GRP bodies

The most common material used in the manufacture of dry freight box van bodies is the GPR panel. This product has many advantages in that it is extremely strong, water proof, offers an ideal flat surface to accept company livery, is generally available colour impregnated white, but can if sufficient volume is required be colour impregnated in an alternative colour and is competitively priced. This type of panel is available in a range of thicknesses and it is here that the operator must consider the application and dimensions of the finished body, as it is all too easy to specify an inappropriate thickness which results in a weak body that suffers badly from bowing or a body that is extremely heavy.

From this it can be seen that it is important to fully explore the operational requirements of the user to ensure that the most suitable body specification is provided. It is relatively simple to determine the best combinations of equipment, but rather than ‘go with the flow’, it is better to question every aspect of the build in detail to ensure the most suitable roof construction, rear closure, underframe, load security, etc, etc is specified.

Wheelbase Engineering have established themselves as a bodybuilder well versed in the production of dry freight van bodies and have a reputation for providing a quality product designed specifically with the vehicles use in mind, rather than using the ‘one size fits all’ approach.

It goes without saying that there are alternative products available from which a body can be constructed, all of which are available from Wheelbase Engineering. In the case of an alloy panel construction, this is becoming less popular due to it being very susceptible to damage and having to be fully painted on completion, but like most things there is still a place for it. New lightweight panels are being introduced in an effort to maximise payloads, particularly on lower weight range trucks. These panels offer other advantages, as they are not only light in weight, but they tend to be very strong, quite often can be bonded together rather than using mechanical fixings and can usually be recycled at the end of their life, unlike many traditional materials.

What is the ideal body specification? Only the user of the vehicle can answer that question, which is where the strengths of Wheelbase Engineering comes to the fore, because it is the ability to listen and explore different avenues of approach that will ultimately provide the answer.

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