Pictured in the foreground at the signing of the contract are, from left to right, Nottinghamshire Vehicle Consortium Chairman, Dave Parton, and from Dennis Eagle, Regional Sales Manager, Sandra Egerton and Managing Director, Norman Thoday.

Despite the current economic climate, Dennis Eagle is determined to consolidate its market leading position. For although in 2008 the RCV manufacturer had to contend with significant increases in steel, fuel and energy prices. It was another successful year for the company, both in relation to its domestic and export activities.

So far this year, Dennis Eagle – working in conjunction with Terberg – has already announced a major new deal in conjunction with Nottinghamshire Vehicle Consortium, a group of eight Local Authorities brought together to work in partnership within the field of goods and service procurement.

With the option to extend the contract until 2013, the Warwick-based specialist vehicle provider will look to supply the consortium – the first of its kind to be established here in UK – with around 100 RCVs over an initial two-year period commencing in April.

Incorporating Nottinghamshire City Council, the district councils of Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, and Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe borough councils, Nottinghamshire Vehicle Consortium members will be able to specify Dennis Eagle RCVs equipped with Terberg bin lifts ranging from 15 to 32 tonnes. In addition to general compaction bodies, individual councils also have the option of specifying specialist split compartment bodies that are proving increasingly popular within the field of recycling.

Commenting on behalf of the consortium, Chairman and Head of Direct Services at Gedling Borough Council, Dave Parton said: ‘Terberg, based upon Dennis Eagle’s support, presented a workable and competitively priced tender that we believe will benefit all of our members. And whilst capital cost is obviously an important area, the added value that we will receive in terms of after-sales support such as training, parts and warranties makes the package even more attractive. It has taken a great deal of work and effort to bring the consortium members together and we believe it is an innovative move that other councils will look to follow.’ Norman Thoday added: ‘Securing the contract with Nottinghamshire Vehicle Consortium has been a great way to start 2009. We are now looking forward to working with the individual members, many of whom we already know, by supplying them with their new vehicle requirements.’

Only recently, having elected to revise the way it collects dry recyclables on behalf of Slough Borough Council, Enterprise – one of the UK’s leading providers of environmental services – has deployed a new frontline fleet of 10 new general compaction RCVs.

Serving to replace the current method of collecting dry recyclables kerbside, the new Dennis Eagle P2-20 bodied RCVS - complete with Terberg OmniDEL bin lifts and powered by the rear steer Elite 6 x 2 chassis – are being used to accommodate a waste stream where card and paper, plastics, cans and glass are still collected weekly but now in 240 litre wheeled bins.

Commenting on behalf of Enterprise, Operations Director Dave McGill said: ‘The new Dennis Eagle RCVs are being used to enable us to increase the efficiency with which we collect and recycle what is an important waste stream within Slough. We enjoy a close and effective working relationship with Dennis Eagle having partnered with them on a number of key waste management and recycling contracts.

Their RCVs provide us not only with excellent payloads but outstanding levels of reliability in the process.’ Dennis Eagle is working on delivering its first cost-effective low carbon RCV that is based on dual fuel technology. Working in conjunction with the Hardstaff Group, trials of two vehicles are set to be instigated shortly. ‘Whilst we are in the process of evaluating a number of new technologies, dual fuel is one that we have invested heavily in. Everyone within both organisations is extremely positive about how the vehicles will perform and we see it as a major step forward in proving that dual fuel RCVs are the way forward within our industry,’ stated Norman Thoday.

One of the dual fuel powered RCVs that have been developed in partnership with the Hardstaff Group and which are due to be trialled shortly.