SMITH BROS AND WEBB LTD, Britannia Works, Arden Forest Industrial
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Estate, Alcester, Warwickshire SMITH BROS manufacture their own Britannia range of vehicle cleaners and also market Finnmatic cleaners which are made in Finland by Rateko Oy.
In the Britannia range the company produces drive through under-chassis, swinging arm and brushless cleaners. The underfloor gear requires a 25.4mm (lin) mains water supply and 380/420V or 400/440V 3 phase 50Hz electrical supply on a level concrete site. The equipment comprises a 1800 litre (400 gal) hot water tank with immersion heaters, a cold water tank and a 227 litre (50 gal) detergent tank.
The swinging arm SA cleaner is claimed to have a throughput of up to 100 vehicle's per hour and is built in three sizes. It can cater for buses and commercial vehicles up to a maxi mum height of 4.6m (15ft).
The brushless cleaner can wash an articulated vehicle in about 3 minutes and comprises two separate gantries, one for applying the cleaning solution the other for a rinse off. The water and chemicals are stored in three 300 ilitre (66 gal) tanks and all electrical equipment is housed under a weather proof panel.
The storage tanks and associated control equipment can be installed in existing or purpose built premises. The Britannia RG cleaner has a roll-over top brush as well as side brushes and the washing gantry passes over the stationary vehicle. It is considered ideal for drive-in/ reverse out wash bays. On the first pass of the gantry the detergent water solution is applied, on the return pass a water or water/wax rinse is applied.