What is a Lorry Loader?
A Lorry Loader is a heavy-duty vehicle comprising of a lorry which has an integrated crane mounted to the loader, usually situated behind the cab. In SRL’s case, these vehicles will be available to not only deliver our High-Speed VMS to site, but also deploy and set them up safely without the need to rely on third parties. Interestingly, this move also means that SRL become the first VMS company in the UK to offer these services internally.
Enhanced Flexibility and Improved Service Quality
This move allows SRL to improve on an important staple of which the SRL brand is based on, service. With the ability to manage deployments internally, we can offer a higher standard of service in our control which allows us to be more flexible and responsive to our clients’ needs and ensure our VMS is delivered in a timely and efficient manner. SRL use a Fassi F305, which provides an excellent crane element on the lorry that gives us precise control when manoeuvring signs from the lorry to the deployment area.
Furthermore, by doing so, we are not only streamline our operations but also able reduce costs, a benefit we’re eager to pass on to customers.
Investing in People
We believe it is important to invest in our team, so we took the decision to put Trevor, an existing SRL HGV Driver, through HIAB training. Trevor completed a thorough and comprehensive training program to equip him the skills and confidence necessary to operate HIAB equipment safely and effectively. Through this, we are proud to not only enhances our operational capabilities but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement and professionalism within our own team, who we trust will do a fantastic job as the High-Speed VMS projects keep flying in and show no sign of slowing down.
Success of the First Deployment
Earlier in the year, we carried out our first deployment using the new SRL HIAB lorry by delivering our two signs on the A12. Despite the initial nerves, our team successfully completed the project in a safe manner, demonstrating competence and adaptability even in the challenging environment of a motorway. Since then, we have used the lorry loaded to deploy our VMS across various projects, including festivals, events and high-speed roadways over the summer period.
VMS Director, Alison Spooner, commented…
“This is a tremendous milestone for SRL. Becoming what we believe is the first VMS supplier in the UK to deploy VMS with a lorry loader internally is a fantastic achievement. At SRL, we strive to bring our customers the best possible service and we are continually investing in our people, fleet, products and service propositions to solidify ourselves as market leaders in the industry. In this case, we are proud ofTrevor for completing the training which allows us to make all this possible and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for SRL VMS using the lorry-mounted crane internally to provide a flexible service for VMS customers.”
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, we’re optimistic about the opportunities this capability opens up for SRL. With the successful execution and process of HIAB deployment under our belt, we’re poised to handle more high-speed VMS schemes independently, enhancing the speed, flexibility and efficiency of VMS deliveries and set-up to further solidify our position as the industry’s pioneers.
If you’d like to know more about SRL VMS, please visit srl.co.uk (vms) or email vms@srl.co.uk.
