DS Smith Logistics turns to Volvo for fleet upgrade

DS Smith Logistics has taken delivery of 61 new Volvo FM 460 Globetrotter 6×2 tractor units as part of a major fleet renewal programme.

Volvo Trucks secured the order from the paper, packaging and recycling business on the back of the strong performance of a demonstrator that highlighted the reliability, fuel economy and payload potential of the FM.

The new FMs, paired with curtainsider trailers, will be used to take paper reels from the DS Smith Kemsley Paper Mill to customers across the UK. The trucks then bring bailed fibre into the mill, which is recycled back into paper reels. It’s a 24/7 operation which will see the FMs double-shifted and clock-up in the region of 130,000 miles annually.

Each tractor unit is powered by a D13k Step E engine, producing 460hp and a maximum torque figure of 2,300Nm. These are paired with Volvo’s 12-speed I-Shift automated gearbox technology and I-See predictive cruise control, which ensures further sustainability and operational efficiency gains through perfectly timed gearshifts and active speed management. To maximise that fuel economy potential all the new trucks are fitted with A-rated Michelin X Line Energy tyres.

To boost safety, the trucks are supplied with multiple cameras which can be viewed through the driver’s nine-inch side display, plus an added lower window in the passenger door to help meet the 3-star Direct Vision Standard (DVS) rating for working in central London.