DAF's XD 450 FAX 8x2 rear-steer rigid has entered service with Instarmac, the Tamworth-based UK manufacturer of cement- and bitumen-based products, which has taken delivery of seven trucks as part of a conquest deal. They are the first DAFs on Instarmac's fleet in more than 25 years, and they show payload efficiency now deciding which brand wins a mixed-fleet order.

DAF is the Dutch truck maker owned by US group PACCAR, which reported 2025 revenues of $28.44 billion (approximately €24.5 billion). Instarmac was established in 1977, launching with DAF products, and has now returned to the brand. The group reported turnover of £97.4 million in recent filed accounts.

The structural driver is payload efficiency. The seven 32-tonne XDs replace 26-tonne vehicles on a 40-strong fleet, and Instarmac's product is heavy enough that every extra tonne carried reduces the number of journeys needed.

Murray Lythgo, head of logistics at Instarmac, said, "Our product tends to be particularly heavy, so the more tonnes we can get on the truck, the more efficient our operations can be. We also looked at our carbon footprint and the larger trucks mean fewer journeys, which was a key driver for these DAF XDs. In the first four weeks, we averaged three fewer trucks on the road, due to the superior carrying capabilities of the new trucks."

Availability and lead times also counted in DAF's favour, with Lythgo saying the trucks offered exactly what Instarmac wanted in payload. The steered trailing axle improves manoeuvrability in tight spaces and urban deliveries, and the trucks achieve a four-star London Direct Vision Standard rating, allowing operation in the capital.

Fuel economy has held up despite the extra weight. Lythgo said, "Carrying the same payload, we're getting a similar MPG in the new XD as we do for one of our 26-tonne rigids, which is pleasing given the additional weight on the larger vehicle."

Lead drivers inspected trucks from several manufacturers before the choice was made, and feedback on the DAFs has been positive. The trucks were supplied by Motus Commercials in Halesowen and are covered by a five-year DAF MultiSupport repair and maintenance contract handled by the Tamworth dealer.

For the sector, the order shows DAF winning fleet business on payload and fuel economy rather than brand loyalty, a pattern that matters to operators weighing heavier rigids.

Source: DAF Trucks Cork / Instarmac / Pomanda