Bankside Patterson, the UK’s market-leading manufacturer of chassis for static caravans, has taken delivery of two Volvo FE 4×2 tractor units each plated at 26-tonnes GCW from Crossroads Truck and Bus, Hull.
The new Volvo FE tractor units represent a step-change for the company as it has previously utilised used trucks and rental. Says Bankside Patterson Transport Manager, Steve Atkinson: “It is critical for us that we keep deliveries in-house, as this enables us to offer the level of customer service that sits at the very foundations of the company. In buying the two new FE tractor units, we have embarked on a shareholder driven programme that should see us renew our entire fleet over the next couple of years. The loads we carry are generally between just 2.5 and 5.5 tonnes and the two trucks operate within a 35-mile radius of the factory. As such, we wanted fuel efficient trucks that offered excellent manoeuvrability, capable of carrying caravan chassis of between 28 and 50 feet in length.”
“The 7.7 litre 280 hp Volvo FE tractor units ideally met our criteria. Crossroads recommended the 12-speed I-Shift automated transmission which has not only shown benefits in fuel economy – we’re expecting to achieve somewhere between 11 and 12 mpg – but has also been praised by our drivers for ‘taking the stress out of the job’,” he added.
The tractor units are fitted with day cabs with rear windows, medium-height, two-bag rear air-suspension and 3.7 metre wheelbases.
As a company, Bankside Patterson has grown to become a £20 million turnover business, responsible for the manufacture of some 75% of the UK’s static caravan chassis as well as frames for modular buildings. The manufacturer operates a state-of-the-art engineering facility for pre-assembled components as well as three production lines at its 12-acre site in Brandesburton, Yorkshire, where it produces some 17,000 chassis per year.
“The business was started in Beverley in 1959,” explains Steve. “We transferred here to Brandesburton when we outgrew that facility in 2005 and we now have some 140 employees. As a company we were at the forefront when it came to using galvanised steel in our production methods and our early commitment to this method possibly saw us change the industry for ever.”
Ordered, but not yet fitted, the two new tractor units will each be equipped with a Brigade four-camera system – two cameras looking back at the load from the top of the cab, the third in-cab monitoring the driver and the fourth looking forward.
