Supertrucks' new mobile works are winners for Wakefield

Supertrucks has supplied two purpose-built mobile workshops to Wakefield & District Housing, based on the St Helens specialist bodybuilder's innovative glass-carrying van. The housing organisation's own employees took a hand in the design of the new vehicles, which are based on Supertrucks' innovative low-loading Citroen Relay 3.5 tonne gvw glass carrying van, which offers sector-leading standards of efficiency and safety.

Inside the purpose-adapted body, the front offside houses a five-drawer storage unit for tools, door and window fittings and fixings, together with a vented locker for carrying gas canisters. Above this is a cutting table, hinged to allow access to the rear where further storage space is available. Access to the mobile workshop is by a single fold-away step fixed to the lower bulkhead. The capacious body of the Supertrucks conversion – thanks in turn to the wide track of the dropframe Citroen Relay chassis conversion – has been used to good advantage, with ample space for fitters to work in.

As might be expected from the UK's leading specialist in its field, the converted vehicle is also an excellent glass carrier. The workshop vehicle retains the glass-carrying rack on each side; these can also be used to carry completed windows, doors or other sheet materials, all held safely in place by Supertrucks' load-securing strap poles. The rear of each rack can also carry ladders up to 4m long and at the rear offside there is a pocket for board storage.

The bracket securing the top of each glass rack to the side also doubles as a shelf and above this on the body sides there are gutters and brackets for carrying trims, beading and other long, delicate lightweight materials.

The workshops themselves are conversions of Supertrucks low-loading 3.5 tonne gvw van, examples of which were also recently added to Wakefield District Council's fleet. Based on a Citroen Relay drop frame converted chassis cab, it offers a rear load deck height of just 400mm and, hence, easy walk-in access for the crew. As with Supertrucks' standard low-loading 3.5 tonne glass carrying van, the workshop conversion provides a low centre of gravity for the load and its wide rear track also makes the new Supertrucks vehicle more stable than a conventional panel van glass carrying conversion.

The mobile workshops will be used by craftsmen to maintain and repair windows, doors and other fittings at Wakefield and District Housing, which is responsible for over 31,000 homes in West Yorkshire – one of the largest organisations of its kind in the country.

Peter Wright, Supertrucks’ chairman comments, “The new Supertrucks low-loading glass carrier is yet another example of how Supertrucks can provide a bespoke solution to a customer's very specific needs, yet at an affordable price by using as many existing components as possible. And we are delighted that the new mobile workshops have been designed with direct input from Wakefield & District Housing's own employees. With their wide experience of existing box van conversions, they were able to help us maximise the efficiency, user-friendliness and safety of the latest design.”