• The Mercedes-Benz Econic is the benchmark in safety and ergonomics
• Safety package, low-entry cab and outstanding visibility
  

Stuttgart / London − Tarmac, the largest British roadbuilding company, has ordered 25 new Mercedes-Benz Econic 3235 L concrete mixers and tippers for use on London construction sites. To comply with the company's high safety standards, the number of transport companies and self-driving business owners who work for Tarmac on a contracting basis and are changing over to concrete mixer and tipper trucks based on the four-axle, 32-tonne Mercedes-Benz Econic chassis is constantly increasing. As recently as June 2018, Tarmac received the "Tipper Safety Trophy" in the Tip-ex and Tank-ex Awards for the high standard of its tipper safety features.

The Mercedes-Benz Econic is particularly well-known for its safety in road traffic: Its design with the low position of the "DirectVision cab" ensures that the driver is at eye-level with pedestrians and cyclists, and can therefore make eye-contact at any time – a decisive safety feature. A good view of other road users is also assisted by generously sized windows – including a glazed folding door on the co-driver's side.

Apart from ensuring good visibility of other road users, the low-floor cab scores with outstanding ease of entry. The low entry height reduces the risk of the driver sustaining injuries by slipping during frequent entry and exit in construction site operations. The benchmark highlights of the low-floor cab also include the high, wide-opening driver's door, the large, panoramic glazed areas of thhe windscreen and side windows and the folding door on the co-driver's side, which is glazed down to floor level.

Electronic safety systems

Improving safety in road traffic is the declared aim of Tarmac. The safety package includes the emergency braking assistant "Active Brake Assist 3" and a sophisticated mirror and camera-based system to reduce the blind spot. The Econic so meets the high CLOCS standards in London (CLOCS = Construction Logistics und Community Safety).

The 32-tonne trucks are powered by a six-cylinder diesel engine with a displacement of 7.7 litres (Euro VI) and an output of 260 kW (354 hp). Its power is transferred to the road by an Allison six-speed automatic transmission. The Econic concrete mixer and tipper chassis ordered by Tarmac have a single-tyre steered axle. There are two driven axles at the rear as well as a steered, single-tyre trailing axle. This configuration gives the vehicle an impressively small turning circle and makes it much more manoeuvrable than a conventional 32-tonne, four-axle truck - a decisive advantage when operating on narrow roads and inner-city construction sites.

Changeover to the Mercedes-Benz Econic

Tarmac is the British market leader for sustainable construction materials and design solutions. The company is active in 400 strategically well-placed locations throughout Great Britain. It product range includes gravel and asphalt, ready-mixed concrete, cement, limestone and rock flour, plus road maintenance and construction work. Tarmac played a major role in the development and testing of construction vehicles with concrete mixer bodies based on the Mercedes-Benz Econic. As part of its commitment to more safety in road traffic, Tarmac is requesting all of its contractors who work on London construction sites to change over to the Econic.