Volvo FMX wears three hats

New 6x4 rigid tipper fulfills a trio of roles for Coalville-based A P Pavers’ road construction business

IS it a rigid, a wagon and drag or a low-loader? This new Volvo FMX-460 is all three according to the UK’s largest paver hire specialists, Coalville-based A P Pavers, who are using the new 6x4 rigid to fulfill a trio of roles in their road construction business.

Chris Woodhead, director of AP Pavers, explained: ‘It’s primary function is as a regular 6x4 tipper, but we also use it in conjunction with a semi-slope Andover trailer to transport planers and pavers.’
 
Supplied by Volvo dealers Hartshornes of Burton-on-Trent, the FMX 6x4 with its I-Shift automatic box is plated at 44 tonnes and uses a 25-tonne gross Andover drag trailer effectively as a drawbar.

With the trailer’s eleven degree ramp, A P Pavers are able to load a paver machine into the back of the Wilcox tipper body, leaving the semi-slope trailer deck free to carry a planer. 


‘We needed a very robust chassis for this type of work and the new Volvo FMX looked well up to the job,’ said Mr Woodhead. ‘It’s the first Volvo we’ve ever bought and we’re using the 8mm fully-flitched constructor chassis that Volvo offer.

‘The drivers like it and it’s performing well, so we’re happy,’ he concluded.