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PULL NG POWER
Page 62
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There's been some jostling for position at the head of the tipper market. Andy Salter went to Scunthorpe to check out a likely contender...
Talk tippers with anyone in this business and Weightlifter is a name that is sure to come. up. A traditional firm building bodies for the construction and bulk distribution sector, it is proud of those traditions, and the fact that many of its employees have been on the strength for 30 years or more.
Similarly, the Weightlifter slogan "where quality, honesty and service come first" might hark back to a golden age of British manufacturing —but don't mistake "traditional" for "old fashioned".You don't have to spend long around the people at Weightlifter to understand that this is a forward-looking company, where tradition underpins, but never undermines, service to the customer.
Sales manager Gary Simons sums up that approach to service."Weightlifter will never walk away from a build problem," he says. "We'll rectify it, learn from it and ensure we make the necessary build improvements to prevent it happening again." MD Paul Weightman is the son of the firm's founder. He prefers to keep a low profile. though he's clearly a shrewd businessman. quietly building a strong position in the sector. As well as Weightlifter, he also owns PPG and has a stake in Rouse Bodies.
The company is not afraid to invest in its future.An extension to the factory currently under construction will house new tooling, and the company is extending its reach around the country A recent joint venture with Bulkweld in Scotland has led to the formation of Weightlifter Scotland with David Atkinson. He has been with Weightlifter for 26 years as a key figure working alongside Eddy Mollon, who has 25 years' experience in the bodybuilding and repair sectors.
The company is also on the lookout for potential sales and/or service agents in England and Wales. "We're looking for potential agents from anywhere below the M62," says Simons. "Using our experience of the Scottish venture we're confident it can be rolled out into other areas of the country with the same positive benefits for both parties."
Product improvements are also being made: tipper operators can look forward to a wider range of Weightlifter trailers and bodies. In Commercial Motor's Truckzone at SED last May the company launched its new 40yd3 halfbarrel tipping trailer. Standard equipment includes DaimlerChrysler axles, a roll stability system and a sloping air-operated tailgate.
Also in the pipeline is a range of steel-bodied tippers for light, medium and heavy-duty applications, joiningWeightlifter's established range of pressed or extruded aluminium lightweight bodies.And in the coming months a walking-floor trailer will take the firm into the waste and recycling secwr.
The tipper body and trailer building industry is littered with here-today-gonetomorrow companies so it's refreshing to visit one that's built a strong and loyal customer base through delivering consistent levels of service to what is, let's not forget, an extremely demanding market With plenty of new initiatives in the pipeline, we'll expect to hear plenty more from Weightlifter over the coming months. le