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The latest Loadmaster innovations bring key central England tipper operators over to Thompsons.
Many hauliers wonder how is it possible to go on and on improving a product like a steel tipper body - especially one as well proven as the market-leading Thompsons Loadmaster.
Yet the latest round of Loadmaster innovations have made a real difference for two of the UK's best known tipper fleets, and in doing so swung them over to Thompsons.
Smith's (Gloucester) Ltd.
Principal of these is the new 'Auto-Lift' automatic tailgate. Controlled fully from within the vehicle cab, the driver therefore never has to get out of his truck, and it was this operating advantage that particularly appealed to Alan Ball, Transport Manager of Eastington - based Smith's (Gloucester) Ltd.
"There's an obvious safety benefit here as our driver can remain in his cab at all times" Alan says. "Added to that, there is a general speeding up of the whole tipping operation which, when looked at over a whole working day, allow these Loadmasters to get in an extra load over other vehicles with conventional, manually operated tailgates".
The result of many months development and testing, Thompsons has taken particular care to ensure both the highest standards of reliability and performance of the new Auto-Lift mechanism.
At the beginning of the tipping cycle, the taildoor is first raised in its vertical position, then swung fully open by powerful hydraulic cylinders whose mechanism is fully enclosed within the box sections of the body's rear sideposts. At this point, the body is then tipped, and the load ejected. |
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After lowering the body back onto its chassis, the tailgate is then also lowered, and slid back into its lockable closed position over the end of the body.
"One issue with automatic tailgates has always been about ensuring a good clean fit between the taildoor and the body" says Simon Shields, Thompsons Group Sales Manager. "The Auto-Lift solves this by simply sliding the taildoor down over the angled rear posts of the body, thereby preventing any type of 'gravel trap' obstruction. And when fully locked in the closed position, the required degree of tight fit between tailgate and body is guaranteed."
With both his Auto-Lift vehicles operating with complete reliability, Alan Ball admits that their extra performance and productivity is impressive. "Traditionally, we've never really gone for higher specification bodies, simply because the work our trucks do is always highly varied, arduous and very demanding - muckshifting, demolition, you name it - we do it!
To date, I have to say that the bodies are performing even better than expected."
Coleman & Co.
Up in Great Barr, Birmingham, Coleman & Co. has also taken its first ever Loadmasters. Part of a wider fleet review, the priority for Coleman is to operate vehicles that can turn their hand to just about everything.
"On the one hand, we're working in demolition, site clearance and bulk excavation" says Malcolm Hurst, Coleman's Transport Manager.
"On the other" he adds, "we're producing and delivering a whole range of recycled products and aggregates from our purpose-designed 'urban quarry' here at Great Barr - so what we need are particularly robust, high specification, heavy duty trucks able to tackle anything with next to no unplanned downtime". |
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To meet Coleman's requirements, their four Loadmasters have been supplied with extra heavy duty floors, making these bodies amongst the most robust that Thompsons has ever built.
"We chose Thompsons primarily for their professionalism" adds Malcolm Hurst. "They were able to easily configure a standard body design to our exacting standards and the outcome is a smooth, clean looking body with the strength to tackle harsh working environments. Coleman & Company takes particular care in the presentation of its vehicles and the Thompsons body fits in well with this policy."
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