Truck drivers calling into Lymm Services in Cheshire have given a thumbs-up to Schmitz Cargobull's latest 'speed curtain' trailer, after being invited to attempt opening and closing the curtain in just 60 seconds.
The event at Lymm marked the first UK demonstration of the Speed Curtain trailer, which is now entering full production at Schmitz Cargobull's manufacturing plant in Altenberge, Germany. It is designed to make loading and unloading trailers quicker, easier and safer for drivers – and more cost-effective for fleets.
"It was great to see how quickly drivers got to grips with the trailer," says Derek Skinner, technical director for Schmitz Cargobull. "Despite having never seen this style of trailer before, most of them managed to open and close the curtain in under a minute. And that's the point; it's all about increasing efficiency, maximising productivity and doing this in a safe and simple way for the driver."
The Speed Curtain tackles many challenges typically associated with traditional curtainsiders, such as the hazards posed by adverse weather conditions, load security in transit and the length of time taken to make deliveries or pick-ups to tight delivery schedules.
The company says it is suited to multi-drop operations, particularly in the beverage and automotive industries, where there is a high throughput of goods and frequent deliveries.
Schmitz Cargobull has a permanent demonstrator available for fleets in the UK to trial on request.
