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CHARGE OF THE REFURB BRIGADE
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Last week we covered the pros and cons of repairing vs replacing trailers — now we talk to operators who've taken the refurb route and pass on some expert advice.
Operator case study: Gist Gist runs 800-plus trucks and 1.000 (mostly reefer) trailers which are sourced via Gray & Adams and Schmitz. but they're all built to the company's specification. It's a huge outlay, and Gist protects its investment by maintaining them carefully and watching out for any body damage.
Neglect can cause structures to degrade or delaminate.so any panel or door punctures are sealed quickly and subsequently attended to by a specialist repairer. Despite using steering axles, manoeuvring in confined spaces causes most of the fleet's peripheral damage.
Bumping into loading docks is also common, but here G&A's compression member (see last week's CM) absorbs most of the energy and protects the barn doors. Gist also fits protective steel frames around its tail-lifts.
"Trailer specification and life-spanning really depends on customer preference," says engineering director Sam De Beaux. "But we run our own reefers for six years then we give them a mid-life renovation.
-Light clusters are unchanged but we do renew the gritted floor surface," he adds.
De Beaux is prepared to spend up to £15,000 on a full trailer refurb. including a new shutter, dividing doors and even suspension air bags.
"That sounds expensive," he says,"but we get moderate maintenance costs over a second six-year period. Fridge hours need watching but they'll last the full course too."
A new refrigerated trailer costing, say, £50.000, will probably be fine for the first eight or nine years but then, he asks, how long before you run into serious trouble? -When high profile customers entrust you with carrying their goods you just can't afford any breakdowns-. ABE (Ledbury) is a general haulier specialising in parts stillages and pallets for the car industry. Its mixed fleet includes 24 trucks, 40 dry-freight trailers and a few reefers. It's also a member of the Palletline network.
Managing director Andy Boyle's philosophy is simple enough: because his mainly Boalloy trailers run well below their GCW limits they don't wear out, instead they are spruced up occasionally with a shot blast, respray and new curtains, Only when car models and JIT parts deliveries change,and parts stillages are rcsized, will he agree to any serious trailer surgery„ usually handled by the original manufacturer. For example,some older 33ft two-axledTautliners were stretched to 40ft to take different pallet loads. Then taller parts racks meant raising the roofs to 10ft... lo and behold, longer stillages meant they needed to be stretched again, to 45ft.
Together with a full refurb, respray and new curtains, Boyle is convinced that paying upwards of £4.000 for such modifications is far more cost-effective than investing in a new, odd-ball shaped trailer.-ln any case," he says," buying new trailers just to see them wrecked carrying motor industry stillages is a total anathema to me." Operator case study: Suttons Tankers
Suttons Tankers operates 350 road tank all highly specialised vehicles built to ca aerosol propellants, propane gas, bulk fi and petrol.The fleet includes a large nui of GP chemical tankers and some rubb( vessels for more volatile products.
The company finds that most day-todamage affects the rear. the sideguards running gear.
If cylinder lagging is affected and the product is temperature critical quick rei are made, either at Suttons' central engi ing workshop in Widnes, or by Clayton Commercials' own repair organisation.
"Should damage he extensive we'll ei sort it immediately or earmark some of a later refurbishment programme," say! of engineering Chris Soesan.This may i stretching and up-rating to 44 tonnes G and full renovation to virtually new star Being in such a safety critical sector, a upgrade will also include new EBS brat equipment from Wabco or Knorr Brerr well as ESP (electronic stability prograi Conversions to bottom-operated valve reduce the need for drivers to climb up top;where a conversion is not practicab hand rails are fitted.
With 3,500 ISO and swap tanks, Stitt( skeletal fleet is sizeable too.They're les complicated than tankers but carrying! tanktainers gives them very high centre of gravity. particularly on 44-tonne strai frames. Existing models now have EBS ESP upgrades, while every new trailer them fitted as standard.
"We're very protective of our image great attention to safety,says Soesan." invest heavily in doing it too."