Home sides play away at RAI
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by Bryan Jarvis • Growing penetration of the UK market by continental bodybuilders has been evident for many years, but last week's RAT exhibition at Amsterdam showed some reversal of the trend.
Anglian Developments, for example, has appointed Heering as continental agent for its stylish Majestic body system which is based on Ford's Transit chassis platform. Its annual target of 300 looks does not seem overoptimistic, judging by the interest shown at Amsterdam. Five were sold by Heerings during the show and KLM's interest could stretch from an initial 15 to 70. Snap-On Tools is negotiating for another 90 for its European operation.
Demonstrator
Mid Essex Fabrications is about to begin building CombiGroup's Combi 2000 aluminium van body system for UK sales.It already has a bodied MAN L2000 7.5-tonne demonstrator on the road. The lightweight design is said to be easy to assemble and repair; MEF expects to have the extrusions made locally. Karhof of Purmerend also exhibited a 5.37m Combi 2000 body system on a Mercedes 814D chassis.
The vehicle is intended for a customer in the carpet retail trade; it has an electric crane mounted centrally in the roof. The aluminium profile body weighs 960kg, including a gantry device which can lift 350kg and extends to 2.5m beyond the tailboard. Payload is 3.48 tonnes.
Parking empty ISO containers used to be a problem until Dutch engineers Brasco Techniek of De Meem designed a foldaway version. Now five of its TuV-approved Eco Carriers can be folded and stowed into the same space as a single conventional box structure.
It is available in 7.15m, 7.40m and 7.8m lengths, in 2.5m or 3.0m heights and with steel or aluminium panels. Load volumes start at 42.5m3; carrying capacity is 16 tonnes and when not required it can be folded down within 12 minutes into a 480mm-high pack.
Dedicated agricultural trailers tend to stand idle between seasons—Franeker-based Happy Roller's latest latest demountable bulker body can be detached and parked up leaving the flat trailer it mounts upon to work elsewhere.
It can be made from GRP insulated panels to deter frost damage to crops in lengths up to 13.6m. It secures using ISO twist locks or side clamps. The twin-compartment show model, mounted on a Netam Fruehauf chassis, caters for a range of produce; unloading is by standard conveyor belt Plastic strip curtains help to retain cold air inside reefer bodies but they are cumbersome so drivers tend to prop them open, which defeats their original purpose.
There are several answers to this problem but none is simpler than the air curtain devised by Heiwo of Wolvega and shown on a 13.3m semi-trailer. Air is pumped from under the floor into square side channelling which is integral with the rear door frame, spraying across the entry through small holes in the uprights.
Keg dispenser
An American-made device, the On Tap beer keg dispenser is designed to avoid the back injuries that are commonplace among draymen. Contar of Nieuwerkerk, the newly appointed European agent, demonstrated its ability to position a keg at bed height for easy removal from the truck body. Twelve kegs are pre-loaded on their sides into the aluminium frame which is then forklifted on to the dray.
To unload,the first two are removed at waist height; a handle releases the next pair and, so on. Empties are simply placed on top of the full ones. Contar showed the dispenser mounted in one of its converted Volvo FL614 beverage trucks, lowered in mid-chassis and offering an 8.0-tonne payload.
Albergen-based Bos Carrosseriebedrijf showed another interesting drinks dray, based on a MAN L2000 7.5-tonner for Egberts Rubber. Its German Denkel side-opening body is a neat system for local delivery vehicles: each side opens easily by hand via the lightly balanced mechanical linkage in each corner post Its upper panel lifts through 225° to rest above the roof with the lower section simultaneously hinging down against the side. Fold-down steps slide lengthways into the required position.
The show body is 5.2m long, made from extruded aluminium planks and adds just 1,800kg to the truck's tare weight. GRP panelled versions are available.