Boughton Engineering has added a full wireless remote control option to its already highly successful Power-Reach® PR18 skip loader – enabling the operative to chose the position of optimum vision and safety for loading and unloading. The company, Britain’s longest established skip loader and hook loader manufacturer, believes it is the first company in the UK market to offer the option.
The option is just one of the innovative features fitted to Boughton’s first ‘cycle safety’ compliant vehicle, mounted on a low profile, kerbside entry cab Mercedes-Benz Econic chassis. The unit was unveiled at major cycle safety events in London last month before appearing at the NEC Commercial Vehicle Show. The vehicle has been demonstrated widely in more recent weeks and is also at the May Bank Holiday Truckfest event at Peterborough.
Boughton Group Sales and Marketing Director Steve Price says, “We work hard to stay in front of the market when it comes to technology, innovation and systems, which provide operating benefits and improved active and passive safety in, on or around the vehicle. Adding the capability for full remote control is a natural progression for us – and gives the customer even further choices to match specification to operating requirements.
“All these systems and features are far more easily added ‘on the line’ during build, rather than retrofitted to the truck later. As we design, fabricate and manufacture the whole skip loader unit here in the UK, we can and do have systems and supply chain partners embedded with our own engineers during production. This also means that the vehicle is ‘complete and compliant’ in the context of Whole Vehicle Type Approval when it leaves the factory”, says Steve Price.
Boughton’s Power-Reach® skip loader, unveiled in September 2013 as the first comprehensive ground-up design review and whole of concept development programme for a generation, recently passed another milestone – the 250th unit to be built since its introduction to the market. The Power-Reach® package also incorporates a fully integrated and patented automatic sheeting system, known as Intacova®.
