First Van Conversions role out of van Conversion Centre for SM UK.

Back in May of this year, SM UK officially opened one of their first Service Centres in Gildersome Spur Industrial estate, located within ½ a mile of the M621 and M62 national motorway network. Initially a lot of SM UK’s existing customers, such as LSS Waste Management, Tarmac and Aggregate Industries snapped up the opportunity to use the facility as it was intended straight away – it was intended to have a dual purpose after all!

With a dedicated team of engineers now based at the centre, as well as a driver who has been employed specifically for the collection and returning of any vehicles we carry out installations on.

Over the last few months SM UK have been preparing the centre to make sure it is ready for the installation of their camera and safety systems as well as their new business venture – van conversions. The 10,000 sq. ft space has been cleared to allow the free movement of up to 16 HGV’s (tractor units, flatbeds, curtain sided) and enough space to work on these simultaneously by our qualified engineers.

After been open for 4 months, the company has now seen the first customer van conversions roll out following a full custom solution provided based around the problems the client said they were experiencing. Having had a few discussions with clients, SM UK have found customers are saying they experience these problems on a regular basis:

• Untidiness
• Extended periods working on projects
• Struggling to store materials to take to a project
• Overall safety of vehicle

The solutions that SM UK have been able to provide have seen a positive change in:

• Professionalism
• Tidiness
• Efficient storage
• Additional safe storage solutions
• Safety equipment – cameras and lighting/beacons

As part of SM UK’s engineers training process, they installed a series of kits into the back of new SM UK vans, as they use the equipment themselves.

This first installation carried out was on Volkswagen Transporter vans. These are slowly becoming one of the most popular on the market, so no doubt the centre will see more of these! The package installed also included a camera system so the driver had an absolute full visibility around the entirety of their vehicle whenever manoeuvring it about, as well as Sortimo’s Globelyst kit and section bars, which can hold items safely and securely during transportation. The Globelyst kit allows a further customisation with the type of storage components you add into it.

As each package offered by SM UK, be it a safety camera and sensor system or a conversion, is completely bespoke to the customer’s own requirements, the combination of packages is endless…so how can they best help you? What are YOUR pain points?