Lancashire Builders Merchant strengthens operations with brick grab crane trucks

Fielden Factors has taken delivery of six DAF vehicles from MV Commercial – including one with a bespoke front-mounted HIAB crane – as part of its fleet renewal programme. The order includes three DAF LF 290 18 tonne 4×2 brick grabs fitted with HIAB X HIDUO 118 B-2 cranes and three DAF CF 320 26 tonne 6×2 rear steer brick grabs with HIAB 158 B-2 cranes. All the trucks feature Wisa deck floors, rope hooks, a fall arrest system and rotating beacons, with the DAF CF 320s also featuring rear advertising boards, extra cab storage and work lights.

Two of the vehicles were custom-designed by MV Commercial and feature shorter wheelbases and manual gearboxes for improved control and safety over rough terrain. The Lancashire business will primarily use the vehicles to transport timber, building materials and landscaping products from its depots in Rossendale, Todmorden and Wigan to customers across the North West of England. Tom Whitehead, Managing Director at Fielden Factors, says: “These modern and well-equipped vehicles are ideal for transporting building materials to our customers.

“The front-mounted crane on the DAF CF 320 is an excellent adaptation from MV Commercial that gives us a different option for moving the diverse range of materials we now offer.” The new vehicles join five other trucks in the company’s expanding fleet and feature a brand-new distinctive livery. “We’ve invested in the brick grabs to grow our services.

Adding 26 tonne vehicles to our fleet allows us to operate a higher payload than some of the units we had previously and enables us to be more cost-efficient in our operations. “With lower running costs and reduced CO2 emissions, we are also well prepared for when the clean air zone is introduced in Greater Manchester. Everyone needs to do their bit,” Whitehead says.

Because MV Commercial is an Accredited Dealership for the Manchester Clean Air Zone, Andy Davis, MV Commercial’s Technical Sales Engineer, was able to help Fielden Factors maximise the grants offered through the program. “I’ve known Tom and the team at Fielden Factors since I first took a demonstration unit to them back in 2021. Since then we have worked closely to ensure its units are market leaders, with features such as FORS Gold kits for accurate vehicle tracking, remote camera access, as well as driver safety and convenience features including additional cones, lights and strobes.”

Asked why Fielden Factors chose MV Commercial, Whitehead adds: “They were quick to meet all our requirements for the vehicle specifications.

And with MV carrying out all the work in-house, we have only needed Andy as our point of contact which has made sourcing the trucks an easy task.”