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RHM INGREDIENT Supplies of Leeds is changing its rigid vehicle distribution fleet to specially developed lightweight, low-height articulated units for urban delivery work.
The vehicles are Seddon Atkinson 4x2 301 tractive units equipped with Cummins L10 engines and coupled to York 9.4m (31ft) tandem axle semi-trailers fitted with Southfields Floloada curtain-sided bodies.
Special efforts have been made to reduce the load platform height and improve cab access on the tractive unit.
The trailers and tractive units are fitted with low profile tyres which contribute to a platform height of only 1.37m (4.6ft).
In addition, the floor crossbearers on the trailers are inset within castellated webs of the main chassis beams instead of lying on top. They are closepitched throughout the trailer's length to support the weight of pallet trucks during loading. The Floloada bodies have a 2.6m (8.5ft) side aperture, allowing high stacking of bulky loads. The curtains are reinforced with horizontal and vertical webbing, and further load security is provided by internal cargo nets which are suspended from tracking inside the standard curtain track.
Unladen weight of the tractive unit, which is fitted with alloy wheels, is 5.86 tonnes (5.76 tons). Trailer kerb weight is 5.56 tonnes (5.47 tons), giving a potential payload of over 21 tonnes (20.6 tons).
RHM Supplies has drawn on the operating experience of sister company Rank Hovis, which has also moved to small urban artic units.
On multi-drop delivery work, RHM Ingredient Supplies claims it has increased its payload carrying capacity by over 60 per cent compared to the former rigid vehicles.