Hi-Tec Spray keeps 4x4 fleet operator on the road

SHB Hire of Southampton has turned to surface coatings technology specialist Hi-Tec Spray to help keep its commercial heavy duty vehicles on the road.

The operator of Europe's largest 4x4 hire fleet - SHB Hire of Southampton - has turned to surface coatings technology specialist Hi-Tec Spray to help save time and money in keeping its fast-expanding fleet of commercial heavy duty vehicles on the road in the UK.

SHB is based on the Abbey Park Industrial Estate, Romsey, Hampshire and has grown to become the owner of Europe's largest 4x4 hire fleet.

It also operates a large number of commercial heavy duty vehicles and in between hire contracts, each SHB vehicle goes through a rigorous cleansing and maintenance regime.

As part of this process, each vehicle is sent to a specialist company for abrasive blast cleaning so it's in top condition ready for the next customer.

Bryan Dart, manager of Hi-Tec Spray's Southampton depot, said the use of external shot blasting services was costing SHB a lot of money so he presented the company with the ideal solution - buy their own equipment and move the work in-house.

"We arranged a demonstration at their base in Romsey.

We took along shot blast equipment supplied by Hodge Clemco, which is based in Sheffield and is the market leader in the manufacture and supply of abrasive blast cleaning equipment.

We set the kit up and did the truck bed and the side of a lorry in five minutes flat.

The vehicle was spotless and SHB were very impressed with how quick and easy it was to do.

For the demo we used a Hodge Clemco 1440 Blast Pot with a wet head attachment to eliminate dust," said Bryan.

SHB has now bought one set of shot blast equipment for its Romsey depot and Bryan hopes that further orders will follow from other SHB sites.

As part of the deal, Hi-Tec Spray has provided full training to SHB staff in Romsey.

SHB's nationwide network of outlets offers a choice of vehicles from Quad bikes to 32 tonne trucks, with agricultural tractors supplied by Forest Tractors and luxury 4x4 vehicles from its Executive Hire division.

Hi-Tec Spray is one of the UK's premier suppliers of surface coatings equipment to blue chip clients in the automotive, marine, aerospace, glass and glazing, food manufacturing and painting and decorating industries.

The company has a regional network of seven depots covering Southampton, Manchester, Bristol, Stowmarket, Maidstone, Birmingham and Dartford.

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