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Co-operative business Openfield is taking delivery of 36 sloper smoothsider tippers from Fruehauf as part of its fleet expansion plans.

The organisation, which is owned by around 4,000 British farmers, sells approximately 17% of the UK marketed grain every year to some of the largest food and drink brands as well as being one of Britain’s largest grain exporters. Openfield is also a national fertiliser distributor and manufactures and delivers seed to farmers.

Openfield started receiving the 72m3 trailers towards the end of 2022 at its Lincolnshire headquarters. The sloper smoothsider tippers, which will average 100,000 km per year, are specified with Dawbarn Hydroclear electric sheets, reverse and loading cameras, as well as onboard wi-fi enabled PM 1155 weighing systems and 150mm high hoods.

Further new tippers are due for delivery every month through to July, joining a mixed fleet which has grown by more than 40% as the farmer-owned co-operative expands its grain marketing and input deliveries business.

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The tippers are to be based in various depots across England and Wales, and will primarily be used to transport grain from farmers to food and drink manufacturers.

The co-operative said that the size of the deal underlines the agricultural company’s major investment in renewing and expanding its transport fleet and its confidence in Fruehauf, which has supplied trailers to Openfield for more than 20 years.

Keith Hughes, Openfield head of fleet, said: "The quality of Fruehauf trailers is excellent. That’s why we have such a long and fruitful relationship with the company. And now it’s under the ownership of MV Commercial, we have even more trust in Fruehauf’s ability to manufacture and deliver trailers to meet all our requirements.

“The new tippers are part of our fleet expansion and replacement programme as we grow the business in 2023 and they serve our business perfectly. They are versatile and can easily accommodate different types of load.”

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