Independent distributor Greencroft Milk Supplies has deployed a new fleet of compact, 3.5-tonne Fuso Canters as it looks to expand beyond its North-East heartland.
The Middlesbrough-based company delivers 370,000 litres of milk each week to wholesale and domestic customers in its home town, as well as in other regional centres such as Newcastle upon Tyne, Durham, Scarborough and Whitby.
The company has also been active in Cumbria and following its recent acquisition of North Lakes Foods, of Penrith, is now looking to build its business in the county.
Greencroft Milk Supplies runs 26 Fuso Canter 3C13s with Comfort day cabs, all of which have been supplied within the last 18 months by the Bell Truck and Van dealer for Mercedes-Benz, which is responsible for sales and support of the Fuso Canter in the UK.
Roughly half of its Canters have 3400 mm wheelbases and platform bodies by Robinson Truck Bodyworks, of Swalwell, Gateshead, onto which are fitted single-temperature refrigerated box bodies built by the operator itself. These vehicles, which have roller shutter doors on both sides, are used to deliver milk and other dairy products to convenience stores, bakeries, caterers, nursing homes and the like.
The remaining Canters have short, 2500mm wheelbases and RTB dropside bodies. They are rented by the operator to franchised, self-employed milkmen, who make doorstep deliveries.
The firm decided to look for an alternative vehicle supplier after its previous incumbent announced it would not be building a Euro 6 version of the model which its customer had been using.
Greencroft managing director Mick Doyle said: “We’re very happy with the product, which is well liked by our drivers and milkmen, and has proved every bit as reliable as we’d hoped.”
