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PANEL SUPPLIERS FEEL THE PINCH
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The present downturn in demand means that more panel suppliers are willing to deai with smaller bodybuilders to keep production lines rolling.
• Panel suppliers to the several hundred bodybuilders serving the truck and trailer industry are well aware of the cold wind blowing from the direction of the financial institutions. Reports that Graff Isometals is to stop supplying the UK with panels will bring some slight relief, but some are no doubt feeling the breeze already.
Trailer manufacturers who invested in their own panel production plants did so for all the right reasons. Some, such as Gray & Adams which tends to dominate the UK's metal-skinned reefer body market, manufacture for their own consumption.
However, with the present downturn in demand, others may be more than willing to supply smaller bodybuilders, providing there are no conflicting interests, in order to keep their production lines rolling.
BE-PLAS
Laminate supplier Be-Plas of Bromborough, Merseyside sells a range of mainly imported products, such as its Kemlite Glasbord and Polydet GRP laminates.
These can be supplied in rolls up to 60m long and in widths of 2.7/3.0m. are available in white or transluscent, and in thicknesses of 1.52-1.90mm. They are suitable for dry freight or insulated applications.
To avoid loading impact damage at floor level, Be-Plas offers a downwardtapering version of Glasbord or alternatively a GRP Scuff strip up to 1.22m high which can be added to the standard panel.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ROOFS Commercial Vehicle Roofs, a 16-yearsold company based in Rochdale, produces a wide range of body panels, fitments and refrigerated body kits.
Its GRP/ply dry freight panelling is available to any thickness, while its latest lightweight 21mm-thick insulated panel uses a dense Styrofoam core with a 2.0mm GRP covering.
CVR claims a 40% weight saving over the traditional 17mm ply panel. Its GRP/ polyurethane foam panel is also available within a 1.0mm-GRP/9.0mm-ply sandwich for refrigerated use. They are generally supplied in 100mm thicknesses, but can be varied to suit customers' needs, and produced in lengths of 16.46m x 4,27m wide, CVR also manufactures GRP or aluminium roof sheeting, and roof panels with 76 and 127mm radiussed edges.
CONCARGO
Concargo of Weston-super-Mare is one of the largest of the independant manufacturers of insulated GRP panels and has been in the business for over 25 years.
It produces insulated panels of up to 13.6m x 3.0m, and in varying foam thicknesses using pressure-injected polyurethane.
The panels are predominantly GRP lined, but a range of mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium or pre-painted skins are available too.
For refrigerated applications. Concargo supplies side panels in 45100mm thicknesses, generally 130mm for the roof and floor, but any depth can be supplied. The company also produces insulated body kits along with a wide choice of furnishings, fitments and sealants. It offers customers full training in assembly.
Panels can be colour-matched, including a vehicle builders shade of white, and supporting framework can be built integrally within the panel.
DAWNPRESS
Stockport-based Dawnpress manufactures GRP panels for both dry freight and insulated vehicles, or for container bodywork. It also produces the Eurokit range of kit bodies for supply to approved bodybuilders and other selected customers.
Its standard Glasfoam insulated panel contains polyurethane slabstock foam with glass fibre webs and bonded with polyester resin. Panels are available in up to 13.12m x 3.66m x 150mm thick. Timber, steel or other load-bearing inserts are integrated on build and colour pigmented laminates are also available.
An 'Xtralite' version is also offered, with narrower-spaced (100mm) webs and core panels, while its uitralight 2LF panels for smaller vehicles combines two layers of polyurethane foam at offset 600mm centres between seamless laminates.
Glasfoam Xtralite panels with a laminated underside can be used for truck flooring, while reinforced twinlayered foam panels with integral steel tapping bars are offered to customers with hanging meat requirements.
Dawnpress's Glasply panels for dry freight use are bonded with polyester resins and offered in white or pigmented in single or split colours. These are available in seven thicknesses from 624mm.
The plywood core of its Glasply Anchorfix panels contain steel inserts for load restraining equipment.
Dawnpress, which manufactures to BR5750/1S0 9002, also offers colourmatched Skufproof surfacing for one or both faces of its panels to avert surface abrasions or damage during loading.
FERROPLAST
Ferroplast, a steel-lined polyurethane foam sandwich panel, is made by West German truck and trailer builder Schmitz's subsidiary at its Berlin plant.
The panels, suitable for dry freight or reefer bodywork, use 0.6mm zinc-plated sheet steel in 1.2m-wide vertical sections with a polyurethane hard foam of 6080kg/m3 density.
They are available in 25mm thicknesses for dry freight and perishables, or at 45 and 60mm for deep frozen, ATP work.
Ferroplast is now marketed in Britain by Cargoteam of Bedford. HICORE HiCore was set up last year by Wilsdon & Co of Solihull as an independant manufacturer to sell its dry freight refrigerated panels to the general bodybuilding market. Custom-built reefer body kits can also be supplied. All are produced at its 3,200m2 purpose-built factory at Nechells, Birmingham.
HiCore 5 dry freight panels are of GRP/ply with a closed-cell polyurethane foam core and have integral non-metallic load-securing plates set within the panel as standard. These run the full height, are spaced 350mm apart and are clearly marked with arrows. Each is rated at 1,400kg and will carry shelves or load fixing systems.
The panels are available in 16, 20 and 24mm thicknesses according to the length of the vehicle, and in a choice of widths between the 2.4m standard and 3.6m. Trailers of up to 13.6m can be accommodated.
HiCore Matrix panelling is intended for temperature-controlled bodywork. It uses a similar GRP/ply construction with a polyurethane core and integral Hifix fixing plates, but within this foam is a twin layered co-polymer extruded matrix set at 80mm centres.
The matrix adds to the strength of the panel, has zero moisture absorbancy and in the event of damage acts as a vapour barrier.
The panel is manufactured to the same dimensional limits as HiCore 5, but in standard 50,80 or 100mm thicknesses. Extra deep (or shallower) panels are available on request. For floor panels, integral bearers and securing plates are added.
All panels are lined with GRP, but metal facings can be included for large enough orders.
LAMINATED PROFILES Alton, Hampshire-based Laminated Profiles claims to be Britain's only manufacturer of GRP laminates, on machines which it designs and exports.
The company, which last December won BS5750/1S0 9002 certification, produces around 10,000m2 a week, mainly for truck panel manufacturers.
They are made in rolls up to 60m long, in 2-0-3.0m widths and thicknesses up to 3.0mm.
Its Panelite laminate is available in various grades, including a heavy duty embossed for higher impact resistance.
RYDGEWAY VEHICLE MOULDINGS Rydgeway Vehicle Mouldings of Basildon, Essex produces a range of glass-fibre roof laminates, GRP composite body panels and an insulated body kit system for rigid vehicles.
All are supplied through its agent, James & Bloom of Altrincham, Cheshire. Its Rycool panels of 1.2mm glass fibre skins on ply have a polyurethane foam core and are available in sizes up to 12.2m x 2.44mm.
Thicknesses of foam and ply can be varied, and load-fixing inserts made integral with the panel to suit a customer's needs.
Sturdier Ryglyde panels are made specially for sliding-door applications and to accept door hinges and locks. The panels have a glass fibre skin on ply, polyurethane foam or end-grain balsawood.
RVM also offers a rigid glass-fibre/ply board of thicknesses between 10 and 20mm for general use, while its Ryline panel (which is intended for inner and outer lining of insulated bodywork) is available in 5.0, 7.0, 10.5 and 13.5mm depths.
Other thickness can be specified to order.
TECHNICAL PANEL INDUSTRIES Technical Panel Industries produces a gel-coated GRP composite panel, known in the trade as Glasonit, for dry-freight bodywork.
Glasonit has a 1.0mm GRP laminated woven, roving reinforcement and is currently available in lengths up to 12.8m ( to be extended by another metre soon) and widths up to 3.0m. Glasonit, which comes in varying thicknesses from 10.5 and 23mm, is available in plain white or colour impregnated to match existing livery.
It is also offered with an integral load retaining facility. Known as Anchorfix, the panels have treated steel plates recessed into the core on manufacture and overlaid with GRP laminates. Lashing rails are attached to them.
Among its other products, the Braintree plant manufactures the Pecolite GRP laminate for roofs and reefer body linings, in 0.8-3.0m widths and up to 3.0mm thick.
TN was established in 1969 and has achieved 1S09002 certification. TRUCK PANELS Truck Panels specialises in GRP panels for insulated and refrigeratea vehicles, but supplies them for dry-freight, slidingsided and specialist applications too.
The Leek-based organisation, which is well down the road to achieving BS5750 certification, also supplies its recently formed subsidiary Patelier with panels for its refrigerated containers and other mobile units.
TP uses RTM Styrofoam for its GRP/ ply-insulated panelling, but aluminium and steel-faced panels can also be provided_ These are produced in sizes up to 15 x 3m and are available in 14-150mm thicknesses.
TP produces ply floors with a wide range of coverings, including non-slip systems, and is currently developing a range of components such as doors and bulkheads under the Reefer Tech banner.
Manufacturing panels for temperaturecontrolled bodywork is TP's mainstream activity, but it also produces them for dry freight.
UNITRANS PANELS Unmans Panels, at six years old a relative newcomer produces polyurethane foam GRP/ply composites panels for dry freight and insulated applications in vehicles and mobile buildings.
The Stoke-on-Trent company, which is two-thirds of the way towards gaining BS accreditation, can produce panels up to 13.7 x 3.0m. Other sizes on offer are 3.05 x lm, 4.27 x 3.05m; and 3.66 x 3.66m. All are available in thicknesses up to 150mm with metal (aluminium, mild or stainless steel), facings or up to 3.0mm, with GRP faicings. They can be slightly curved if required.
GRP laminates are of woven-roving or chopped-strand fibre and can have gloss, matt or embossed surfaces.
UP can offer a range of insulations to suit, but generally uses IB or RTM Styrofoam.
Other panel suppliers include:
Advanced Technical Panels: Metsagrip & Hexafloor; Schauman Wisadeck. Milner Way, Ossett WF5 9JE, West Yorkshire.
Heathrow Timber: Sasmo floor panels (Phenolic-coated ply); Sasmo GRP/ply van body panels (dry freight). 66/70 Raymouth Road, Rotherhithe, London SE16. Rauna-Repola UK: Bear floor panels (Phenolic-coated ply). Ewell Road, Surbiton KT6 7.19, Surrey.
Vincent Timber: Safodeck floor panels (Phenolic-coated ply). 473 Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6BB.