“Scanias and Volvos are the best tipper chassis out there” says company director Darren Doherty, “and Thompsons’ Loadmaster bodies complement them perfectly. For trucks, I’m a big fan of all things Swedish and it’s good to see that our bodies are once again built with Swedish SSAB Hardox steel. We’ve run this spec of body for years because there’s really nothing to touch them for strength, durability and an all-round ability to handle every type of job that comes along.”
Based in Luton, Doherty Grab Hire is one part of B&R Doherty (Haulage) Ltd which has been active in the Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North London areas for over 60 years. Specialising in tipper grab work, Doherty’s trucks typically transport items such as concrete, rubble and waste ready for crushing as well as fully processed materials such as Type 1 aggregates and screened topsoil.
“Keeping the trucks loaded both ways helps maximise our efficiency” adds Darren “in this business there’s no time for downtime. With tippers, it’s the bodies that do the really hard work, typically being loaded and tipping out many times a day. After many years of proven performance, we still choose the double skinned Loadmaster for the extra margin of protection the inner panels give to the outer ones. This way, the trucks remain damage – free and in top condition, giving us a first class image for years to come.
Equally important, with their latest shotblasting and paint facilities Thompsons bodies now have an unbeatable finished quality which is another key factor in their long term performance.”
Constructed at Thompsons’ factory in Croydon, Doherty’s new Loadmasters have been built in Hardox 450 steel with 5mm floors which as well as providing outright strength also deliver exceptional resistance to wear and abrasion. Completing the trucks are Edbro underfloor tipping gears and Epsilon grab loaders fitted with slew restrictors to provide maximum operating safety when working in highway applications.
Thompsons Joint Managing Director Scott Burton says “We fully appreciate all the effort that Darren puts into specifying the best possible tipper for his needs, and are delighted to be able to deliver such vehicles to him. From the base SSAB steel sheet through to the superb finish provided by PPG paint, you can see that our partnerships with our suppliers are no less important than those with our customers.
Our commitment to total product quality ultimately ensures that our tippers will command the highest possible residual value for their owners. In turn, the buyer of a three or five year old Thompsons tipper can be assured that there are always many more years of working life still to come from their truck.”
Darren reflects that his company bought its first new Thompsons tipper body on a Volvo FL10 chassis way back in1988, and its been 100% Thompsons ever since. Doherty’s generally run their trucks for five years before moving them on. “Aside from everyday reliability, re-sale value is the big thing” he says, “and there is always a good market for a Thompsons tipper.”
