December 2011

‘Co-management’ teams take shape at Boughton Engineering and Oldbury UK

Well-known industry specialist, Allan Burley has been appointed Group Sales and Marketing Director, bringing the functions together for both Boughton and Oldbury products.  In addition, he assumes overall responsibility for the new group Service and Parts operation.  Allan has worked at the forefront of the waste industry related commercial vehicle sector for over forty years.  He was closely involved with the early stage development and sale of new technology vehicle mounted waste handling equipment which pioneered the designs, systems and operating methods that are now industry standard practice.  Ten years ago, he was also responsible for the successful development of a military, aviation and fire products division – experience which he expects to call upon in his parallel responsibilities – the defence specialist and bespoke engineering Oldbury UK group company.

Speaking about his new role, Allan Burley says, “The market has not taken long to recognise that Skan now owns two of the longest standing and respected specialist vehicle equipment engineering brands in the industry.  The cross-over synergies that exist at both the product and capability level are already starting to deliver real benefits to customers.  The creation of the newly combined service and parts operation fully returns Boughton’s genuine OEM support capability to the market – with the resources and availability end-users know they can trust and rely upon.  Anything less is not acceptable – and operators are rightly dismissive of claims and rumours that have been circulating about the availability of genuine manufacturer warrantied parts.  Boughton has a strong order book and the group is pressing ahead with major factory expansion and investment which will fully restore Boughton’s position as the Market Leader”.

Stepping into the role of Group Service & Parts Manager is another well known industry figure, John Wilson.  John brings to the group his wide ranging and career-long experience in mechanical, hydraulic and electrical engineering, in both private and public sector fleet engineering management.  Over the years, John has developed an enviable track record in contract fleet management, running specialist UK-wide field service teams and repair and maintenance workshops.

“Both Boughton Engineering and Oldbury UK have a deeply embedded culture of customer care that includes high service standards, minimising down time and efficient parts availability.  I am really looking forward to working with the engineering teams of both companies to ensure that end users experience the level of service that today’s operating environment demands”, says John Wilson.

Also recently arrived with cross-company responsibility is Group Purchasing Manager, Heather Roberts.  A member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply with over twenty five years experience in purchasing, Heather joins the Group from one of the West Midlands’ largest and most respected engineering product suppliers.

Heather says, “It is the supply chain which feeds a dynamic engineering business and I thrive on personal contact with suppliers.  In today’s manufacturing environment, purchasing and cost control, process change and supplier monitoring are absolutely critical.  I am joining Boughton and Oldbury at a particularly exciting time in their development and I am really looking forward to the challenges that recent changes and developments are certain to present”.

Group Managing Director, Richard Skan says, “We are extremely fortunate to have been able to attract a number of really high calibre people to join our exceptional existing team.  These are all very experienced senior people and together they will be enormously beneficial as we move forward with our future plans for both the businesses”.

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Boughton HQ co-locates into Wolverhampton with Oldbury ... as Winkleigh, Devon manufacturing and fabrication facility becomes key part of future plans 

Boughton Engineering, acquired earlier this year by Skan Group Holdings, has completed its co-location move and is now fully operational at its new headquarters, shared with Oldbury UK in Wolverhampton.  Concurrently, the company’s former leased site at Barton-under-Needwood has closed.

As part of Skan group’s significant future investment plans for the Boughton business, the service and parts operation has been relaunched, offering ‘one-stop-shop’ customer support.  The company, which is the only supplier of genuine Boughton, MacLift and Telehoist parts and provider of manufacturer supported service facilities, has also set up dedicated telephone, fax and e-mail contact points.

The new Boughton Engineering Limited contact numbers are:-

Main Switchboard / Sales & General Enquiries                     01902 623430

General / Sales & General Enquiries Fax                               01902 787265

Service Department Dedicated Direct Line                            01902 623441

Parts Department Dedicated Direct Line                                01902 623440

Service & Parts Department Fax                                               01902 623442

Importantly, the company’s website and all Boughton’s existing individual sales, service, parts, engineering and central administration e-mail addresses remain unchanged, but are now supplemented by separate general addresses for ‘enquiries’, ‘sales’ and ‘service’.  These are:- 

The co-location move consolidates the administration, engineering, assembly and production activities of the two companies at two key locations – the group’s large freehold site at Wolverhampton in the West Midlands and its fabrication and manufacturing facility in Winkleigh, Devon.  Boughton Engineering’s twin site capabilities now cover everything from basic componentry through to the complex systems and integration required for hook loaders, skip loaders, close coupled trailers and ejector trailers.

Oldbury’s Wolverhampton-based complementary activities cover standard, bespoke and special types trailer engineering, defence systems integration and ruggedised ancillary equipment.  A new, centralised and group-wide advanced design engineering and development facility has been created at Wolverhampton.

Group Managing Director, Richard Skan says, “Skan Group now owns two of the leading brands in the industry – both having enormous synergies with one another – and both with engineering pedigrees stretching back well over a hundred years.  By bringing the two companies together on the same site, both at the technical and commercial level – we are confident that the move will deliver significant benefits, added value and better services for customers”, says Richard Skan.

September, 2011

 

Boughton’s new skip loader Kwikcova rolls out over three Hills

  

The first three of Boughton Engineering’s new Kwikcova CMs autosheeting systems for skip loaders have entered service with Swindon-based Hills Waste Solutions.  The system, which is designed for operation with standard containers up to 16 cubic yards, can be deployed in about a minute and ensures full and safe compliance without the need for the operator to climb on the vehicle.

The new units are part of Hills’ latest order for Boughton skip loader and hookloader equipment. The three units which feature the new skip cover system are mounted with Boughton’s highly successful Telehoist CH18 PRS Skip loader on MAN TGM 18.250 two axle rigids for operation at 18 tonnes gvw.

The new skip loader variant Kwikcova comprises two cranked operating arms, centre side mounted on the vehicle and which carry the sheet roll. In its stowed position, the rolled cover sits onto a fixed ‘cradle’ assembly on the top of the skip loader front bulkhead. It is operated from a simple single lever adjacent to other controls on the offside of the vehicle. Once a full container has been lifted into position, the Kwikcova is simply deployed and rolls out over the load in a fixed trajectory. The sheet is designed to spread according to the bulk of the load and, with the container fully covered, the operating arms come to rest on rubber stops at the lower rear of the frame.

The Telehoist CH18 PR-S skip loader units for Hills feature telescopic operating arms and jack legs with roller feet.  Heavy duty ram guards and light guards are fitted for additional component protection and dual access ladders are provided for access to either side of the vehicle.

Hills Waste Solutions operates from three depots to serve a range of commercial and local authority customers across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Dorset. Founded in 1900, originally carrying bricks, the company has grown and expanded into homes, building materials, quarry products, waste and recycling. Today, its mixed vehicle fleet includes tractor units with high volume bulk waste trailers, rigid hooklift units – many with tri-axle drawbar trailers, skip loaders and nearly forty kerbside source separated RCVs. The company recently marked a notable milestone – having assisted Wiltshire Council to divert over a million tonnes of household waste from landfill through its recycling schemes.   

Fleet Manager Peter Moore says, “As one of the leading wastes operators in the area, we have very demanding expectations of the equipment we use. We have used Boughton equipment over many years not least because we recognise both its design and build quality, which provides us with good availability and reliability in an industry which, by its nature, involves harsh and difficult operating conditions”.

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Order intake at Boughton Engineering has recovered sufficiently quickly that the company is already strengthening its field sales team across the country.  The specialist manufacturer of premium hookloaders, skiploaders and wastes trailers was acquired out of administration in May by the Skan Group.  The first of a number of imminent appointments to be confirmed is that of Rob Brandon, who becomes Area Sales Manager South. 

Firow sets the pace as Boughton returns to market

Some of the first hook loader vehicles to be completed by the now renamed Boughton Engineering company have entered service with Firow Ltd., one of the country’s largest specialist vehicle, hire fleet providers.  The new units are fitted with Boughton’s latest 8/32C hook loader and Kwikcova auto sheeting package.

The former Reynolds Boughton companies were acquired by Skan Group Holdings in May, since when, order intake has been described as ‘brisk and healthy’.  The company is already running at increased production levels. 

Firow Director, Gary Unsworth says, “We have over twenty years worth of operating experience with Boughton equipment and we closely monitor the whole life costs of every unit in our fleet. That has helped us to provide consistent reliability and serviceability for our customers and we are confident that, under its new owners, the company will continue to deliver market leading products we can depend upon.

“We have three of our own workshops and we undertake all our own MOT testing – so we have a very close knowledge of our fleet, our equipment – and its service performance.   All our Boughton hook loader units are fitted with Kwikcova auto sheeting systems – which is the best we can do to ensure that our end customer contract fleets are legally compliant in operation”, says Gary Unsworth.

Firow is now the UK’s market leading contract hire operator serving the waste industry.  It is also the only hire operator to offer fully specified hook loader and tri-axle close coupled trailer combinations (wagon and drag outfits), complete with Boughton Kwikcova auto-sheeting systems on both units.  A large proportion of its long-term contract vehicles operate in customer liveries.

Firow operates a mixed fleet of over 200 vehicles and trailers, including predominantly DAF rigid chassis, plus MAN, Scania and Volvo.  The latest vehicles to enter service are based on the 3205 wheelbase MAN TGS 35.360 8x4 rigid chassis, with the M series day cab.  Power comes from MAN’s D 2066LF38 360 PS version of its 10.5 litre six-cylinder turbo-intercooled engine driving through a ZF 16-speed gearbox with PTO. 

The hook loader equipment specification includes the Boughton ‘C’ type universal container locking system, which enables the unit to safely handle variable rail width containers – and not just containers manufactured to the CHEM specification. Firow vehicles also feature stabiliser jacks on the rear and Boughton’s automatic hook safety pin system.  Electric/air-over-hydraulic, hook loader operating controls are located in the cab, with an external four-lever valve chest to operate the Kwikcova auto sheeting system.  Boughton’s patented retractable operating arm width extender arrangement is incorporated, to facilitate full width container handling within legally permitted dimensions.  All Firow’s vehicles are first life and stay in service for up to five years.  

Boughton Group Managing Director, Richard Skan says, “When we bought the Boughton businesses we had every confidence and expectation that its loyal customer base and market reputation would survive intact.  The whole team, including those former employees which we have been able to take on again, have worked tirelessly to get engineering, production, service and parts support back on track – and their efforts are testament to the buoyant order book we have already for customer build requirements for the rest of this year”.

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