Bodies on a budget
Page 15
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Fewer bodybuilders have been exhibiting at the Birmingham Motor Show in recent years, and while their presence has grown at the IRTE's annual exhibition many operators want a separate showcase. This demand has been filled by the SAAMT's belated but welcome decision to hold a dedicated and affordable CV bodybuilder show. by Bryan Jarvis • Trade visitors have been checking out the latest examples of CV design and development, bodywork, trailers and components plus garage equipment at the three-day event at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh.
One of the few trailer makers to have continued to prosper through the recession is S&J Cartwright & Sons; its exhibits include the company's latest 7.8m curtainsided intermodal drawbar trailer which results from a two-year research programme into the needs of European operators.
Boa hey has a Fineliner-bodied Volvo FL614 on show alongside a Scania P93 truck/trailer outfit that extends via a Jimecal pneumatic/hydraulic drawbar. The unit has a front raised deck section while the trailer has double fixed floor frames.
Royston-based Glass Transport Systems is showcasing an unusual body system for glass carriers which is based on a curtainsided Leyland Daf rigid. It incorporates the GTS Polifold fold-open roof which won a British Design Award two years ago. Instead of steel it uses a polypropolene spring in the roof for lightness and low maintenance.
A 13.6m Southfields Fleetloada curtainsider in Courtaulds livery is one of 15 being built for TDG member Beck & Politzer.
Among the Scottish exhibitors is Penman, which is showing a self-contained mobile dental cline for Argyll & Clyde health board, and a British Telecom mobile workshop. Its competitor, Bedwas, also has a mobile support vehicle on
show in this case an underwater search unit for Strathclyde police—with its new Cobra rapid response fire fighter,
Schmitz Cargobull UK is majoring on its latest insulated dry freight bodywork which should interest operators carrying temperature-sensitive goods such as confectionary, pharmaceuticals and film.
Continental builders are well represented at Stoneleigh. Lamberet is showing its low noise flooring for the first time in the UK, and Wihag has its new Logopan body kit system. This is a pre-fabricated outfit comprising side panels, self-supporting flooring and underframe which will fit all common chassis, A number of kit systems from Continental Vehicle Components allow it
to produce TIR tilt bodies which can be opened from ground level: the JE-Roll has a vertically opening roll-up curtain; the JELock features sealing vertical joins with a range of hinged pillars for dropside or tilts. Removable curtain panels are also attracting interest.
Reversing safety is a high priority for many hauliers, which is why some fleets are evaluating Proximeter's infra-red device. Examples of this in-cab audible warning system are on display.
Tail-lift manufacturer Ray Smith has reduced the price of cantilevers to less than that of its twin-column lifts and has a new straight lift body demount system on its stand.
Commercial Vehicle Hydraulics, the new UK agent, has examples of Anteo cantilever and retracting lifts on show; so has HMF, which is better known for its lorry loaders. US lift maker Waltco is demonstrating a neat infra-red rear shutter opener which is similar to garage door devices and there's a new version of James and Bloom's Eurodoor 2000 shutter.
Examples of the latest LED (light emitting diode) side marker lights come from Flexible Lamps and there's also a display of LEP-Luma's new LED lights which use a booster to increase the ammount of light, while reducing glare in the driver's mirrors.