Wilcox increases trailer production capacity by 40%
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By David Wilcox
A SURPRISINGLY healthy tipper market has prompted bodybuilder and trailer-maker Wilcox Commercial Vehicles to build a new factory, expanding its production capacity by 40%.
The new 3,000m2 factory will sit alongside the current one on Wilcox's site at Market Deeping, Lincolnshire. All trailer production will be shifted into the new factory, leaving the other building dedicated to rigid tipper body production. Construction of the new factory is due to start before the end of the year, with trailer production beginning in the middle of next year. Wilcox sales and engineering director Chris Bartlett said recent growth has been particularly strong in the trailer sector. "We will build about 240 rigid bodies this year," added Bartlett, "a bit down on the 280-300 a year that we used to do before the recession. But
when you compare it with our low point in 2009 when we did 80 rigid bodies, you can see how well we have recovered." He says the commitment to the new factory is evidence that Wilcox expects the recent upturn to continue. Another tipper bodybuilder at Commercial Motor Live last week, Thompsons UK, also confirmed that the tipper market
is strong, quoting a full forward order book for production that stretches into next spring. "The surprising thing is the number of Euro-6 chassis that are coming through," said Ian Chaplin, Thompsons business development and aftersales manager. "We hadn't expected that, so we don't think the market is going to be flat as forecasted next year."