£2m tanker investment sees growing firm hit a century
A company with a base in Telford has invested almost £2m in its vehicle fleet to help the business meet demand'
The move has seen Rix Petroleum Ltd, with a base on Halesfield 19, invest in 10 DAF tankers, taking its fleet past the 100 mark.
The trucks will be used to deliver agricultural and commercial fuels to farms and businesses across the region, and domestic heating oil to households.
Rix Petroleum Managing Director Duncan Lambert said the trucks are due for delivery next month but not before the tankers are fitted out with the latest technology in Santander, Spain, by family company Cobo.
Mr Lambert said: “Essentially, we buy the chassis from DAF, and these are then loaded on to a boat and shipped to Spain where they are made into Rix trucks by Cobo.
“Cobo put the tanker onto the chassis, install up-to-date metering systems, eight CCTV cameras around the vehicle, and a computer system that directly communicates with our delivery software.
“The tankers are also branded up with our colours while they are there. Once this is completed, they’re put back on a boat to be shipped to the UK for us to pick up.”
The tankers have a capacity of 18,600 litres over five compartments, meaning they can carry a range of different fuels in a single load.
Mr Lambert said the Spanish company was chosen to equip the tankers due to their passion for quality and delivery lead times.
“We went to visit the factory and were very impressed,” he said. “Cobo live and breathe tankers. They’re also a family business, as is Rix, so understand our values and commitment to deliver on time, every time.”
