More Charlton SuperLites for Ardula Group

Aggregates supplier bolsters its vehicle fleet with four new Charlton-bodied tippers  

WITH the addition of four new Charlton SuperLite steel-bodied tippers, Maidstone-based Ardula Group now run a fleet of around 50 vehicles. Starting off with a single lorry in 1993, the 23 intervening years have seen the company’s fleet size steadily increase in clear parallel with ongoing improvements in tipper vehicle productivity. 

‘Having operated quite a few trucks over the years , it’s fair to say we’ve learnt quite a lot about tippers,’ said Ricky Hemmings, managing director of Ardula. ‘We know what works and what doesn’t, so the objective now is to continually fine-tune our vehicle specifications so they deliver the best possible return on our investment.’

The key to Ardula’s choice of tippers is its ability to handle each and every type of job that comes along.

‘With a tipper, it’s really the body that does all the hard work,’ Mr Hemmings added. ‘On the one hand, we want a really good payload when moving easier, high-density products such as sand and aggregates. On the other, we want real strength and durability if we are doing heavy site work. 

‘We need one truck that can operate at both ends of the envelope and on everything in between. A premium chassis fitted with a strong, top quality lightweight steel body is, therefore, the only realistic solution. We had our first three SuperLites last year and have been delighted with them, as well as the latest four units.’

Mounted on a Scania chassis and powered by a 450hp engine, the performance and economy of each new truck has been exceptional. Further adding to Ardula’s operating versatility, two of the new Charlton-bodied tippers have sleeper cabs for superior operator comfort.

Tipping each of the vehicles is Hyva’s latest FCA137 separate ram and tank cylinder. The Charlton SuperLite trucks are finished off with electric sheeting and aluminium wheels, delivering a payload of more than 19 tonnes.

Andrew Gunn, sales manager for Charlton, said: ‘Once again, our all-steel SuperLite bodies demonstrate their complete suitability to today’s multi-purpose tipper operations with class-leading payload, performance and productivity. Ardula is a perfect example of a modern, totally professional tipper fleet, demonstrating the full benefits of the SuperLite units.’