Nothing succeeds MI Trac-cess says L. Davil
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A newcomer to bodybuilding, but one tl' is finding itself well able to complete wi. its elders. Bryan Jarvis reports
LAWRENCE DAVID may be a relative newcomer to the bodybuilding scene but it has not wasted any time in developing a product range of undeniable quality.
It began operations in June 1973 with a staff of seven, at a time when the TIR Tilt boom was beginning and the industry was in its infancy. A year later it emerged as one of the leading producers of curtainsiders and broke into the growth market for semi-trailers. As its standard TIR Tilt Body production began to increase to a peak of eight or 10 per week, so its workshop and facilities had to expand to allow the development of other models. One of these was its best-selling Trac-cess curtainsider, the first of which appeared in 1975.
This early Lawrence David curtainsider began to appear in greater quantities in 1976 and has had a number of changes in specification since then. In its greatly improved form, production is currently running at 14 per week with other orders in the pipeline.
Once its curtainsider had become established Lawrence David began to divert its attention inwardly to look more closely at its product in order to improve individual components. Curtains, straps and buckles came under close scrutiny. Corrosion on its buckles had become a cause for concern so plastics were considered as a substitute material, but the exorbitant costs of production prevented this solution.
Eventually, buckles made of stainless steel were selected and these are currently being imported from the USA and assembled at Peterborough.
What began as an improvement exercise on its curtain restraining buckles ended as a cornplete redesigning of the entire curtain assembly, from the valance and track runners to the straps' retaining claw.
It developed its own patented Armour Sheet which it uses in the production of all of its curtains whatever the model.
Another great problem at that time was that the poor quality webbing was not standing up to the stresses being placed upon it, and as the result was broken straps and lost buckles, Lawrence David developed its own webbing too. Its complete curtain as blies are now guarantee withstand a loading of 28 while each of its individui semblies will take a 3,000lb before failure.
Never satisfied with its training systems, Lawn David is constantly testin own webbing and rival mat( for resilience and resistan( ar. Straps are held in stress an octagonal bar which is ated at speeds for eight irs. The straps are then exaled and then stretch-tested to Aruction.
Aanaging director Laurie Mardi is satisfied that the present ipping used on his curtainsidis that which has given him best results although he is rays looking for improvents to his product line.
abrication of LD's Trac-cess lies takes place at its Morley rks, a 20,000sqft workshop ich forms just one third of a nplex covering 50,000sqft. awrie Marshall believes that strenth of its Trac-cess body tern lies not just in its redeled curtain assemblies but ) in the steel framework, fabted front bulkhead and rear lion which are rooted into the frame.
s aluminium curtain track vae is riveted to the rolled steel t rail, which is designed to istand stresses in excess of :ons with a minimum of defion. Metal cappings are fitted all corners for added protecand while bodies less than (30ft) in length remain unported, an optional single or ible support pillar design is available on longer bodies.
Its lightweight version. of the Trac-cess, the LX model has been designed to give the operator more payload.
The unladen weight of a 12m trailer in LX body form is approximately 4.4 tonne and will provide payloads in excess of 20 tonne. Its base platform consists of aluminium cross bearers at 305mm (12in) pitch covered by 17mm (0.6in) coated plywood with hardened core, to carry laden pallet trucks.
Lawrence David makes full use of its computer which not only covers budget and cost accounts but is also used for recording and stores control, material cutting lists and production planning.
The computer is" now not solely for the accountant but has become an engineers' tool to help with the forecasting of stock ordering and work schedules. Refurbishing and conversion of old trailers takes up 40 per cent of its work effort at present and the greatest time-consumer is the spray painting work afterwards.
In the past, work has been sub contracted out but after receiving complaints about paint peeling away with pressure jet washing, Lawrence David decided to expand its own spray painting facilities.
Old paint was removed by sand blasting to begin with but the end result was inferior to the shot blast method. This is now used to remove paint and rust to expose the metal ready for the heavy coat of zinc phosphate.
Two top coats are then applied, using the electro-static method of spraying heated, positively-charged paint on to the trailer. Nordson spray equipment costing £4,000 per set has eliminated the complaints of the past and is certainly earning its keep.
While most of the body-building organisation is working five and six day weeks the painting department is on six and sometimes seven days to keep the work and the paint flowing.
It pays to advertise say the ad men and what better and cheaper way to let others know about your products than in livery form on your vehicles.
Besides the fine sign-writing work Lawrence Davis is about to introduce a system called Fleximark for side-curtains which has remarkable qualities of photographic reproduction on the type of material which curtains consist of. Using a four or fivecolour printing system it gives an outstanding reproduction which is scratch proof and appears to merge into the pvc material. Although it is wash and weather-proof, the image can be removed and replaced with an updated decal.
Lawrence David may be a newcomer to bodybuilding but it is certainly maintaining the standards set by its more senior partners and is aiming high.