The centre is dedicated to offering all aspects of trailer refurbishment, from merely cosmetic to technical and mechanical upgrades. With 41 bays in operation, the facility is currently refreshing curtainsiders, box-vans, reefers, chassis and flat beds.
From initial inspection to final collection, the entire refurbishment process takes place on-site, with a team of over 100 trained technicians who have a wide range of skills.
The site also has a dedicated team of inspectors in place to determine the scope of works for any potential refurbishment job and provide a detailed estimate for those works. The on-site parts team order any replacement parts required.
All trailers start with a full wash and steam clean before visiting a repair bay where they are stripped of parts and any repairs carried out. Trailers then move on to dedicated bays for shot-blasting, before being moved on again to one of the preparation bays in readiness for painting. Once prepped and masked, a professional re-paint is carried out at one of the site’s dedicated paint booths.
Following any re-paint, trailers are transferred to the pre-finishing bays to have curtains fitted or new vinyl panels applied, courtesy of 3 state-of-the-art vinyl cutting machines. They then enter a ‘final-fit’ bay for re-fitment of any parts removed during the process.
Lastly, the final inspection team carries out a ‘walk-around’ quality check with a re-wash and steam clean being carried out before a full service inspection is completed, with optional MOT. The site features two Authorised Testing Facility-dedicated ‘drive-thru’ lanes to support the refurbishment offering and also the compliance efforts of local transport operators.
The refurbishment process aligns with sustainability, enabling reduced waste and carbon emissions when compared to the alternative of sourcing newly manufactured assets. Furthermore, whilst parts removed to accommodate the process are often re-fitted, those that aren’t are recycled to minimise landfill contributions.
By embracing circular economy principles, TIP helps transport operators maximise the lifespan of their fleet; the average life extension being five years.
The facility, which was acquired by TIP in October 2024, is making significant impact across the industry, refurbishing trailers for many major logistics players. By extending trailer lifespans and optimising fleet efficiency, the centre is setting a new benchmark for sustainable fleet management.
Centrally located on the A500 in Stoke-on-Trent, and easily accessible via both the M6 and M1 motorways, it provides an ideal location for operators around the country with trailers on fleet that are in need of refurbishment. Meanwhile, TIP’s national network of workshops will continue to provide trailer refurbishment services, as will supporting authorised service partners, to ensure comprehensive geographical coverage across the UK.
TIP provides two options for refurbishment to transport operators, ‘refurb and lease’ for trailers currently on hire from TIP and ‘sale, refurb & leaseback’ whereby TIP will purchase trailers currently owned by operators and then lease them back to them, freeing up capital for use elsewhere within their business.
As part of a proposal to interested operators, TIP will provide an illustration of the environmental benefits to be realised with any refurbishment works undertaken.
“Our new Trailer Refurbishment Centre provides a sustainable solution for operators to expand the lifespan of their fleets,” said Mark Jones, TIP strategic account manager who is driving TIP’s refurbishment services offering commercially.
“By refurbishing rather than replacing trailers, we are not only cutting down on emissions and waste but also delivering a cost-effective alternative that meets the highest quality standards. We now have the largest trailer refurbishment facility of its kind in the UK and will continue to set new industry standards in this field in order to support our sustainability ambitions and that of our customers.”