Scottish Water has recently taken delivery of an additional five Truckman Classic hardtops, ordered through Toyota, for its fleet of Toyota Hilux vehicles.

This latest order follows on from a fleet of 35 Truckman Classic hardtops ordered by Scottish Water in 2012.

Scottish Water’s fleet of Hilux pick-ups fitted with Truckman Classic hardtops offer the multi-terrain capabilities of a 4x4 combined with the flexible storage opportunities normally associated with transit or combi-style vans.

The vehicles enable engineers to more easily access remote and off-road areas, including locations surrounding reservoirs and sample points on the water table across Scotland.

Adding the hardtops, which are manufactured at Auto Styling Truckman's West Midlands facility, has allowed Scottish Water to create bespoke storage areas inside the truck bed.

Undertaken by vehicle conversion specialists, Botts, based in Cumbernauld, the Hilux pick-up trucks include shelving, racking and cabinets for the storage of tools and equipment.

Engineers can access the storage systems through two access points installed by Auto Styling Truckman during the manufacturing process. In addition to a solid rear door, the hard tops feature large side doors, which are ideal for accessing shelving and racking.

Ian Summers, senior procurement specialist at Scottish Water, said: "Our fleet of hard-top fitted pick-up trucks are very useful for helping our engineers access hard-to-reach sites with rough terrains. The addition of the hardtop created a flexible and secure storage space that allows our engineers to carry to the tools and equipment they need when operating in tough off-road locations.

"We are pleased to be able to source a British-built product through our supply chain, which meets our requirements and improves the ability of our engineers to carry out their on-site duties."

Mike Wheeler, managing director of Auto Styling Truckman, said: "Scottish Water is demonstrating that pick-up trucks are the ideal solution for engineers and technicians who need to access remote, rural locations such as reservoirs.

"With the addition of a hardtop they are able to create a secure and large storage area as well as a multi-purpose work area, which maximises the benefits of operating a fleet of 4x4 pick-up trucks.

"I am proud that our hardtops are being used by such a well-known company as Scottish Water. It very satisfying that its supply chain is specifying our products and supporting British manufacturing."