Ford

Ford commanded the spotlight at the Commercial Vehicle Show last month, with the unveiling of its compact Transit Courier, which enabled it to display its full new line-up of LCVs for the first time.
The Courier was joined on the Blue Oval stand at Birmingham’s NEC by production versions of the Transit Connect and two-tonne Transit, which go on sale late this year and early 2014 respectively, as well as the Transit Custom, which it revealed in 2012 but which also appeared in high-roof guise (giving it a load volume of 8.3m3) for the first time as well as in Econetic and Sport Van modes.
The Courier, the new baby in the panel van family, arrives in showrooms in 2014. The powertrains on offer will be two diesels – a 75hp 1.5 and a 90hp 1.6 – and Ford’s 1.0-litre petrol Ecoboost engine. It has a payload capacity of 660kg and a load volume of 2.3m3 and features overhead and under-seat stowage as well as the Ford Sync communication package and a rear view reversing camera as standard. The Courier gives Ford a model to compete in the compact van sector against the Peugeot Bipper, Citroen Nemo and Fiat Fiorino.
Visitors to the Ford stand were also able to run the rule over the new 1.5-litre, 87g/km Fiesta Van as well as the Ranger pick-up, which Ford first showcased at the NEC event in 2011.
Phil Hollins, Ford of Britain’s new fleet director, pointed out that the Transit is the brand’s third biggest-selling model line after the Fiesta and Focus passenger cars. Ford aims to sell 400,000 Transit-badged vans a year in Europe by 2016 – an increase of 66% on 2012.

Nissan

The secretary of state for transport, Patrick McLoughlin, pictured below with Nissan’s GB fleet and LCV boss Jon Pollock, attended the opening day of this year’s CV Show, holding a round-table discussion with industry bodies and touring the event, including a visit to Nissan’s stand where he took in the new electric e-NV200 model.
During the round-table, alternative fuels, road safety and capital allowances were among the issues covered.
Nissan gave a UK debut to the electric version of its NV200 light van. One version was decked out in British Gas livery to mark the end of the utilities giant’s month-long testing programme of the e-NV200 with a view to adding it to its 13,000-vehicle LCV fleet within two years.
The vehicle will be added to Nissan’s line-up next March, and Nissan’s European fleet and LCV boss Jordi Vila Onses described the vehicle as “a key pillar on Nissan’s strategy of growth, both in the CV market and for Nissan Europe where we are trying to double our volume by 2015”.
Regarding the demo programme with the development vehicles, Vila Onses said: “Given this is a new type of vehicle, it is a way to ensure we incorporate the feedback of users into the vehicle’s final development.”
“The vehicle is not for everyone, we need to understand what is the optimal application and then target certain customers,” he continued. “And it’s very important to explain to the driver how differently you have to drive the vehicle versus a conventional engine.

Trucksmith and VFS

Obtaining as much cargo space as they can without having to venture over the 3.5-tonne barrier and become enmeshed in a tightly-drawn net of tough regulations is a key consideration for many operators.
They're the customers that Cullompton, Devon-based body builder Trucksmith is targeting with the 3.5-tonne Fiat Ducato platform-cab based Canniloader, an external exhibit at this year's British Commercial Vehicle Show.
Offering up to 24.4m3 of space depending on the version selected, Canniloader can handle a gross payload capacity of up to 1,200kg. Rear loading height is a modest 550mm, falling to 450mm if you want rear air-suspension, and an air-management system is fitted.
Present inside the show on the Fiat Professional standard was the new Ducato tipper. Using a medium-wheelbase 3.5-tonne chassis, it is a conversion developed in conjunction with VFS.
Equipped with sides and a tailboard made from anodised aluminium, the body can be fitted to both single- and double-cab models. Maximum gross payload is 1335kg and the tipping action comes courtesy of an under-floor multi-stage hydraulic ram with chromium-plated cylinders.

Sector focus: Shelves and racking

European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval is a concern for businesses that specialise in installing van load area racking systems, although as it turns out the rules will not be quite as onerous for them as was originally anticipated.
Companies in the sector that were present at the show included Bri-Stor, which was promoting its new steel hardtops for pick-up load areas, featuring gull-wing side doors.
Sortimo was displaying a racked-out Transit Custom (below) with a carrying case for parts concealed in a stowage area beneath the passenger seat, which is accessible from the load area as well as from the cab.
Conversion specialist Tevo launched a lightweight steel racking system at the show, which is fully compatible with its current ranges. It said the structure retains the strength of previous racking while reducing weight to increase payload capacity, improve consumption and cut CO2.

Fiat Professional

Fiat Professional is constructing ambitious long-term growth plans that will initially be driven by a push into more conversions and niche applications as well as improving the dealer network.
The firm has appointed new dealers in areas including Norwich, Sheffield, the West Country and Oldham as it revamps the network, with the aim of an even split between passenger car and heavy truck specialists taking on the Italian LCV franchise.
“They don’t attack the same market and you can have the benefits of both,” Fiat Professional UK director Sebastiano Fedrigo explained to What Van? “HGV dealers can do extended opening hours and tend to be bigger but hidden, so they are not so accessible for retail customers, and passenger car dealers have better showrooms and display space.” There is more work to be done, with the current level of 123 dealers set to reduce to what Fedrigo describes as an “ideal” 110, although if the firm’s volume aspirations come to pass then the numbers could eventually swell to 160.
“We have to do it gradually. Our market share in Europe is 12% and in the eyes of my bosses there is no reason why it should not be at the same level here, but we want to do it organically and sensibly,” he continued. “We’re looking for double-digit [share], not next year but it’s in the back of our mind. It’s going to take some years but there is no reason why not.”
The opportunity for greater penetration of the conversion and niche vehicle sector has not gone unnoticed, with Fiat creating a new position of converter business development manager, filled by Andy Parker, in order to exploit the sector in the wake of the type approval legislation changes for LCV conversions.
“We need to get closer to bodybuilders,” said Fedrigo, pointing to developments on the brand’s stand including a Ducato Tipper built by VFS, Fiorino crew van built with Snoeks, Scudo crew van converted locally by Snoeks, and the factory-built Doblo XL and Doblo Work Up models.

Sector focus:?Temperature control

Paneltex of Hull displayed a temperature-controlled dual-compartment MWB?HR Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3.5-tonner intended for the likes of the pharmaceutical industry. It is set up to enable up to -25 degrees C to be maintained in one compartment and up to +25 degrees C in the other if required. A two-piece moveable bulkhead is fitted along with GAH's SHC401 dual-evaporator refrigeration system, and the ATP Class C certified conversion is executed by Paneltex's Norfolk-based Paneltex Somers.
Also on the Paneltex stand was a VW?Crafter 3.5-tonne chassis with a dual compartment body – frozen at the front, chilled at the back – aimed at home-delivery fleets. Equipped with a moveable bulkhead with centre door, it is fitted with a GAH Super Rapier SRF21T direct-drive fridge unit and Paneltex says it has benefited from a letter of no objection from VW.
Gray & Adams was busy promoting its new Doncaster-built home-delivery vehicle on a 3.5-tonne Sprinter chassis. Also equipped with a GAH refrigeration system, it is capable of carrying 105 crates and will be competing in a hard-fought market said by Gray & Adams to be worth some 1500 registrations a year. It estimates that the UK has a total supermarket home-delivery fleet of approximately 7500 vehicles.
Not to be outdone, Solomon Commercials of Haslingden, Lancashire, was exhibiting a home-delivery body too, this time on an Iveco Daily 35S11 3.5-tonne chassis and using a Thermo King fridge unit. Access is solely from the nearside, with an ambient compartment with racks for crates at the front and separate chilled and frozen compartments at the back.
Yet another body-builder targeting the home-delivery sector is Peterborough's Lawrence David. Its show vehicle was based on a Sprinter 313CDI 3.5-tonne chassis with a welded-plastic body, plastic rear under-run protection including an access step and employing an alloy sub-frame. The vehicle's un-laden weight is 2080kg which makes for a decent payload and Lawrence David has installed a GAH refrigeration system.
Still with plastics and fridge bodies, Strongs Plastic Products was displaying a polypropylene body on a Toyota Hilux pick-up chassis in the livery of Northumbrian Water. Kitted out with a Carrier Neos fridge unit, it is the first that Strongs has built on a Hilux, and is used to collect water samples.

Autogas

Autogas has called on the Government to commit long-term support to subsidising LPG to encourage manufacturers and customers to invest in the fuel.
Speaking at the Commercial Vehicle Show, the firm’s business development manager, Paul Oxford said that although LPG has benefited from lower fuel duty levels (currently 15.8p per litre) for 16 years, UK governments have never pledged to maintain their support beyond three years at a time.
“If we’d have known we’d have 16 years of support we would have a far bigger take-up,” said Oxford.
“We want continued support over a longer period – such as a 10-year commitment, like in Germany,”
He claimed this level of state backing had helped to increase the volume of LPG vehicles in Germany from 40,000 to 500,000 within three years.

Kwik-Fit

Kwik-fit has commenced the process of offering Class 7 MoT test capability to 3.0-3.5-tonne LCVs.
“We’re rolling it out as part of our commitment to LCVs,” Kwik-fit Fleet boss Peter Lambert told What Van? “There are currently only a handful of sites but that will progress and over the next couple of years I envisage a couple of hundred sites.” The latest site to offer Class 7 MoTs opened in Basildon recently, joining Telford and Kwik-Fit sister firm STS Tyre Pros-branded centres in Hitchin and Norwich, with Luton, Sale and Slough soon to follow. Kwik-Fit also used the show to launch its new fleet card Drive, which can pay for fuel, Kwik-Fit products and breakdown cover.