Hotpoint latches on to Strongbox
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A FLEET of 30 of the new Tidd Strongbox 80 chassis-less trailer vans is being built for Hotpoint Ltd. Most of them will be coupled to Ford tractive units rated for up to 28 tons gcw.
The Strongbox 80s are 20 tonnes (19 tons 15cwt) gross single-axle semi-trailers 10m (33ft) long. The 2.4m (8ft) interior width obtainable from the pillarless laminate walls has enabled Hotpoint to fit four appliances abreast. Plywood boards laid across the top of the first tier form a load-bearing deck for a second tier.
The specification of the trailer includes a double-tier Ratcliff electro-hydraulic taillift. Flip-over latches on the side columns of the tail-lift hold the lifts platform firm in transit and act as safety catches when the lift is at second-tier level.
The piliarless construction of the Tidd Strongbox van has enabled Hotpoint to fit four appliances abreast in two tiers,