Iveco New Daily fleet delivers for Abel & Cole's organic growth

Tuesday 8th December 2015

Organic food delivery pioneer Abel & Cole has taken delivery of 42 New Daily 35S13 chassis cabs, including 17 vehicles featuring Iveco’s class-exclusive Hi-Matic eight-speed fully automatic gearbox. The deal reaffirms Abel & Cole’s 100 per cent Iveco fleet policy, with the company now operating 169 light commercial vehicles.

Finished in the company’s striking yellow livery and supplied by Iveco dealer Hendy Van & Truck, seven of the new vehicles were acquired to expand Abel & Cole’s fleet, with the remaining 35 replacing older vehicles.

Nick Cannell, Logistics Manager at Abel & Cole, says: “The New Daily’s ideal mix of reliability, durability and low total cost of ownership is a perfect match for our operational needs. We have enjoyed a strong relationship with both Iveco and Hendy for many years, and we’re delighted to continue our 100 per cent Iveco policy on the back of this relationship – and the continued on-road performance of the vehicles.”

As part of the deal, Abel & Cole’s bespoke refrigerated Paneltex bodywork was transferred from the company’s older vehicles to the versatile New Daily chassis, helping the delivery company meet its goal of cutting the environmental impact of its operations.

Cannell adds: “As an environmentally-conscious company, transferring our custom refrigerated bodywork to the New Daily makes perfect sense. The bodywork incorporates a number of non-recyclable components, and we know anyone who bought our vehicles second-hand would likely dump the bodies in landfill. By refurbishing and transferring the bodies we do our bit towards ensuring a sustainable future for all.”

The Daily Hi-Matic has proven especially popular at the company, says Cannell: “The drivers love the driveability of the eight-speed automatic gearbox. We intend to operate an all-Hi-Matic fleet eventually as a result of our team’s positive experiences and the increased fleet efficiency the transmission provides.”

He adds: “We’ve achieved a fleet-wide average of 26 mpg this year – which is no mean feat when you consider the stop-start nature of the work. Drivers that need a little help meeting our mpg targets have found the Hi-Matic gearbox very useful, especially when combined with lessons learned in our driver training programme.”

Developed in conjunction with ZF, the Hi-Matic automatic transmission offers Abel & Cole drivers the option of choosing between Eco mode, for smooth and low-speed gear changes to keep fuel consumption to a minimum – and Power mode, which carries out gear changes at higher speeds for enhanced performance. There is also a third mode – Manual mode – which permits sequential shifting via the gearstick.

Vehicles in Abel & Cole’s fleet typically cover 35,000-40,000 miles annually, with the 169 vehicles collectively completing approximately 65,000 deliveries per week – and more during peak periods. “We certainly put the vehicles through their paces,” says Cannell. “We know our fleet is up the task, though – the vehicles are sturdy, dependable and efficient.”

The New Daily was named International Van of the Year in 2015, and Abel & Cole intends to keep its 42 new arrivals in operation for six years, with each carrying out up to 82 deliveries every day – and up to 100 for those operating in London.

Abel & Cole’s New Daily chassis cabs are powered by a 2.3 litre Iveco diesel engine mission-matched to provide optimum fuel efficiency for the fleet. The engine is capable of producing up to 126 hp between 3,200 and 3,900 rev/min, plus up to 320 Nm of torque between 1,800 and 2,750 rev/min.

Abel & Cole is a pioneer of organic food, delivering to homes across most of England and South Wales , operating from nine depots across the country. With its food sourced from the very best organic producers and suppliers, Abel & Cole provides an ethical, environmentally-friendly alternative to the supermarket.