Matthew James Global Relocations Ltd has recently taken delivery of four new low loader Luton vans from Maxi Mover.

The new acquisitions bring the Matthew James fleet up to 36 and comprises Mercedes Sprinters, Iveco Lutons, a number of 7.5, 14, 18 and 26-tonne trucks, 3.5-tonne vans and, of course, the beautifully equipped and liveried Scania road trains.

Managing Director Matthew De-Machen said, “After scrutinising the market we chose to go for the Maxi Mover Promax range because of their high payload and build quality. They use special lightweight materials throughout the body construction, which means we can carry up to 1,550kg without being overweight. That compares with around 1,000kg for a standard Luton Sprinter van if you’re lucky, so it makes a massive difference.”

The Peugeot-based 600cuft vehicles were built entirely in the Maxi Mover factory and are equipped with air suspension to give a smoother ride for fragile items and better stability.

“As well as improving the ride, the air suspension allows us to lower the suspension to make loading heavy items even easier,” said Matt. “It also means we can raise the body of the vehicle if we need to negotiate a steep drive or when boarding a ferry for example.”

The Maxi Mover vans will mainly be used to work as shuttles for larger vehicles where access is limited and to transport packing crews and equipment in preparation for the main vehicle’s arrival. During the first week of operation, one of the new vans traveled to Vienna and on to Rome, while another ran to the south of France and then to Barcelona. According to Matt – one of the moving industry’s most experienced long-haul drivers - the Maxi Mover vans are comfortable to drive on a long trip and give excellent fuel economy even when fully loaded.

All the vans have air conditioning and are equipped with cruise control to make travelling long distances less stressful and more comfortable on long motorway journeys across Europe, but Matt stopped short of including sleeping accommodation in the build, which was an option. Matt explained, “We like to look after our crews when they’re away from home, so I think the least we can do is to provide them with a B&B where they can get a shower and a good night’s sleep. The other reason is everything you add reduces the payload and the last thing we want is to be overweight. The days of building 800 cuft 3.5-tonners are clearly over.”

Matt said jokingly, “The only time we risk being overweight with a Maxi Mover is if we move a DJ or a vicar. The DJs have hundreds of records and vicars have hundreds of books!”

From placing the order for the four vehicles to taking delivery took around eight weeks, in line with Maxi Mover’s estimate.  “It’s a bit of an overused phrase, but Maxi Mover really is a one-stop-shop,” said Matt. “We gave them the specification we wanted, and they did the rest, including the paintwork and sign writing, the only thing I had to do was write the cheque! Mark Harris and his team at Maxi Mover really did care, right from the initial enquiry, they asked all the right questions, listened and kept in contact. I highly recommend them to the moving industry.”