INDUSTRYNEWS
A Super ‘Glass Act’
»»WHEN FAST-GROWING GG GLASS
and Glazing needed a pair of new trucks to
transport the jumbo-sized sheets of glass it fits
at retail and other commercial premises, they
chose specialist bodybuilder, Supertrucks.
Based on 7.5-tonne Isuzu chassis, the
vehicles feature an innovative double
A-frame design concept. This offers four
facings and means sheets of glass measuring
more than 3.2 metres in height and 4.5
metres in length can be crane-loaded from
the rear.
GG Glass and Glazing is one of the
UK’s leading contract glaziers. It offers
commercial clients complete solutions from
initial discussions through to site surveys,
installations and final handovers.
The first of the new trucks is now working
from the GG Glass and Glazing’s Liverpool
headquarters, with the second due to enter
service shortly at a depot in Leeds, one of six
which the company operates nationwide.
St Helens-based Supertrucks, meanwhile,
is the country’s number one manufacturer
of purpose-designed glass carrying vehicle
bodies and racking systems. Acquired in 2014
by the Bevan Group, the bodybuilder enjoys
an enviable reputation for its bespoke design
capability and build quality.
10 » M AY 2016 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Significantly more cost-effective than
enclosed vehicles, yet every bit as practical
and productive, GG Glass and Glazing’s new
trucks feature aluminium extrusions which
are powder-coated in white for an enhanced
appearance and increased durability, as well
as the corrosion-resistant stainless steel fixings
which are a Supertrucks ‘trademark’.
Roy Williams, the GG Glass and Glazing
Director with responsibility for transport, says:
“Supertrucks has been a valued supplier to
GG Glass and Glazing since we founded our
business eight years ago.
“Most of its previous work for us has
entailed converting 3.5-tonne panel vans,
which are fitted with internal racking as well as
external frails – we run upwards of 40 of these
vehicles now. Supertrucks’ fixtures and fittings
are manufactured to a very high standard and
good for a second or even third life, so when
we stand a van down we’ll always remove its
glass-carrying components and fit them to a
new vehicle.”
He continues: Given the strength of
a relationship which is based on service
and turnaround times, as well as product
quality, we had no hesitation in returning to
Supertrucks when we identified the need for
two bigger vehicles.
“We were highly impressed with the way
its team embraced the project. We could
have gone for a variety of configurations but
when Supertrucks came up with the double
A-frame design we quickly realised it would be
ideal. These vehicles are workhorses and used
solely to carry glass, so the fact that the back
is open does not present any issues – it is also
significantly less expensive than an enclosed
vehicle.”
A member of the Glass & Glazing
Federation, the operator updates its vans, the
majority of which are contract-hired, every
three years. However, because the new trucks
represent a more substantial investment,
it has purchased them outright and will
run them for significantly longer – “That’s
another reason for choosing Supertrucks,”
says Mr Williams. “We know their products
will stand the test of time and still look
good.”
Nick Lally, Glazing Manager at GG Glass
and Glazing, adds: “Supertrucks manufacture
the best glass-carrying systems and provide
a fantastic service. We set them some tight
timescales but they’ll always go the extra mile
to fit us in.”
www.ggglass.co.uk