The trucks will initially work in the company’s heartland of Hull and East Yorkshire, delivering agricultural and commercial fuels to farms and businesses across the region, and domestic heating oil to households. Over time, however, some will be dispatched to the company’s other 15 depots across the UK, either to extend the fleet in those areas or to replace older tankers.
The trucks are due for delivery in March this year but, as Rix Petroleum Managing Director Duncan Lambert explains, they are set for a long journey first as, despite being made in the UK, the tankers are being fitted out with the latest technology in Santander, Spain, by family company Cobo.
Duncan explained: “Essentially, we buy the chassis from DAF, and these are then loaded on to a boat and shipped to Spain where they are made into Rix trucks by Cobo.
“Cobo put the tanker onto the chassis then install up-to-date metering systems, eight CCTV cameras around the vehicle, and a computer system that directly communicates with our delivery software. The tankers are also branded up with our colours while they are there. Once this is all completed, they’re put back on a boat to be shipped to the UK and arrive in Immingham, which is where we pick them up.”
Shared values
Explaining why they chose the Spanish company to equip the tankers, Duncan highlighted Cobo’s “passion for quality and delivery lead times”.
“We went to visit the factory and were very impressed,” he said. “Cobo live and breathe tankers. They’re also a family business, as is Rix, so understand our values and commitment to deliver on time, every time.”
The tankers have a capacity of 18,600 litres over five compartments, meaning they can carry a range of different fuels in a single load and Duncan is confident the investment will help futureproof Rix’s fuel delivery business: “This move will ensure our fleet continues to be able to meet the challenges of efficient fuel delivery, enabling us to keep our customers’ businesses moving and their houses warm.
“We now have more than 100 tankers working across the country, which support the ongoing growth of the business on a national scale.”
The photo shows a new Rix Petroleum tanker being prepared by Spanish company Cobo.