Blakedale expands specialist vehicle build services to Northgate and FridgeXpress for vehicles above 3.5 tonnes

Blakedale, the UK's leading HGV and traffic management vehicle specialist, is significantly expanding its specialist vehicle build capabilities to support the Northgate Businesses Group's growth of national rental coverage for both Northgate and FridgeXpress customers. Blakedale's Chorley headquarters has long been recognised for its expertise in designing and building a wide range of bespoke HGV and LCV conversions for highways customers together with a national specialist bodybuilder network. This capability is now being extended to Northgate and FridgeXpress customers, offering them access to a greater number of bespoke vehicles, including HGVs for the first time.

In addition, a nationwide bodybuilder network supports Blakedale and its sister companies to design and build bespoke customer vehicles. With support from its sister company, HGV specialists Blakedale, FridgeXpress has expanded its capabilities into the truck market, with its first converted 7.5 and 18-tonne refrigerated trucks now entering service. The HGV refrigeration units were custom-built by FridgeXpress partner Solomon to meet the demands of chilled and frozen logistics operations.

Blakedale's expanded Chorley site features four specialist vehicle build bays, a dedicated parts store, a commercial vehicle repair facility, and a brand-new HGV inspection pit with heavy-duty vehicle lifts. This enables Blakedale to offer a complete end-to-end solution for specialist vehicle build and maintenance, including crash cushion inspection, maintenance and repairs. In-house commercial vehicle fitters and electricians bring a wealth of experience in installing complex bodywork, hydraulics, electrics and a range of accessories to meet bespoke operational requirements.

Every vehicle undergoes final quality checks, either on-site at partner bodybuilders or at Blakedale's own facility, before customer delivery. In addition, Blakedale has recently overseen the design and build of a specialist fleet of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) for a Northgate customer. All four aerial platform conversions were built on 3.5-tonne Iveco Daily chassis cabs by GSR Aerial Platforms in Italy and are equipped with a telescopic boom which has an impressive 24m reach.

It also features a slewing device which restricts the boom swinging out into traffic when working in urban streets or on busy highways. All customers benefit from Northgate Group's 'One Road' initiative, which offers a single, dedicated point of contact across Blakedale, Northgate Vehicle Hire, and FridgeXpress, which simplifies account management and ensures a seamless customer experience. Jon Taylor, Managing Director at Blakedale, said: "We're proud to be extending our specialist build services to a wider range of sectors and vehicle types for group companies.

Our in-house team's skills and experience mean we can offer tailored solutions for customers that are all built to the highest standards and fully supported by our nationwide aftersales service."