COVER STORY
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MAN TGS IS AN EASY CHOICE FOR KELLYS POINT HIRE AND BUILDING SUPPLIES Kellys Point Hire and Building Supplies of Warrenpoint near Newry in County Down has recently invested in two MAN Trucks and in doing so boosted both their fleet and their customer delivery service. Kellys blue and white livery with chevron lower bumpers, aluminium light bars, extra lights and flashing beacons, the new additions will move plant equipment, diggers, rollers, dumpers, tracked machines and access platforms through the Kellys Point Hire operation. The TGS rigid will primarily deliver building supplies, however it’s already been fitted with a VBG coupling so a future three axle trailer and a 44-tonne GVW is a possibility.
Founded by Leonard Kelly and his four brothers in 1967, some 53 years ago, the company was originally established as a building contractor. Today Kellys, still a family run business, operate a one-stop-shop for construction, consisting of both plant hire and building merchant operations. Their new fleet additions, comprising of a new MAN TGS 26.360 6x2 rigid and a MAN TopUsed TGS 26.440 6x2 tractor, will deliver to builders merchants, and building and construction sites in and around the local area. Gary Kelly, Director Kellys Point Hire and Building Supplies, said: “We have a longstanding relationship with both our local MAN dealer, RK Truck Centre in Carryduff and MAN Truck & Bus UK; the service we’ve received from them over the years is nothing but outstanding. “We service and maintain our vehicles inhouse, however for parts and anything out of scope we use RK Trucks. The relationship is built on trust, value and reliability.” The rigid TGS 26.360 features MAN’s compact M cab (day-cab) the optional manual 16-speed gearbox, a lifting rear tag axle, a strong steel flatbed body with an extendable load-bed and a 19-tonne Palfinger chassis mounted crane. The TopUsed TGS 6x2 tractor features the popular LX
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cab (sleeper-cab) a mid-lift axle, the 16-speed manual gearbox and will be used to pull both low-loader and flat-bed trailers. Gary Kelly continued: “We have a 2006 MAN LE 18.280 6x2 rigid which we’ve owned from new, it’s still working today and we’ve been so impressed with this vehicle that we’re treating it to a refurbishment. Because of this and the service we’ve received when we started looking for fleet replacements the new MAN TGS was at the top of our list. Our journey for our new vehicles, from initial conversation to vehicle delivery, has been more of a partnering
experience than a sales procedure. “Delivering to building and construction sites can be tricky at times so having a 6x2 26 tonne rigid with a shorter wheelbase and a lifting tag axle can be a huge benefit. We were also pleased to be able to specify the new 26 tonner with a manual gearbox too, a big plus when delivering on site and off-road. The TopUsed Tractor, a 2016 model, had only covered 98,000km and is in fantastic condition, quite literally like a new truck, it too has the manual gearbox which is ideal for our operation.” Wearing the instantly recognisable
“We put a lot of thought into the specification of the new TGS rigid and like the 2006 MAN LE it’s a long term fleet addition and investment” added Gary. “Our vehicles work hard but we’re sure the new TGS’s, both of them, will wear the Kellys name with pride.” Kellys Point Hire holds an impressive portfolio of hire equipment for the building, construction, landscaping and home improvement sectors, while Kellys Building Supplies caters for the DIY home improver, the self-builder and larger building contractors. In July 2019 Kellys supported the BBC’s “DIY SOS: The Big Build” helping a struggling family in Bangor. Donating resources to the project, including excavators, heaters, dehumidifiers and a range of hire equipment Kellys reached out and helped transform the family home.
