Crown Lift Trucks in Swindon says the latest addition to its fleet - a bespoke forklift trailer with a sliding roof - will allow for easier, safer and more flexible transportation of its extensive range of materials handling equipment.

Built by Andover Trailers and supplied on full service contract hire by Prohire, the tri-axle curtainsided step frame is purpose-built for transporting forklifts, reach trucks, stackers and low-level order pickers.

Richard Baxter, Customer Services Director of Swindon-based Crown Lift Trucks, explains: "Materials handling machines often have a high mast, which makes them difficult to transport on a regular commercial vehicle. Plus they cannot be driven up ramps with a steep approach angle, which makes it strongly preferable to use purpose-built equipment to ensure safe loading and transportation

"This trailer is designed expressly to suit the Crown range, so we can guarantee the safe delivery of even one of our largest machines to customers."

Andover Trailers has manufactured the forklift trailer with a durable sliding roof, from specialist German manufacturer TSE, which is designed to run retracted when transporting high-mast machines. The strength and quality of the TSE roof also enables deliveries to be performed with the roof either fully-open, half-open or fully-closed, meaning that machines of various heights can be transported together.

Baxter says: "We are amazed by the sturdiness of the roof, and how easy it is to operate."

The trailer's design also incorporates a low platform and extendible ramps to ensure a gentle loading gradient. This is achieved by using reinforced aluminium extensions which pull out from the 3.6 m hydraulic ramps to provide the optimum loading angle.

Baxter comments: "The ramp extensions eliminate the risk of grounding during loading and unloading. Like every detail in the trailer's design, they are a reminder of why it pays to have something built to order."

The 13.5 m long trailer has a gross weight capacity of 25 tonnes and has been supplied on a seven-year full service contract hire agreement, which includes maintenance, tyre replacements and 24/7 breakdown coverage. It is the firm's first trailer from Prohire.

Prohire's Sales Director Andrew Morley says: "We are delighted to have formed this new business relationship with Crown. As a rental solutions provider, it is reassuring to work with a manufacturer like Andover Trailers, where the level of quality is such that we know our customers will be more than satisfied with the product."