| McArthur sticks with tried and trusted Bevan body |
| Monday, 17 May 2010 12:45 |
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For some operators a switch to a new chassis manufacturer might also present an opportunity to try a different bodybuilder - not so for McArthur Group. The Bristol-based supplier of fencing, wire products and ironmongery to Her Majesty The Queen specified its first Scania with a curtainside body by established supplier Bevan Group, of Halesowen, West Midlands. The 6x2 G-Series, which arrived via West Bromwich dealer Keltruck, has a Hi-line cab and drives through an Opticruise semi-automatic gearbox. It carries a Moffett Mounty forklift and is now operating from one of McArthur's main distribution facilities, at Smethwick, Birmingham. Group Transport Manager David Cashmore is responsible for a fleet of 52 trucks – most are 26-tonners, although the line-up also includes several 18-tonners and a pair of 4x2 tractor units. "We began working with Bevan Group four years ago and since then they've built all of our curtainside and dropside bodies," confirms Mr Cashmore. "They offer a top-quality product at the right price, and our working relationship is excellent. We sit down together regularly to consider how we might improve the specification of our bodies and if we come up with a good idea then Bevan will always run with it." To improve its customer's health and safety profile, for example, Bevan last year fitted four McArthur Group trucks with its flexible new 'keepnet' restraint system, which is designed to prevent operatives working on the load deck from falling off. This is now specified on all McArthur Group vehicles, including the new Scania.
McArthur Group can trace its roots back to 1839, when a Bristol ironmongery business was acquired by John McArthur. It is now one of the largest privately-owned companies in the UK, with a network of 13 locations and an annual turnover of more than £90 million. The company received its Royal Warrant from HM The Queen in 1989, to coincide with its 150th anniversary. |
"Bevan apply paintwork and graphics to our trucks, while we rely on their excellent aftercare service to keep downtime to a minimum," continues Mr Cashmore. "Parts are readily available and the bodybuilder's mobile service vans will turn out at short notice to undertake on-site maintenance or repair any accident damage a truck might have incurred. It all adds up to a genuine 'one-stop shop' service while Bevan are also very easy people to do business with."