North West Recycling expands fleet with new Renault Trucks T520

The leading waste management supplier in Cumbria, North West Recycling Limited, has expanded its fleet by incorporating a new Renault Trucks T520 6x2 tag axle tractor unit with walking floor hydraulics. The new addition joins 18 existing Renault Trucks in the company’s 28-strong fleet, with driver comfort and dealer support highlighted as pivotal factors in vehicle selection.

Supplied by Mike Carr at Border Trucks, the new truck will be added to North West Recycling’s walking floor division and used to move bulk waste between sites for customers across the whole of the UK with a particular focus on the North East and Scotland. It arrives as an additional vehicle for the busy fleet.

The new T520 is powered by Renault Trucks’ DE13 engine, producing 520hp and a peak torque of 2550 Nm from 990 rpm to 1400 rpm. The engine is connected to a 12-speed Optidriver AT 2612 gearbox and automatic clutch with gear shift strategy optimised for FUEL ECO and ECO Cruise control with Optiroll, for further control of fuel consumption. 

Paul McDermott, North West Recycling’s Transport Manager, explains why they opted for Renault Trucks: “Our experience of running a T has been great and we have been very pleased with the specification, so when it came to our requirement for a tag axle vehicle, Renault Trucks was the obvious first choice. As this vehicle will be operating on both tarmac and soft ground, we opted for the tag axle which gives extra grip and drive, an immediate benefit to our operation.” 

Featuring North West Recycling’s yellow and white livery, the T520 is finished with Alcoa Dura-Bright aluminium wheels, roof-mounted twin air horns and side deflectors. It features a sleeper cab, which provides comfortable overnight accommodation, and has been delivered with a high specification with driver comfort in mind and includes front air suspension, a 2000w inverter for the microwave and fridge, extra storage, luxury insulated cab curtain and bunk, “ultimate” leather steering wheel, luxury heated, ventilated, adjustable driver’s seat and multimedia screen. It also includes Roadpad+, Renault Trucks on-board assistant that enables drivers to listen to music, make hands-free calls, use navigation assistance, as well as rear and side cameras for safer manoeuvring. 

Paul adds: “The vehicles are typically out for four nights, Monday-Friday, so additional creature comforts makes a world of difference to our drivers. We are very happy to go the extra mile designing our specs and Mike Carr walked us through the optional extras available and helped us to specify the vehicle to our exact requirements. Nothing was too much trouble for him.”

The new addition is supported by a 5-year Renault Trucks R&M Excellence package. Paul said: “The Excellence package gives us extra peace of mind that the vehicle is maintained to the highest standards using genuine Renault Trucks parts. Our servicing is done by Border Trucks and the Service Manager, David Baty, is superb. Although breakdowns are very far and few between, if something urgent does come up then the team in the garage will fit us in at short notice. This level of service is invaluable to the efficient running of our operation.”

“We are using Renault Trucks’ fleet management system, Optifleet, across all vehicles including this latest T520 so we can monitor the performance of trucks and drivers in real time. It’s an essential tool that helps us to stay connected, guide decision-making and reduce costs and we are delighted with the overall package from vehicle through to support from Renault Trucks,” concludes Paul.