Fern Energy has a crisp new look having engineered probably the largest and most intense fuel tanker fleet replacement programme in New Zealand transport history.

The project was a three-way collaboration for bulk fuel and lubricants company Fern Energy, Scania New Zealand, and tanker body builder Lowes.

It involved the delivery of no less than 79 new tanker bodies in two years, both truck bodies and trailers, to replace the leased vehicles in its fleet and new trucks rolled out of Lowes’ Ferrymead, Christchurch, factory on schedule, every two weeks – bar one, delayed for a couple of days due to a supply issue.

Fern Energy CEO Chris Gourley says Fern was formed from the merger of two companies, one with its own fleet of near new vehicles while the larger portion, from the other company, were leased. Experience with the two different models made a compelling case for a fully owned fleet.