load handling The adapting load handling


A VanUser promotion W


hile the cost of petrol and diesel has been fluctuating for many years, when it comes to vehicles that


boast better fuel efficiency, reduced carbon emissions, and which better meet the needs of the end user, the demand has continued to grow. Vehicles are being required to do more with less, and the focus has moved to reducing the overall weight and the savings this brings over time.


And so manufacturers are continuing


to improve the specifications of their vehicles and provide a better overall driving experience by reducing the weight of the chassis. But to ensure that the customer benefits from increased payloads, the whole vehicle needs to be considered. One company leading the way has


marked a decade since it brought the manufacturing of its part content in-house, and thanks to smart design decisions it has significantly reduced the weight of its bodies by more than a quarter of the initial weight, and delivered savings for its customers through more flexible load handling abilities. Ingimex is a leading provider in the design, manufacture and installation of the tipper, dropside and Luton vans which are used across the length and breadth of the country, and which sit on manufacturer chassis including Ford, Volkswagen, Vauxhall, Iveco and Renault, as well as Nissan, Peugeot, Citroën and Mercedes Benz.


Back in 2006, the Telford-based


company did as many in the industry still do and imported body kits for its Luton vans from Europe, including the shutter doors located at the rear of the vehicle. The body in total then weighed 850kg, and the import of body sections resulted in relatively long lead times for customers while limiting the level of flexibility. In addition, the Luton body was only available for a limited range of vehicles, precluding its use by those who preferred other chassis. Over the next four years, the team


invested extensively in the high-tech, specialist equipment required to make the Luton van shutters from its Midlands- based site. Not only were they able to improve body specification, but also to move from a plastic construction to


24 VanUser August 2017


aluminium for a better weight to strength ratio.


In 2012, Ingimex took ownership of the


roof and body panel manufacturing too, which offered even more flexibility when it came to design and delivery, allowing its team to best utilise their expertise in repairing or replacing any parts directly from the same site. By bringing production in-house the team was also able to reduce lead times and cost. During this time, Ingimex also diversified to make the vehicle fully compatible with all major vehicle chassis manufacturers, opening up the market significantly – and reduced the weight by a huge 25%. Its ongoing focus on utilising the


expertise of its research and development


“We’ve already made exciting plans to continue investing across the board to reduce the vehicle body’s weight even further”


team has meant a stronger focus than ever on reducing the weight of the Luton van. The overall objective has been the provision of a body for all leading vehicle chassis, which offers in excess of 1-tonne payload – including the weight of the tail lift, which is usually classed as an addition to the weight across the wider industry. One of its most sought-after models,


the Luton van has been at the forefront of product development over the past decade, and these developments have enabled users to benefit from an increased threshold for payload limits. This has not only allowed them to carry more in one load, but also provided them with a better return on investment, savings on fuel through better driving efficiency, and reduced the impact on the environment. Justin Gallen, managing director at


Ingimex, explained: “Over the last ten years we’ve made substantial efforts to further improve the way that we manufacture the Luton van, and this has seen us bring in some leading-edge equipment and machinery to allow us to produce, and ultimately refine, even more here in the UK. Previously, small parts including the shutters, the panels, and the roof were imported from specialist manufacturers in Europe, but by bringing


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