Thompsons’ Croydon factory has recently supplied a batch of standard tippers and tipper grabs to Sussex – based Penfold Verrall Ltd, these trucks being particularly noteworthy as some of the first Iveco ‘X – Way’ tippers to go on the road.
A long – time user of Thompsons all – steel Loadmaster bodies, Penfold Verrall director Adam Bish says “for many years, we’ve relied exclusively on Thompsons for our tipper bodies. Their strength, reliability and durability is simply unmatched, and whilst we have operated various makes and models of chassis, they all get fitted with a Thompsons Loadmaster. In our business, there’s simply nothing to touch them.”
The new Ivecos have been split between standard front end tippers going into Penfold Verrall’s own core fleet, with subsidiary company HGS Southern Ltd taking the tipper grabs. The former have standard Loadmaster Lite bodies with Edbro front end gears, whilst the grab trucks have similar but shorter bodies working with HARSH underfloor gears and Epsilon cranes.
Other detailing features on the new trucks include enclosed rear chassis endplates with additional reversing and strobe lighting, AutoLoc tailgates and cantilever sheeting systems with heavy duty PVC tarpaulins.
Now one of the most prominent tipper operators in South East England, Penfold Verrall’s roots can be traced way back to the aftermath of WW1 when John Penfold started work with a single horse and cart. Over time, as things grew, what became Penfold Public Works (Sussex) Ltd offered a wide range of activities, the company closely working with GW Verrall & Sons on larger contracts before the two companies merged in 2005.
Based in Horsham, Penfold Verrall and its HGS Southern Ltd grab division provides a complete range of tipper services including muckaway and earthworks, landfill, quarry restoration and recycling.
The new front end tippers are also the first to carry Penfold Verrall’s striking new dark blue ‘PV’ livery, which works particularly well with the trucks’ smooth sided Loadmaster bodies.
“We have to keep moving forward” says Adam Bish, “and we’re obviously pleased that both our chassis and their Loadmaster bodies are effectively ‘state of the art’ in tippers today. Over the years we have established a particularly strong relationship with Thompsons, both through their products and their aftersales service and support.
We are confident that these trucks will be highly successful in whatever way we need to use them. So much so that we have more on order.”
