November 2005
Iveco has donated an on/off road EuroTrakker 6x4 to London-based transport development charity Transaid, as part of its €750,000 donation of vehicles, parts and power generators to the post-Tsunami relief effort.
The EuroTrakker was presented last week to Transaid Chief Executive Officer Chris Saunders by Iveco’s Paolo Monferino, Chief Executive Officer. Following the official handover, the vehicle left Iveco’s headquarters in Turin to begin the long journey by road and by sea to Sri Lanka.
Expected to arrive during November, the vehicle was requested by Transaid on behalf of the Sarvadoya Shramadana Movement, with whom it has been working to provide transport management training since May 2004. Following the Tsunami, Transaid received a direct request from Sarvadoya for technical expertise, and a team of volunteer logisticians from Wincanton were dispatched in March 2005 to assess transport requirements for the reconstruction phase.
Speaking at the official vehicle presentation, Mr Monferino, said: “The volunteer technical team recommended that Sarvadoya would require a heavy duty vehicle to transport raw materials to the reconstruction sites, as local transport contractors do not have the capacity to meet the massive and widespread demand.
“Within days of Iveco receiving the request manufacturing began to build a EuroTrakker 380E37H, the most suitably specified vehicle in our comprehensive range for operation in the developing world. The supply of the Iveco will allow Sarvadoya Shramadana Movement considerable control over the scheduling of deliveries, which will ensure reconstruction is accelerated,” he added.
The EuroTrakker is powered by a 370 hp engine, driven through a 16 speed ZF gearbox, and has been supplied by Iveco with a two year parts and maintenance package.
In addition to the funds and generators donated by Iveco, Iveco dealers across the world have joined together to make a cash contribution to the relief effort. A final figure of collected funds will be announced in December 2005.