DAF helps 240 year old company spin a good yarn

A DAF LF45 is helping a family firm in Yorkshire maintain a 240 year tradition in textile spinning.

Z Hinchliffe & Sons Limited, based in Denby Dale, was formed in 1766 and enjoys a world-leading reputation for spinning fine gauge lambswool and cashmere yarns.

Their new DAF is being used to transport bales of raw materials, cartons and skips between their four sites in Yorkshire and one in Scotland. It replaces a 15 year old J registration 45 Series that Managing Director James Hinchliffe says has given trouble-free service.

“Our internal transport vehicles provide a key link in the production process and it’s important that they’re reliable,” says Mr Hinchliffe. “Our past experience with DAFs has shown them to be very dependable and the back-up we get from our local DAF dealer, who service the truck out-of-hours, means that we get optimum availability of the vehicle to support our production activities.”

The new truck, which joins a fleet of four, is a 3.9 metre wheelbase LF45 fitted with a 5.95 metre double-dropside body by Roco Truck Bodies of Bradford. It was supplied factory finished in red with the chassis in black, leaving only the body to be painted. A roof mounted illuminated box carries the company’s name.

Power for the LF45 is from the 4.5 litre four-cylinder Paccar FR engine rated at 140 horsepower (103 kW) at 2500 rpm. This delivers 550 Nm of torque at between 1100 and 1500 rpm resulting in greater flexibility and fewer gear changes. The engine meets Euro 4 emission standards through the use of SCR technology.

DAF dealer F& G Commercials of Huddersfield supplied the truck and will provide ongoing service support.