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They are probably one of the most regular visitors to your farm... are on the go 24 hours a day seven days a week... and collectively travel millions of miles a year throughout Great Britain visiting our farms. Yes, it’s First Milk’s range of around 100 ex-farm milk collection tankers we’re talking about.

Last year saw the best part of half of our tankers replaced in one of the biggest investments in our vehicle fleet ever seen. Some 44 new tankers hit the road, resulting in a financial investment in conjunction with our haulier partners of over £5 million.

Ten were introduced in Scotland across our eight depots and 34 in England over seven depots. Usually the tankers and chassis on ex-farm vehicles are replaced every seven years, with the tractor units replaced every four years. Reload tankers have a longer lifespan of 15 years because they aren’t subject to the same workload.

“We don’t normally introduce as many tankers at one time,” said Cameron Howatson, First Milk’s distribution planning manager. “But a lot of the tankers were due to be replaced. This year, for instance, three 32 tonne tankers will be introduced, along with eleven new 26 tonne ones using the existing tanks.

“The move to bigger tankers is one of the main ways to mitigate rising fuel and labour costs, and that change will continue,” he said.

In a move that will also boost the image of First Milk’s brands, all of the new Scottish tankers are liveried with the Scottish Pride logo and 12 operating out of the Lake District Cheese company bear its striking branding too. Only one so far bears the marque of the Pembrokeshire Cheese Company, but more will follow.