Oxfordshire-based NAP Grab Hire has taken delivery of its very first Andover Trailers step frame, citing the company’s reputation for “bullet proof” build quality as the driving force behind the decision.
The new bespoke built 85-tonne gross weight five-axle extending step frame will primarily be used to transport heavy-duty crushers and screeners to sites around the UK. A new addition to NAP Grab Hire’s trailer fleet, it joins five other smaller step frames built by a competitor OEM.
Neil Parker, Director at NAP Grab Hire, says: “We knew we were going to use someone else to build such a major new addition. Everyone in the industry knows you get bullet proof build quality from Andover, so we naturally turned to them.
“During the process our driver was also able to work closely with Andover’s design team to tailor some elements to how he wanted them; that’s something you don’t really find anywhere else. This combination of quality and customer service has certainly set Andover apart.”
The 14.95m step frame can extend by a further 2.5m in order to accommodate longer machines – ensuring maximum flexibility for NAP Grab Hire. Extending via two outer box beams, the trailer offers higher strength precisely where it is required, supporting the heavy machinery directly under the tracks.
Of the five 12-tonne rated BPW axles, three are fixed, two feature self-tracking steering, while the rear axle can also be lifted from the truck’s cab. BPW air suspension with raise/lower control is also fitted and can be used to lower the trailer for loading and unloading.
The new addition comes equipped with a low-profile neck and Andover Trailers’ heavy-duty hydraulic power toe ramps, which provide a low loading angle, alongside four hydraulic steady legs that guarantee a stable loading platform. The trailer also benefits from galvanised side extensions, plus a convenient storage compartment for the side-extension timbers in the centre of the deck.
The step frame features all round LED lighting for optimum visibility, while steel underlays have been installed to the beavertail and ramps to extend the life of the flooring timber. For load security, the trailer features four fixed D-rings on the neck and four pairs of screw-in lashing points along the deck, offering enough versatility for a range of different load types.
Pulled by one of NAP Grab Hire’s fleet of three 6×4 Scania tractor units, the trailer will be on the road five days a week, clocking up between 70,000 and 80,000 miles a year. The company expects the new addition to stay in operation for up to 15 years.
NAP Grab Hire has been providing aggregate, waste removal, grab and tipper hire, heavy haulage and volumetric mixer services from its Abingdon base to customers across the UK and into Europe for more than 20 years.
