Paisley-based haulage contractor, Truck Plant Services, has taken delivery of a new tri-axle step-frame trailer from Andover Trailers – the latest in a long line of Andover builds operated by the company dating back 20 years.

The new bespoke-built trailer features a closely spaced cross member construction which facilitates the loading of a large variety of plant machinery – from powered access and drilling equipment, through to compact heavy forklifts that have a high point-load over their wheels.

Kenny Blair of Truck Plant Services, says: “There’s nothing we move that this trailer can’t handle – and that’s exactly what we needed. Options like the closely spaced cross members increase the types of machine we can transport and therefore extend the working life of the trailer.”

Andover’s lightweight construction techniques allow 25 tonnes of plant to be loaded within C&U (Construction and Use) limits, while the low deck height ensures that forklifts up to four metres can still be carried below standard bridge height.

“Andover Trailers give you versatility that other manufacturers struggle to match, and that’s why we keep coming back to them. We’re very particular with what we need in our fleet, and when you take the strength, low weight and loading capabilities of their trailers into consideration, Andover always fits the bill,” Blair adds.

The new build features Andover Trailers’ innovative full-width hydraulic fold-forward ramp system that helps to minimise aerodynamic drag, while also accommodating easy loading for the variety of equipment Truck Plant Services transports.

Other elements built into the design include BPW axles, with rear-lifting axle capability, a high-power winch, strobes, safety lights, extra reversing lights, and LED lighting for safer working in the hours of darkness.

The new trailer is expected to stay in operation for a minimum of 10 years, clocking between 70,000 and 80,000km per year. It joins five other Andover products currently in the Truck Plant Services fleet and replaces a similar Andover step-frame that the company has been running since 1999. In a testament to the build quality of Andover’s products, the old trailer has been given a new lease of life and sold on the used trailer market.

Truck Plant Services is a family run business that has been trading since 1969. The company provides comprehensive transport solutions for construction plant, industrial machinery and forklifts for the materials handling, road construction and rock drilling industries.