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Weightlifter is spreading out TIPCON EXTRA by Steve Banner •

23rd April 1998, Page 14
23rd April 1998
Page 14
Page 14, 23rd April 1998 — Weightlifter is spreading out TIPCON EXTRA by Steve Banner •
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There's a mood of guarded optimism at Scunthorpe-based trailer maker Weightlifter. The factory is busy, and last December's purchase of bodybuilder PPG has broadened the company's range. "We bought PPG because we wanted to expand, and do more rigid business," says Weightlifter general manager Richard Lancaster.

"Although PPG builds trailer bodies too, it has a much bigger rigid customer base," he adds. "Furthermore it produces pressed tipper bodies, whereas ours are basically extruded. Two of the guys who set it up, Phil Mote and Pete Maddison, are staying with us."

There are no plans to relocate PPG from Thorney to Scunthorpe, but the acquisition should increase Weightlifter's purchasing clout with suppliers. "They know they'll have to offer a better deal," says Lancaster.

Employees The Scunthorpe's plant's 65 employees turned out 250 trailers in 1997, mainly aluminiumbodied tippers but including some curtainsiders, flats, extendibles and skeletals. Lancaster says it is difficult to predict volume this year, but he's hoping it will reach 300.

"However, we're struggling on the export side because of the strength of the pound, and the UK market is suicidally competitive at present," he adds. "A lot of the competition is coming from overseas manufacturers."

Weightlifter has reorganised production for greater efficiency, and is benefiting from the stable aluminium prices of the past three or four years. "We're now as lean as we can be," says Lancaster, "and we're getting to the stage where we're going to have to put prices up, although in the short term that's going to be difficult."

PPG's 35 employees aim to construct 250 to 260 eightwheeler bodies a year. "We've got seven gangs working and each turns out about three bodies a month," says PPG sales manager Rick Nichols. "We're very busy."

Weightlifter has now'built its first tipper trailer with disc brakes, and the body has flush alloy planking sides. "We've been building bodies like that for over 10 years," says Lancaster, "but during the past three years they've become very popular. They're easier to keep clean and to letter, and they should be better for fuel economy. We've also got a lot of customers who ask us to put an 18-gauge alloy sheet over pillared sides for the same effect. It adds about L1,100."

So what are tipper operators looking for these days? "They're after a 25-tonne payload—but reliability and durability are more important," he replies. "We've lightened our chassis through the use of fabricated main rails and high-tensile steel."

A typical Weightlifter product is a 55yd3 (42m3) taperframe triaxle on air suspension with an unladen weight of around 6.1 tonnes and a 10-15year life. Five years ago it would have been a 50yd3 (38m3) trailer riding on mechanical suspen sion, says Lancaster. "You can't put on all the equipment operators require these days and get below six tonnes; not with a practical trailer."

Today's trailer will probably be delivered complete with a rollover sheet—Weightlifter's own costs around L1,000—and electronic load cells.

Hauliers Hauliers who specify rollover sheets tend to run with them laden or unladen, says Lancaster. If you're empty it reduces air turbulence, and makes the truck more aerodynamic. "Some drivers run with the grain hatch open for the same reason," he explains.

The majority of Weightlifter's clients prefer front-end gear, he says, and the reason they give is that it tends to be lighter: "Ninety-five per cent of our trailers go out with Edbro DS1800 front-end gear; you can put a DS1800 on and almost forget about it, it's so reliable."

Last year Weightlifter redesigned its curtainsider, which now weighs in at about 6.4 tonnes on air. There's more high-tensile steel in the chassis frame, and fabricated threepiece main rails. A redesigned front bulkhead has saved a lot of weight; Scunthorpe is sticking with welded construction rather than bolted.

Weightlifter managing director Paul Weightman says: "We've built up the company on reliability and service. And we aim to continue that tradition in the future."


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