Bevan delivers sign of the times 7.5 tonners for Angel Springs03 September 2010

Water coolers firm Angel Springs is using bodybuilder Bevan Group's graphics production facility to keep its trucks' promotional messages up to date.

The operator has taken delivery of the first seven units of an order for 15 new Isuzu 7.5-tonners, all with automatic transmissions and fitted with Bevan's fast access curtainslider bodies.

However, in a first for Bevan, the trucks also boast two-metre square panels that are rear-mounted and interchangeable – used to publicise the latest marketing initiatives by Angel Springs.

Bevan is producing two of these aluminum-framed panels for each vehicle – one is always on the truck, the other held at the bodybuilder's production facility in Halesowen, West Midlands.

Every three months Angel Springs' marketeers relay their latest artwork to Bevan, which transfers it to the panels. Technicians from Bevan's aftercare team then take the new panels out to the Angel Springs' locations, fit them and return with the other set of panels.

"My marketing colleagues originally wanted to change the vehicle liveries on a regular basis," explains Angel Spings' national operations director Kevin Matthews. "But I explained to them that, apart from the cost, I couldn't afford to take my vehicles off the road for weeks at a time so the work could be done.

"This is a fantastic solution though, because the panels look great and it takes no time at all to swap them over. It's also very cost-effective. In fact, Bevan's production and associated costs for this exercise are a good bit lower than I thought they would be."

As for the trucks, each offers a payload of 3.7 tonnes, sufficient to carry 160 20-litres bottles stored on Angel Springs' bespoke racking – for which Bevan Group devised the secure locking system – as well as eight boxes of cups and a trolley.

"Our drivers make up to 45 'drops' per day and they love these new trucks," comments Matthews. "We've been successfully trialling a couple of vehicles with auto boxes in London for a couple of years, and this is the first order we've placed for units with two-pedal set-ups."

The trucks were supplied under contract through Fraikin and are the subject of six-year contract hire deals ,under which each will average 35,000 miles a year.

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Bevan Group Bodies Ltd
Isuzu Truck (UK) Ltd

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