Contractors for the £1.5 billion upgrade to the A14 in Cambridgeshire have given the go-ahead to roadstone specialist GRS Group to deliver material using its new safer articulated trucks.
Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of aggregate needed for the 21-mile scheme is being supplied by GRS using its fleet of ‘sliding bogie’ tippers, following the green light from the scheme’s joint venture partners.
GRS is the first UK company to invest in a fleet of the innovative trailers – developed by Dennison Trailers – which are safer than conventional articulated tippers and more efficient than their 8-wheel rigid counterparts.
Artic tippers can carry up to 35% per cent more aggregate than a standard 20-tonne capacity lorry but they are seldom accepted on major construction sites due to their manoeuvrability and the risks of falling over in the fully-tipped position – especially on uneven ground, in high winds or with ‘sticky’ loads (like sand or asphalt).
The 10-strong GRS fleet overcomes these issues with a pioneering system enabling the trailer’s triple-axle bogie to slide forward so the trailer body tips with a lower centre of gravity.
To further improve safety the trailer boasts a range of other features including a shorter body which reduces the overall tip height and a composite liner to help prevent material getting stuck in the body. The trailer also has impressive manoeuvrability.
GRS chief executive Jon Fisher says the new fleet of tippers is a game-changer for delivering to major projects: “Contractors working on major schemes need high volumes of aggregate delivered efficiently and continually. Thanks to the innovative work of our partners at Dennison Trailers, our fleet of sliding bogie tippers allows us to do that better than ever, strengthening our position as a key supply partner for major infrastructure projects.”
GRS has worked in partnership with Dennison for three years as part of its aim to improve the efficiency and productivity of its truck fleet, to provide even better customer service, reduce vehicle movements and increase economic and environmental sustainability.
A video demonstrating the operation of the sliding bogie tipper trailer can be viewed here.
