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Flatbed semis take a curtain call as buyers say 'encore!'
Page 73
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A GROWING number of 13.6m curtainsider triaxle trailers are being converted into flat trailers because demand for them is so high,says Rod Pybus, MD of Scotch Corner trailer dealership SDC Northern.
"Hauliers with flats are finding that they can achieve 95-100% utilisation," he adds.
Not that every curtainsider is suitable for conversion. "It's got to have a substantial chassis, a 15 tonne neck, decent raves, a heavyduty floor, and air suspension, of course," says Pybus. if it's got those features you can remove the body, fit a steel headboard, and you're in business.
"We've getting lots of inquiries for flatbed coil carriers too," he reports.
While 2004 has been a good year for SDC Northern --it's been the best we've had for the past 10 years"— Pyhus is con cerned about the growing impact the high price of diesel is having on his customers.
-Operators are still replacing five-to-ten-year-old trailers," he says."What we're not seeing, however, is the owner-driver coming to us and saying `I'm fed up with renting, I want to buy.'
"That said, we're very busy, especially when it comes to sales of newer second-hand equipment, and prices are still holding up."