Wednesbury-based family firm Eurotrans Express has taken delivery of a specially liveried Manchester-made Schmitz Cargobull S.CS FREEPOST semi-trailer to mark its 30th anniversary.

The XL certified curtainsider features post-free side access for quick and efficient loading and unloading, with a side aperture height of up to 3,200mm. It is the first Schmitz Cargobull product to enter service at Eurotrans Express and features a suite of technology to enhance performance.

Louis Taylor, Director at the firm, says: “We’ve been really impressed with the quality of the new trailer. It’s full of intelligent, practical design details that make everyday tasks simpler and quicker, which keeps our drivers happy.”

An example is the easy access provided by the flexible load securing points with continuous lashing holes in the side rave (and the addition on this version of 16 pairs of 4t lashing rings). This allows for speedy securing of loads and flexibility, which Taylor says is crucial as the products the business is transporting range in size and can’t always be uniformly spaced.

The new trailer is being run in combination with a Scania S660 V8 tractor unit in a striking black colour scheme. The design, featuring a nod to the firm’s original logo, was refined and ultimately produced by Schmitz Cargobull’s experts in Germany.

Taylor says the intention was to mark the achievements of the business set up by his father Nigel and mother Jacqueline three decades ago (now bolstered by Louis and brother Mitchell), while looking to the future by embracing something new with its first ever Schmitz Cargobull trailer.

The curtainsider comes with the manufacturer’s telematics system TrailerConnect®, and Eurotrans Express has signed up for a multi-year deal with the addition of an Electronic Brake Performance Management System (EBPMS).

EBPMS enables hauliers to enhance road safety, reduce vehicle downtime, and meet UK legislative compliance (following changes to DVSA guidance, trailers equipped with the technology can reduce the number of required roller brake tests to just one annually, saving time and cost).

The new trailer runs on smart Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels, has a lifting axle for greater manoeuvrability when required, and sits on a tough MODULOS chassis, which comes with a 10-year warranty against rust through on galvanised parts. Security against unauthorised access is provided on each S.CS FREEPOST by a 2.5-metre-high anti-slash mesh integrated inside the curtains.

The deal was facilitated by Geoff Ward, Regional Sales Manager for the North, Wales and West Midlands at Schmitz Cargobull. “We had a few changes made to the specification before the trailer entered build and Geoff’s advice was invaluable,” says Taylor.

Eurotrans Express began as a courier of high-value automotive items and now runs a fleet of more than 50 vehicles. It predominantly moves finished product, including acrylics and metalwork, across the UK and Ireland. It is set to expand into new office and warehouse space having secured the land at its current base on Holland Industrial Park.