SELLING IN ROTATION
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to cover the strips, and finally came up with the conical design. Because the gap between the slats is constant, anything that gets trapped simply gets pushed out. "I've tried it myself, and it works," he insists.
He denies that the revolving designs could be a distraction to motorists. "I've driven around looking at rotating billboards and liveries on trucks, and my driving hasn't been impaired," he says. "Designs • An enterprising haulier from Hemel Hempstead has come up with a novel way of displaying up to six different liveries on a truck at one time — using a similar system to the rotating billboards seen at service areas and railway stations, plugging products at 10-second intervals.
David Furnell, who runs Furnell Transport, has already won an offer to supply Red Star with five Ford Transits fitted with rotating liveries (CM 22-28 February). Others showing interest include the London Evening Standard newspaper and the Southern Electricity Board.
His system, which has been patented, uses 14 horizontal 'eliptical triangular' alloy extrusions on both sides of the vehicle, which revolve to show three different faces. Adverts or liveries can be stuck to each one.
Although Furnell will not disclose what Red Star paid, he says a 3.5-tonner — fully kitted-out with revolving liveries — will cost a customer £330-a-week to rent or £25,000 to buy; about £10,000 more than a standard Ford Transit.
He claims, however, that if an operator is prepared to sell the advertising space, he could recoup the price within months. Furnell himself is considering running a fleet of vehicles fitted with the system.
Furnell Transport moves high-tech goods, such as computers and printing machines and has itself been a Red Star agent for 12 years. Furnell originally came up with the idea of revolving billboards on trucks after seeing some vans carrying giant advertising hoardings. "I found out how much they were charging advertisers, and I thought it was worth a crack," says Furnell.
He presented his ideas to design company, London Associates of Birkenhead, but the first blueprint it came up with — using rotating triangles — was unsafe. "The triangles form a pincer when they revolve, and a cyclist's hand could get caught," he says.
Vertical strips were also rejected, as they would catch the wind as the design changed. He then considered using glass can be eyecatching without being dangerous."
The vehicles have also been driven past police cars on the motorway, and officers have not even looked, he adds. Furnell is aware, however, that the product is contentious and is prepared to accept that it might not be possible to have the liveries revolving when the vans are moving.
The rotating boards — which can be controlled from the dashboard — will be a boon for companies organising exhibitions, as they can run up to 10 hours off the vehicle's battery. Furnell is considering hiring his own vehicle out for a day, with a driver to make cups of coffee for clients.
Furnell has invested 240,000 so far on the product and patenting the concept worldwide will need another £20,000 over the next four years.
Furnell has taken a risk buying the Red Star vehicles — the company is only rent ing them for six months — but he is confident Red Star will want to keep them, and possibly order more, after the trial period. He did win a 0,000 Department of Trade and Industry design grant to develop the concept, and hopes to get another so-called Smart award for up to £37,000. To get the money Furnell has had to submit ongoing reports.
INNOVATION
Furnell, who runs a fleet of 35 ranging from Ford Escorts to Iveco Ford artics, and turns over £1 million, says he has always been keen on innovation. His company, with depots in Stevenage and Cheddington, was one of the first companies in transport to use computers 10 years ago, and it was a pioneer of 3.5-tome curtainsiders in the mid-seventies.
He will make all the parts for the revolving-livery vans in his workshop, with the company's former mechanic, Michael Gregory, in overall charge of the project. "I am forever coming up with these fag-packet concepts," says Furnell. "I have just formed a workshop for inventors, which will help them find a market for their designs."
Contact Furnell on (0442) 212747. 0 by Murdo Morrison