Crane Fruehauf defrosts !Winer
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• British trailer maker Crane Fruehauf is overcoming the current poor demand for trailers in the UK by supplying trailers to more buoyant Continental markets. CF is currently building chassis for fellow SESR group members Fruehauf France and Ackermann Fruehauf, which are both faced with difficulties meeting demands for product.
Within the pan-European SESR group CF is supplying a variety of trailer chassis, notably to Germany for use in the latest lceliner reefer trailer which is assembled by Ackermann Fruehauf.
According to CF's Graham Thomson: "We're no different to any other multi-national group — there's not much point in duplicating facilities in a number of markets." Thomson reports that demand for the lceliner chassis has already exceeded forecasts, and production has been increased.
Following re-organisation within the main East Dereham site, CF's North Walsh= plant is "virtually working at normal capacity," says Thomson, "while Dereham is coming back on stream".
The company is now recruiting fitter/welders on contract employment to satisfy demand from European markets and is also building a small stock programme to meet future UK market demands.
But it expects little improvement in the domestic scene in the short-term: "It's a buyer's market out there . . . but there aren't many buyers."