New formula for Rigid success

The UK’s leading articulated tipper manufacturer, Fruehauf, have formed a new company called Fruehauf Rigids Ltd and signalled a massive attack on the rigid tipper market with the launch of FORMULA FRUEHAUF. Their target is to achieve market leadership in rigid tippers within 3 years.

Formula Fruehauf is a rapid delivery rigid tipper body supply service combined with ‘while you wait’ fitting. Incorporating a range of aggregate aluminium, insulated aluminium and steel muckaway bodies, the customer will be able to book a build slot as little as 3 days in advance, then bring his chassis to the Fruehauf Grantham factory where the body will be fitted in just 2 hours! 

Fruehauf’s extensive market research has found that many 8 wheeler tipper operators and truck distributors are fed up with the cost, inconvenience and uncertainty associated with the extended lead times that seem to be the norm with even ‘standard’ bodies. Joint managing director Matthew Wordsworth says that many customers report standard lead times routinely being up to 8 to 10 weeks, resulting in high interest costs, lost revenue and even late contract penalties.

The Formula Fruehauf concept is based on a standard range of bodies and ‘bolt-on’ options, which are designed to meet the needs of at least 75% of the rigid tipper market. By redesigning the body o chassis interface to create a universal fitting design, building up a stock of 3 basic models, and developing a fitting process which is based on specialist fitting teams of highly trained personnel performing their tasks in parallel rather than sequentially, fitting times are not 10 weeks, 10 days, or even 10 hours, but between 1 and 2 hours!

“At first sight it seems unbelievable” says the other joint managing director, Niall Wordsworth, “but if you compare the hour or so it takes the local tyre fitter to change 4 tyres on your car, to the 6 seconds that it takes Ferrari on a Formula 1 car, you realise it is just a matter of design, equipment and training.”

The 3 days notice is required to source and apply the finish paint to the ready made stock body. When the truck chassis is delivered to Fruehauf’s Grantham base at the agreed time it will be taken to its mounting bay where the fitting crew will be ready to start work. Meanwhile the delivery driver will be shown to a driver’s lounge where he will find comfortable seating, a large screen TV and complimentary snacks and refreshments. Within just 2 hours the driver will be reunited with his truck, which will now be ready for work.

The Formula Fruehauf body range includes a 23 cu yd ‘bathtub’ aluminium aggregate body with a reinforced floor at the rear and top hung tailgate, a 24 cu yd insulated aluminium construction body with a 60/40 split tailgate with air operated bottom door, 75mm Rockwool RWA 45 fibreglass throughout and reinforced floor at the rear, and a 20 cu yd high-grade steel ‘muckaway’ body with top hinged tailgate and air operated locking bar. All are fitted with a Hyva FCT149 ram and come with a range of sheeting systems.

Fruehauf will manufacture the aluminium bodies on its existing artic body production line, which already has a capacity for up to 25 bodies per week. The steel bodies will be manufactured on a brand new production line, which has been installed at a cost in excess of £500,000. It includes a new 800 tonne Press capable of processing steel plate up to 12 mtrs in length and 10mm thick. This is operated in tandem with a new purpose built Hi Def Plasma Cutter which also takes plate up to 12 mtrs in length. Together with 4 body jigs, the line has a capacity of 8 bodies a week on a single shift. This can be increased with additional shifting of course.

Examples of the new body range are taking pride of place on Fruehauf’s stands at both the CV Show and Tip-Ex, where customers are invited to make a quick ‘pit stop’ to find out more about the Formula Fruehauf concept.

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