Based on 7.5-tonne Isuzu chassis, the vehicles feature an innovative double A-frame design concept. This offers four facings and means sheets of glass measuring more than 3.2 metres in height and 4.5 metres in length can be crane-loaded from the rear.
The first of the new trucks is now working from the GG Glass and Glazing’s Liverpool headquarters, with the second due to enter service shortly at a depot in Leeds, one of six which the company operates nationwide.
St Helens-based Supertrucks, meanwhile, is the country’s number one manufacturer of purpose-designed glass carrying vehicle bodies and racking systems. Acquired in 2014 by the Bevan Group, the bodybuilder enjoys an enviable reputation for its bespoke design capability and build quality.
Commenting on the new vehicles, Roy Williams, the GG Glass and Glazing director with responsibility for transport, said: “Supertrucks has been a valued supplier to GG Glass and Glazing since we founded our business eight years ago.
“Most of its previous work for us has entailed converting 3.5-tonne panel vans, which are fitted with internal racking as well as external frails – we run upwards of 40 of these vehicles now. Supertrucks’ fixtures and fittings are manufactured to a very high standard and good for a second or even third life, so when we stand a van down we’ll always remove its glass-carrying components and fit them to a new vehicle.”
He continues: Given the strength of a relationship which is based on service and turnaround times, as well as product quality, we had no hesitation in returning to Supertrucks when we identified the need for two bigger vehicles.
“We were highly impressed with the way its team embraced the project. We could have gone for a variety of configurations but when Supertrucks came up with the double A-frame design we quickly realised it would be ideal. These vehicles are workhorses and used solely to carry glass, so the fact that the back is open does not present any issues – it is also significantly less expensive than an enclosed vehicle.”
A member of the Glass & Glazing Federation, the operator updates its vans, the majority of which are contract-hired, every three years. However, because the new trucks represent a more substantial investment, it has purchased them outright and will run them for significantly longer – “That’s another reason for choosing Supertrucks,” says Mr Williams. “We know their products will stand the test of time and still look good.”