MARKET REPORT COMPACT PLANT


All new trailers sold must have Type Approval.


Getting hitched


Equipment for moving plant safely to site is easily taken for granted, but operators should take care to ensure they are using appropriate methods.


It might not be the most aesthetically striking product, but the humble plant trailer is an essential hire industry item, enabling hirers and their customers to move equipment and machinery to site, safely and efficiently.


Under the new European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) legislation, from 29 October all new type O1 (under 750kg) and type O2 (under 3500kg) trailers sold in Europe require a


Indespension says trailer sales to hirers have proved resilient.


Certificate of Compliance to show they have been Type Tested to all European safety directives and meet specified performance standards. As well as


items such as the chassis, braking systems and couplings, the regulations encompass aspects like registration plate location, lighting and tyres. In many cases, the procedures and paperwork involved for manufacturers in obtaining formal approval for each model in their range has taken many months or, even, years, showing their commitment to quality, and this should also make it more difficult for less stringent suppliers or importers to offer sub-standard products.


While there are some specific exemptions, a tachograph generally needs to be fitted to the towing vehicle if its MAM (maximum authorised mass, or gross vehicle weight) is over 3500kg, and to vehicle/trailer combinations which together have a MAM over 3500kg, used for commercial purposes. A useful explanatory flowchart is given at the National Trailer & Towing Association’s website (www.ntta.co.uk). In addition, licensing regulations mean that, while a driver who passed their test before 1 January 1997 can tow a vehicle of up to 8.25 tonne MAM, others require an additional test (see www.direct.gov.uk).


Returning to the actual plant trailers themselves, the overall market has remained strong. According to Peter Nesbitt, Business Development Manager at Ifor Williams Trailers, “We have seen growth


47


in sales this year to the plant hire market, and customers realise the benefits of buying good quality equipment in terms of reliability and reduced overall running costs. We introduced an updated tipping trailer last spring, and we can scarcely keep pace with demand.”


Similarly, Indespension’s Marketing Manager, Neil Singleton, says that “plant hire remains a very large market for us and sales have proved resilient, with our biggest selling models for this market being for transporting equipment like mini excavators and pedestrian rollers. Some people almost regard trailers as a ‘necessary evil’, being more interested in the equipment they will be carrying, but if they buy wisely they will have a product that lasts them years.”


As in many other markets, the importance of workplace Health & Safety has also fuelled demand. Paul Stockport, General Manager of Brian James Trailers, points out that “if equipment is not robust enough for site usage, items like lights and mesh tail ramps can become damaged, and some site inspectors will turn contractors away. Trailers need to be robust and durable.


“Also, much compact plant has become smaller and heavier over the years, and some older trailers were simply not up to the job. Hirers, and their customers, need to look at what they are using and see if it is appropriate. We introduced a range of commercial models, including plant trailers, five years ago, following more than 30 years specialising in car transporters, and they have proved extremely successful. We had to build a second factory in Daventry two years ago to increase manufacturing capacity.”


Low-loading units like KFS Special Vehicles’ Plant & Go can provide a useful transportation solution.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60