Tomato Plant grows with Andover Trailers
12 July 2011
Buckinghamshire has a new trader on the scene: machinery and vehicle transporter Tomato Plant.
The Iver-based firm, which began trading in June 2011, is marketing itself as a specialist haulage company and in under a month has picked up work at both the Download and Glastonbury Festivals, as well as making deliveries to a movie set outside London.At the centre of Tomato Plant’s operation is a striking new 8x4 Volvo FM 500 Globetrotter mounted with a bespoke-built plant body with hydraulic beavertail from Andover Trailers. In addition to a Fassi crane, the Volvo has been fitted with a VBG ball-and-jaw coupling to enable it to operate with an Andover Trailers tri-axle centre balance drawbar trailer which will help to maximise the scope for carrying different payloads.
Keith Williams of Tomato Plant visited Andover Trailers when he was still in the early stages of forming the company, having seen at close hand the quality of an Andover Trailers vehicle at a local service station.
Williams says: “We couldn’t have achieved what we have already without a quality flagship vehicle, and the Andover team has really delivered the goods. They impressed with their service from the initial design stages to handing over the vehicle, and we absolutely intend to do business with them again as we continue to grow.”
The plant body, which measures 7.9m by 2.5m, is fitted with a remote-control winch, hardwood floor, fuel-saving fold-forward ramps – a design first pioneered in the industry by Andover – and five pairs of lashing points to secure any combination of loads. It also features telescopic steady legs to provide a steady platform during loading and unloading.
It will operate with a 6m x 2.5m tri-axle centre balance drawbar trailer – also with rear beavertail. Andover has shaped the front of the drawbar to allow ramps leading onto the plant body to lock into place, enabling easy through-loading without having to detach the trailer. It also features Granning axles and air suspension, together with powerful EBS brakes.
Finished in bright red paint to set off the company’s trademark tomato livery on the prime mover, the combination has been described by the customer as a “guaranteed head-turner”.
The 8x4 Volvo is plated to operate at up to 32 tonnes, with a maximum payload potential of 14 tonnes. The tri-axle drawbar is plated at 24 tonnes, allowing for its own maximum payload of 19 tonnes. Together, this combination affords Tomato Plant maximum load carrying flexibility, with a combined gross train weight of up to 44 tonnes and a total payload potential of nearly 20 tonnes, split between the truck and drawbar.
Some of the first loads transported to-date include film props, cars and fire engines, as well as general plant such as dumpers, diggers, concrete mixers and portable cabins.
Other Press Releases By This Company
- 05/12/2014 - NEW HEAD OF TRAILER SALES FOR ANDOVER TRAILERS
- 16/05/2014 - Third Time's a charm as O'Brien Contractors orders latest Andover Trailers Plant Body
- 15/05/2014 - Goldhofer bringing latest Axle Technology to the UK
- 20/02/2014 - Innovative Trailer design to help one call hire reduce fuel costs
- 21/11/2013 - Abnormal Load Specialist orders First Five Axle Step Frame from Andover Trailers
- 05/11/2013 - Andover Trailers Storms to Victory Through Sponsorship Deal
- 07/10/2013 - New Trailer marks 10 years of business for Andover Trailers with Northern Irish Heavy Haulier
- 23/09/2013 - Andover Trailers does the job for Smalley Plant Hire
- 13/08/2013 - Reynolds & Read order first Andover Trailers Plant Body
- 23/07/2013 - Andover Trailers is First Choice for Highway Plant Hire
- 03/12/2012 - Ermin Plant Hire delivers with striking new 26 tonner
- 13/08/2012 - New Step Frame Conveys Quality for Hamilton Tarmac
- 13/06/2012 - Blackwood Plant Hire unearths New 56-Tonne Step Frame
- 24/04/2012 - Goldhofer Powers Petrobas Oil Rig Move
- 16/02/2012 - H.E. Services digs deep with significant fleet investment
- 13/01/2012 - Andover Trailers lauded ‘Best In Business’ by Cardiff Haulier
- 04/01/2012 - Goldhofer plays heavy-duty role in Costa Rica Power Plant Construction
- 27/10/2011 - Cotswold Roller Hire expands branch network and truck fleet
- 10/10/2011 - Andover Trailers' Step Frame gets the job done - 'PLANE' AND SIMPLE
- 27/07/2011 - Innovative trailer design from Goldhofer puts haulier ahead of competitors
- 05/05/2011 - Forklift Specialist chooses bespoke design from Andover Trailers
- 12/04/2011 - 152-Tonne Andover Trailers design marks success story for British Manufacturing
- 10/03/2011 - Plant hire company optimises delivery service with bespoke trailer from Andover
- 14/02/2011 - Decade begins for new Andover Trailers Plant bodies
- 26/01/2011 - Andover's new lightweight step frame targets C&U operators
- 04/11/2010 - CONSISTENT QUALITY FROM ANDOVER TRAILERS
- 11/10/2010 - ANDOVER TRAILERS: THE NEXT GENERATION
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- 14/09/2010 - Andover solves herculean task of transporting oil platform
- 07/09/2010 - ANDOVER MAKES DELIVERIES EASIER, SAYS T H WHITE
- 24/08/2010 - GOLDHOFER LAUNCHES NEW 62-METRE WIND BLADE TRAILER
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- 13/05/2010 - ANDOVER GOES THE DISTANCE FOR NATIONAL ROAD PLANING
- 24/03/2010 - Andover Trailers power through for Scorpion
- 20/01/2010 - Andover plants body trio for Skelton Group
- 06/01/2010 - Andovers' Goldhofer keeps Potteries Heavy Haulage moving
- 18/12/2009 - Goldhofer self propelled transport is big in Japan
- 10/12/2009 - AETs' seven 'wonders' from Andover
- 23/11/2009 - Andover launch partners expandable Trailer
- 20/10/2009 - Hendersons' productivity increased by Andover
- 07/10/2009 - Lifterz scale new heights with Andover Trailers
- 17/09/2009 - Solution couldn't be planer for Andover
- 11/09/2009 - Sky's the limit as Andover signs new distributorship
- 07/09/2009 - Young gun turns to Andover for heavy hauling
- 28/08/2009 - Reigart hits the road with Andover Heavy Hauler
- 13/08/2009 - Andover Trailers ace sports construction specialist
- 07/08/2009 - Andovers' sweet sixteen Drawbar for Tripod Crest
- 22/07/2009 - Osmonds 'brake' milestone record with Andover
