A town with metalwork in its history
Loughborough has a long relationship with heavy engineering. Herbert Morris set up at the Empress Works on Moor Lane in 1897 and had become one of the foremost crane manufacturers by the mid-20th century, the Falcon works built steam locomotives before Brush took it over, and the town is home to the UK's only bell foundry. The welding we do is less grand, but it matters to anyone whose trailer has a cracked bracket, a damaged gate or a frame that has taken a knock.
Damage that stops the load
Trailers delivering to Loughborough's shops, including the national chains in The Rushes, and to businesses on the edge of town spend their days at loading bays. That is where most body damage starts: forklifts catching the rear or sides, loads shifting in transit and pressing against the curtain, straps and buckles worn through by daily use, and low-speed knocks while reversing into tight yards. Weather finishes the job, turning a small tear into a large one at motorway speed on the M1.
What looks cosmetic often isn't. A torn curtain can't secure a load, a broken buckle or strap can't be used, and damage to the body or frame can fail a safety inspection or the annual test. Until it is fixed, the trailer is either parked up or carrying less than it should.
What we repair
We repair curtains, buckles and straps and the fittings that hold them, body panels, gates and doors, and carry out welding to bodies, frames, brackets and fittings on trailers, rigids and light commercial bodies. Body damage picked up on a walkaround check or a PMI is handled the same way. Some smaller repairs can be done at your yard; larger jobs and welding are usually better done at our workshop at Melbourne.
Mend it or replace it
Not every damaged part is worth mending, and not every one needs replacing. We look at the damage and give you a straight answer, so you don't pay for a new curtain when a repair will last, or pay twice for a patch that won't.
Load security
DVSA publishes guidance on securing loads, and a curtain or buckle that can't do its job can make proper load security impossible. Drivers and operators can face penalties for unsafe loads, and a vehicle with damaged load security fittings can be stopped from continuing its journey. Keeping curtains, straps and fittings in good order protects the load, the driver and the operator.
Booking
Send a description of the damage and, if you can, a photo when you ring 01332 916028. If the trailer is due a service or inspection soon, we can do the bodywork in the same visit so it comes off the road once. The workshop is open for planned work Monday to Friday, 07:30 to 17:00.
