Royal Mail is adding 261 Don-Bur trailers to its fleet, including 160 Lifting Decks – marking 20 years since the manufacturer built its first prototype for the postal firm.
The order also includes 50 box vans equipped with retractable tail-lifts, plus 51 configured for dock loading.
In June 2006, Don-Bur built a one-off Lifting Deck prototype for Royal Mail. Two decades later, it is one of the country’s largest operators of Lifting Deck trailers, with 160 being added this year.
The latest trailers accommodate up to 95 roll cages across two decks, with 46 positions on the hydraulically operated upper deck and 49 below.
By making greater use of the available internal volume, Don-Bur said its design increased carrying capacity for loads that reach their space limit before their maximum permitted weight.
Roof-mounted solar panels support the trailers’ independent electrical system and battery charging.
Steve Warren, Royal Mail fleet engineer, said: “Lifting Deck trailers have become an important part of the Royal Mail fleet, allowing us to make effective use of the available load volume and increase the number of roll cages carried on each journey.
“The design has evolved considerably over the last twenty years and the latest trailers continue that development.”
Don-Bur key accounts manager Jon Davis added: “We’re proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Royal Mail through another significant UK-built trailer programme.
“Seeing 160 new Lifting Decks enter the fleet twenty years after the original prototype is a particularly satisfying milestone.”
