Uphire takes the X-Way

Sydney-based hire company Uphire Equipment Specialists have taken delivery of a new IVECO Stralis X-Way 8x4, which is being used to deliver a wide range of its materials handling equipment to customers in metropolitan Sydney and further afield.

Uphire’s sister company, INNOV8 Equipment, a highly regarded manufacturer and supplier of traffic management products, widely uses IVECO Daily and Eurocargo models, particularly as platforms for its truck-mounted attenuator systems.

According to company Managing Director, Nigel McKinley, given the IVECO models’ strong performance with INNOV8 over the last two years and his solid relationship with the brand, purchasing the new X-Way was an easy decision.

“From a product perspective, our experience with IVECO has been very good, and furthermore, we’ve found that the service and support that’s provided by IVECO as a company, has also been excellent,” Nigel said.

“When we were looking for a larger vehicle to add to the Uphire fleet, we therefore turned to IVECO again.”

Based in Jamisontown in Western Sydney, Uphire provides hire and sales of equipment including vertical lifts, scissor lifts, knuckle boom lifts, telescopic boom lifts, spider lifts, forklifts, telehandlers and traffic equipment including solar light towers VMS boards and traffic vehicles.

The company is also a training provider, delivering a variety or recognised courses so that the users can safely and legally operate the machines on site.

Aside from vehicle-mounted traffic equipment such as attenuators, the X-Way is being used to deliver the remainder of the equipment around greater Sydney up to six days per week.

Uphire’s new X-Way features a Cursor 11 engine producing 460hp and 2150Nm of torque, producing ample output while still meeting Euro 6 (Step C) emissions levels. To meet these stringent requirements, IVECO uses a unique Hi-SCR system, a single after-treatment system with passive diesel particulate filter that doesn’t require driver intervention.

The engine is matched to the new HiTroniX, 12-speed automated manual transmission.
Nigel said that the X-Way’s safety and environmental performance was another motivating factor in selecting this model.

“Our companies are driven by safety, innovation and compliance, so purchasing a vehicle with strong emissions credentials was also important for us,” he said.

“Similarly, safety is a key consideration both for the welfare of our own employees as well as other road users – the level of safety technology in the X-Way is impressive.”

Among its long list of safety benefits, the X-Way boasts an electronic braking system with brake assistance system, an advanced emergency braking system, electronic stability program, adaptive cruise control and hill holder as standard, with additional equipment such as a lane departure warning system, hydraulic retarder and driver attention support available as options.

To make full use of the X-Way 8x4’s 45 tonne GVM, Uphire’s new truck is fitted with a high quality 9.6 metre Custom Transport Equipment tilt-tray, with 30,000 lb winch for easy loading and unloading of equipment.

The size of the tray also allows the Uphire team to more easily coordinate multiple drop-offs or pick-ups, minimising the need for the vehicle to return back to the depot once out on the road.

Although still new to the fleet, Nigel said that the X-Way was so far performing well.
“We’re receiving good feedback from our driver Steve, and the arrival of this larger truck on fleet is certainly making the delivery and collection task a lot more efficient for us,” Nigel said.

“Given the performance of the previous IVECO models we’ve used, I have every confidence that the new X-Way will also be a success.”