East Midlands coal merchant, John Smith (Melbourne), has converted its small commercial vehicle fleet entirely to Isuzu, after taking delivery of a new N35.125 Grafter supplied by local dealer t.i.m Commercials.
Joining the company’s existing 6.5- and 7.5-tonne Isuzu trucks, the new Grafter replaces a 3.5-tonner from another manufacturer. It is mounted with a custom-built dropside body from Fred Smiths & Sons, which has been designed to maximise the payload capacity of the Grafter’s compact chassis. This makes the vehicle ideally suited for coal and smokeless fuel deliveries to narrow residential driveways or sites with restrictive access.
The new Isuzu Grafter is mounted with a custom-built dropside body from Fred Smiths & Sons
Tom Hunt, Owner of John Smith (Melbourne), says: “When we were looking for a new, larger vehicle in 2021, we opted for the 6.5-tonne Isuzu, and we haven’t looked back since. Cab comfort across the range is second to none, which is a huge priority for us given the number of deliveries we do.
“When it came time to replace our old 3.5-tonner, it had to be another Isuzu. The Grafter is perfect for our needs, with a very competitive payload which means we can maximise the number of deliveries we can make. It’s the perfect truck to be joining our fleet ready for the busy winter season ahead.”
Each of the company’s three Isuzu vehicles have been selected to meet the needs of the business, providing maximum efficiency across varied delivery routes. The Grafter will handle the smaller, more challenging locations, while the larger trucks will take care of bulk deliveries.
As with both larger N-Series models, the new Grafter chassis comes with the manufacturer’s three-year unlimited mileage warranty, which includes 24/7 roadside assistance and full access to Isuzu Truck UK’s dedicated Customer CARE team. All maintenance and servicing will be managed by t.i.m Commercials.
Typically on the road five days a week, yet covering a modest annual milage of around 4,000 miles, the company expects its new Isuzu to remain on the fleet for up to 10 years.
Established in 1920, John Smith (Melbourne) is a family-run coal merchant delivering a range of solid fuels to customers within a 12-mile radius of its Melbourne, Derbyshire location.
