby noted that truck chassis lead times have come right down, with it now being possible to get one in approximately 12 weeks, though he did warn against customers becoming complacent in planning their replacements.
With some hesitant to commit, assuming that these shorter lead times can be matched, Joby cautioned that, as the months roll by, any new orders placed will be ‘on the road’ the wrong side of next winter.
Dave echoed the feedback around lead times, confirming that the supply of chassis and parts has improved greatly and that there are now no serious delays across the supply chain. Adrian also confirmed an overall improvement, with no major shortages affecting their production.
Lead times for new tankers
Lead times appear to vary depending on the approach of the manufacturer. Joby mentioned that Cobo has some availability for builds this year and is still able to get some ready for pre-Christmas delivery.
Dave highlighted the benefits of Tankquip’s stock build programme that allows them to deliver within 6-9 months, and sometimes even sooner if stock units don’t sell too quickly. Adrian shared that while they have limited availability for the end of the year, they are constructing a number of stock 26-tonne DAF XD models that should be ready for the winter period.
Advice for distributors looking to order
A common piece of advice from all manufacturers was to place orders early. Joby emphasised the need for customers to act now if they want deliveries in time for winter, saying that they need to “get orders placed quickly”. Dave agrees that planning ahead is essential in tanker orders and highlighted Tankquip’s competitive pricing, noting availability of 12, 18, and 26-tonne units towards the end of the year. Adrian also advised distributors to act now urging them to “get in touch early to avoid disappointment”.
Order books and future demand
The demand outlook appears strong across the board. Joby spoke appreciatively of Cobo’s solid customer base with many firm orders in place for next year, as distributors plan their businesses ahead. Dave acknowledged that while Tankquip is a smaller operation, they have enough business to keep them going. Adrian confirmed that, with ongoing steady demand, Road Tankers Northern has only limited availability towards the end of the year.
Staff recruitment
Recruitment remains a mixed issue. Adrian noted that finding skilled fabricators and fitters is becoming increasingly difficult and remains a real challenge to the industry. Dave has a different perspective on staffing matters, humorously stating that Tankquip has no direct staff, instead relying on a trusted network of suppliers and suggesting that he only has to give himself a stern talking to from time to time!
Developments in tanker building
There have been some notable advancements in tanker manufacturing this year. Dave mentioned Tankquip’s work on sophisticated waste oil tanks that the company was extremely proud of. Adrian shared that Road Tankers Northern is introducing a new barrel with an improved mounting system from September onwards, which will eventually become their standard design.
2024 highlights
Each respondent had different highlights for 2024. Joby enjoyed reconnecting with industry colleagues at UKIFDA EXPO in Liverpool as well as on the annual Cobo distributor trip to Spain. Dave’s wry humour kicked in when he suggested humorously that simply making it to Christmas was a highlight for him! Adrian was particularly proud of winning Tanker of the Year, a significant achievement in the industry and an award he described as “the highlight for any manufacturer”.
Hopes for 2025 and beyond
Looking ahead, Joby hopes for economic stability, which would allow businesses to plan investments with greater confidence. After the challenges of 2024, Dave is simply hoping for a less bumpy ride through 2025, with more consistent and regular turnarounds. Adrian is looking forward to bringing more innovation to the industry with RTN aspiring to continue to be the best at what they do.
Customer view
To gain further insight, we spoke with Mark Skelton from Road Tankers Armagh (RTA) and various distributor customers to understand what they value most from their tanker manufacturers.
Mark emphasised the importance of a full-package purchase, which avoids the need for customers to get involved in chassis ordering or technical specifications, minimising hassle. Additionally, customers appreciate taking delivery direct to their yard of a fully tested, decaled, registered tanker, ready to operate, reducing downtime.
RTA is known for its customer communication, keeping clients informed throughout the build process – a factor highly valued by those experiencing it for the first time. Richard Connon of Connon Brothers Scotland shared how previous uncertainty over lead times and delivery dates had frustrated him, but with RTA and Norscot DAF, he was kept informed throughout every stage – an experience he described as a pleasure, saying: “When the tanker arrived, it was tested, calibrated, and ready for the road – a full 5-star experience.”
With a new tanker representing a significant investment, John Hughes of Klass Oil highlighted the importance of attention to detail, stating, “I always know that the finished product is second to none, right down to the finer details.”
Equipment availability and support also ranks highly on the list of customer wants with customers favouring different systems but with the same demands for quality, technical support and peace of mind.
“I have always chosen Emco as my metering system,” John shares. “The drivers find it so easy to use and from my point of view it certainly is the system to fit and forget in terms of problems. “There is nothing that Tom Cunnigham doesn’t know about metering systems, so having this peace of mind in the background is vital to Klass Oils choice of metering system.
Richard shares how they have always run with Alpeco on their tankers suggesting that “fitting the new TEX system was a no brainer”. With very positive feedback from the drivers, Richard suggests it is “the best Alpeco metering system to date.”
Simon Cullen of AA Oils is a fan of the MechTronic Optimate metering system, a choice again largely driven by driver feedback. “We find that this works very well for us, the drivers love it and MechTronic are always on hand any time for technical info. They are always looking to update and improve the system which is very good for us as a customer.”
Mark further explained RTA’s customer-focused approach, sharing: “Customers have multiple meetings with us to tailor specifications to their needs. All our builds are scheduled from the outset and throughout this process, the customer is kept up-to-date with a live build matrix showing them every stage of their build. Regular calls and online meetings ensure there are no surprises at final delivery and the customer gets exactly what they have ordered.”
Reliable delivery scheduling is a crucial aspect for distributors, allowing them to plan for tanker replacements or new driver assignments as Mark noted: “This is an important and costly part of any business that needs careful planning to optimise the process.
“Ensuring customers receive their tankers as scheduled helps them plan efficiently, reducing costly downtime.”
Conclusion
The UK and Ireland fuel tanker manufacturing market in 2024 has seen significant improvements in supply chain reliability and strong demand, but challenges persist in pricing, recruitment, and economic uncertainty.
While each manufacturer has had a unique experience of 2024, the shared sentiment is that early ordering and forward planning remain crucial for distributors, while customers highlight the importance of transparency, reliability, and comprehensive service offerings.
The ability to provide a seamless, fully equipped, and tested tanker upon delivery is a significant differentiator, with customer feedback underscoring the value of clear communication and dependable lead times.
As the market moves forward into 2025, manufacturers hope for economic stability and smoother operations. With continued innovation, resilience and adaptation, the industry is perfectly poised to navigate the challenges and opportunities that 2025, and beyond, will bring and continue to meet customer needs effectively.
Image supplied by Slicker Recycling
