Commercial Vehicle Conversions - While it is commonplace for logistics companies to use curtain-sided trailers in their operations, it is far less common to see small UK businesses using curtain-sided commercial vehicles. It is a great shame as they can miss out on many benefits.
When you are a logistics company that needs to move large loads of freight all over the country, it makes sense to use curtain-side trailers to make their job easier and more efficient. But for a small business that needs to run a handful of small commercial vehicles, a big curtain-sided trailer may be too large for their needs.
SMEs are lucky that they can choose from flatbed trucks, transit and box vans and refrigerated vehicles, which all have plenty of advantages. But adding curtain sides or half-curtain sides to your commercial vehicles will combine many more benefits.
Better flexibility
Standard panel-sided commercial vans come with a rear access door and solid side walls or sliding side doors. Having side access to your van storage is handy, but quite often, the sliding side door isn't wide enough to allow free entry or elbow room to position heavy loads safely.
Another issue that curtain sides resolve is the need to tarp a flatbed load. Because flatbed vans are open to the elements, many loads must be covered with a tarp for added protection. This can mean your driver must lug about a heavy canvas cover that can weigh up to 100 pounds and then secure it with bungee cords and straps, which makes for a frustrating and time-consuming process.
By adding a curtain side to your box van, you will be able to efficiently utilise all the load space in your vehicle and place loads in position without the need for any further shifting or handling by your staff to move the load into the correct position.
Because curtain sides can be folded back completely, there will be no panel walls or sliding side doors impeding your access and manoeuvrability. Loading and unloading will become more quick and efficient, leading to higher productivity and more significant time savings.
How do curtain sides work?
Curtain-sided trailers are essentially flatbed trailers with a square frame along the sides. This allows the manufacturers to fit a roof and secure retractable material sides instead of solid panel walls.
Curtain sides provide excellent weatherproofing to dry vans where the weather can ruin the goods they are transporting. Curtain sides offer plenty of protection to its contents from the sun, wind, rain and snow.
They also solve most people's access problems with panel-sided vehicles with a first-in, last-off system when your only access is through a rear door. Instead of struggling to reach goods stored at the front of the van, the driver can simply retract the curtain side to access what they need when they need it.
Having your commercial vehicle converted by our team at Osborne Motor Bodies Ltd. and having curtain sides installed can give you all the benefits of a completely accessible flatbed vehicle combined with the protection offered by having walls and a roof.
Protect your goods and materials
We all know how beneficial a commercial flatbed vehicle is for your business. It allows you to quickly load and unload goods and essential materials because there are no solid walls or doors to worry about.
You can quickly and safely load and unload using a forklift truck, making it much easier to load up and get on your way. But by adding curtain sides to your vehicle, you still have the same level of convenience offered by a flatbed van but can provide the secure cover needed to protect your goods.
For example, suppose you need to move a heavy load of wood or other building materials that can be ruined by the weather, such as composite boards, wall insulation etc. In that case, you can easily pull back the curtains to allow your cargo to be loaded, then close and tighten up your curtain sides to make your vehicle completely weatherproof.
Box van vehicle conversions
Box vans are popular commercial vehicles for many small and medium-sized UK businesses. They are common on streets and motorways up and down the country. They are an ideal choice for short-haul, medium-sized loads, which is why they have become the staple of delivery companies and other businesses that need to move goods, stock or materials around.
The generous internal size of commercial box vans makes them more versatile than transit vans for many businesses. They are also a much more economical choice for smaller firms than running large HGVs with detachable trailers.
Adding a curtain side to a box van optimises the flexibility offered by these commercial vehicles, where you can load and unload more oversized freight from the side with a forklift or add smaller loads via the read for access.
Our Osborne Motor Bodies Ltd. team can take your existing commercial box van and add single or double curtains sides. If you are in the market for a new or used commercial vehicle, we can also supply you with a range of brand new commercial vehicles and complete all the conversions you need.
We can often source high-quality used commercial vehicles, which are an ideal choice if you are working on a tight budget. To better understand our services, you can see examples of our most recent commercial vehicle conversions, including adding curtain sides to a box van.
