Scania 770S V8 for Joosten Winkelstellingen bv

"We were ready for a new truck and we always want something special. We found that in this 'top of the line' Scania with the all-new 770 hp V8 SCR-only engine," says director-owner Sjef Joosten.

Joosten Winkelstellingen BV is a wholesaler specializing in the supply and installation of store racks and other generally metal furnishing elements for retail. "We supply numerous retailers internationally including large retail chains such as Action, Rituals, Welkoop, Hubo and many others. The material is produced under our own label. We ensure that we can supply everything a retail chain wants or imagines in terms of store shelving and racking. We also keep stock for larger customers so that we can respond quickly to replacement or service requests, for example."

To keep everything tightly under control, Joosten prefers to transport his products to his customers himself. "That's the most flexible and explains our fleet of vehicles. In doing so, all three of my drivers also happen to be qualified project managers. The driver/project leader makes sure that the materials go into the car in the order in which they are to be assembled at the customer's site. Then he drives there and an assembly crew arrives with separate transportation. As project leader, the driver stays with the job until it is finished. Only when it is very busy, or for smaller shipments do we use road haulers from the area."

That Joosten always drives heavily motorized trucks is mainly due to his fondness for V8 engines. "Although I don't know exactly what was earlier: my passion for Scania or those eight-cylinders. In any case, they have gone together very well for years. Besides, make no mistake. We always drive up to 50 tons because in one trailer we load double high. And all the steel parts are stacked rigidly on top of each other on pallets."

"I bought my first V8 in 2008 from the Scania dealer in Berlin," Sjef remembers. "That was an R620 Topline. That was in a special exhibition design as an eye-catcher on the Scania stand at the IAA Messe in Hannover and I was immediately sold. The new 770S is the third modern Scania in our company. Because right now we are running a Scania S650 and an S730. And then we also have two classic Scania T500 Torpedoes. I jump on those myself when it's busy. I also have five classic Scania's, but they are six-cylinders. We used to have more, but I sold most of them and only kept the five finest."

Why I always buy Scania's? "I think we are just real enthusiasts. My father already had that. Sometimes account managers call from other brands who can also deliver fat cars. But I know that wouldn't make me happy anyway. We even had a camper built on a new Scania G410 at Roelofsen in Raalte, with which we went on a nice vacation."

But in the end, even for Sjef, a truck is nothing more than a tool. "Only here we all think that it should be very nice quality tools. So our new truck gets a special special black color that was once used as an introduction color. This is done at Van Winkoop in Ermelo who spray a very special clear coat over it. They call it 'Ferrari paint': it doesn't scratch at all. Vlastuin in Renswoude does the chequer plate catwalk and the hose rack."

But by far most of many extras come standard or as options directly from the factory, such as the King of the Road package, for example. "The rest I let the dealer in Someren do as much as possible. We have a very good relationship and they know exactly what I expect from them. They are always there for us. No, with that 50,000 kilometers a year average, I don't do maintenance contracts. But that doesn't mean we don't do good maintenance. Because within my company everything has to be tip-top. Our customers expect the same from us. So if a car breaks down or we have damage, it goes to the dealer immediately. Because even good tools stay the best if you take good care of them right? "