100 year old Broscombe lightens up with DAF
- New DAF CF 8x2 boosts payload / increases business opportunities
- New truck-mounted crane delivers 10t lifts at side of truck
- ADR compliance rating adds operational flexibility
- High specs keep drivers happy – reliability keeps operator happy
With 100 years in business, and 95 of those in transport, the family firm of SE Broscombe clearly knows what it takes to stay in business. Operations Director, Dan Brooke, says, “We stick to what we know. If something is working well, we see no reason to change it.” Fortunately for DAF, the manufacturer’s existing vehicles on the Broscombe fleet are ‘working well’, so when a business opportunity presented itself, in the shape of more work if a heavier duty truck-mounted crane could be brought onto the fleet, the choice of truck to mount it on was an easy one.
SE Broscombe’s new DAF CF 8x2 ticks a lot of boxes continued Brooke, saying, “The new HMF 60t/m crane lifts 10 tonnes at truck side and 3.3 tonnes up to 14.6 m away, which lets us talk to customers about a lot more work than when we only had a lighter HIAB unit.
“The real difference though, is that the CF is so much lighter than comparable quality trucks that, even with the big new crane, we can get a genuine 10t payload on it. Its lift and steer axles also give us terrific manoeuvrability on building and construction sites. We’d been having to farm a lot of heavier work out – now we don’t.”
Alongside general haulage work, Broscombe has long-standing contracts that take it onto sites when major food distribution operations need back-up boiler and generator installations to cope with emergencies and short-term refurbishment works. Other recent work included moving large dust-extraction units for a major luxury car manufacturer, while having the DAF CF specified for ADR compliance has also won the firm new work carrying IBCs of treatment chemicals onto sewage farms. All ideal crane work, but all needing the increased payload capacity afforded by the new DAF CF 8x2.
Based in Huddersfield, the company does its own service and maintenance work on site. Dan Brooke himself is a time-served DAF apprentice fitter, and the firm employs a fully trained, full-time fitter in its own workshops.
Though another manufacturer has maintained a small presence in Broscombe’s 15 strong fleet, DAF is by far the major brand. Brooke is very clear why this is, stating, “We’ve run DAFs for many a year; for us, they’re tried and tested. Fuel is always good and they never miss a beat. We reckon they’re among the best rigids you can buy – if not the very best. Our new CF with its increased payload is already good for us, but its flexibility will be even better shortly. The chassis was specified as a draw-bar, and we’re genuinely excited about the added business opportunities this will bring when it is properly operational with a new trailer currently on order.”
The DAF presence is also considered important by Broscombe for its drivers. The company accessorises its trucks to high level, with items such as TVs, fridges, microwaves and other comforts fitted as appropriate to the work being done. The operator has a significantly long-service driver workforce, the majority working for the company for a good many years now.
With the family focus continuing strongly, and the right operating decisions seemingly being made, not many would bet against SE Broscombe being around and successful for another 100 years.
ENDS
For further details please contact:
Paul O’Malley, Torque Agency Group
020 7952 1070
pomalley@torqueagencygroup.com
