As a result of its expanding business in the North East, local retail animal feed company The Feed Warehouse has added its first ever Isuzu 3.5 tonne Grafter truck to its 6-strong delivery fleet so that it can generate greater operating efficiencies compared to the incumbent vehicle being replaced.
Not only is this the first Isuzu to work for The Feed Warehouse but they have also specified the curtainsided body option on this delivery vehicle for the first time as well.
As Sean Kell, director at The Feed Warehouse explains, “The decision to switch to an Isuzu Grafter allows us to provide a better overall delivery service to our customers. We traditionally supply lots of bulky items, such as horse bedding, so the curtainsided Isuzu not only gives us a much-improved payload potential but the curtainsided option also allows much quicker turnaround in between journeys. We can carry more products on the Isuzu, and we have now been able to speed up the loading time by at least 50%, allowing us to make even more return trips per day. Also, the clear open access to the truck body significantly means less body damage to the truck when loading by forklift in comparison to its panel van predecessor.”
With two warehouses in Consett and Browney, County Durham, deliveries by The Feed Warehouse tend to be within a 15-mile radius of either location with lots of short return journeys every day.
The new Isuzu Grafter N35.125 6D Temp chassis cab making his debut within The Feed Warehouse fleet was supplied by Isuzu dealer JDS Trucks and will run in their fleet for a minimum five-year period. In addition to the standard three-year warranty provided with all new Isuzu trucks, The Feed Warehouse opted for the additional extra two-year warranty to cover the anticipated working life of the vehicle.
“Throughout the vehicle acquisition programme, we had really good communications with JDS Trucks, who were very helpful at all stages of the build programme. The Isuzu Grafter trucks themselves have a really good name within the industry, with a proven driveline known for its reliable longevity, which naturally gave us the confidence to specify this vehicle for the first time,” added Sean Kell.
With the cab wrapped in black to match the stylish black curtains on the body that also feature the striking company livery, the Isuzu Grafter is proving popular with both customers and drivers.
Sean continues, “Not only does the truck look really smart when pulling up at customer premises, creating the right impression, but an important part of the vehicle specification was the inclusion of the new fully automatic gearbox. This makes the Grafter really easy to drive, it’s so smooth and the drivers absolutely enjoy the super smooth driving experience.”
The Feed Warehouse is a family run business going back to the mid-60s and based purely in the north-east. Supplying mainly animal feeds and animal needs covering all animal types, The Feed Warehouse offers a daily delivery service for its customers, six days a week.
“Once again the Isuzu Grafter is providing one of our customers with much greater levels of productivity and reliability over its working life and it’s a real pleasure to see the stylish new Grafter joining The Feed Warehouse fleet for the first time. The recent addition of the fully automatic specification has certainly enhanced the overall customer appeal of the Grafter even further,” said Richard Waterworth, head of sales, Isuzu Truck UK.
