Lawrence David unveils lighter curtainsider chassis at June expo

Lawrence David, the UK's No. 2 curtain and box trailer maker by year-to-date registrations, has introduced a curtainsider chassis designed to lower tare weight and expand payload capacity. The Peterborough builder revealed the chassis at the Road Transport Expo in June after years of operator discussions, but has published no weight saving, payload gain or production volume.

What changes for road operators?

The design targets two commercial gains: a lighter trailer and more flexible load restraint. Lawrence David adds lashing solutions on the outer rave face and inside the V-groove, rather than relying only on pull-up rings in the side rail. That gives operators more ways to secure cargo across different load shapes, without forcing every load into a debris-prone V-groove.

McEvoy said customer requests for different internal strapping drove the redesign. He said standard curtainsiders' V-groove rails can be less useful when operators need the maximum internal aperture, and the recess can trap material from debris-generating loads. Moving truck connections and park-and-shunt functions to the bulkhead also aims to make chassis operation more efficient.

“Hydroforming is a significant step in the manufacturing process and we’ve introduced it to the rubbing plate at the front of the new trailer chassis,” Commercial Director Ben McEvoy said. He said it preserves strength from the material grade and production method, avoids reducing longevity, and makes the component stronger, lighter and more cost-effective to produce.

For shippers, carriers and forwarders, the immediate case is operational, not a quoted change in freight rates or trade-lane capacity. A more adaptable chassis can support more cargo configurations and restraint choices, and lower tare can allow more goods per vehicle without weakening the structure. Neither effect supports tender planning yet because Lawrence David has released no weight, payload or production figures.

Lawrence David's own history is rooted in Peterborough. Lawrence Marshall established the family company in 1973, and it has built for more than 50 years. Its core products include trailers and rigid bodies, with a specialization in curtainsiders and box vans for trailer and truck applications.

McEvoy describes the UK market as mature, but says the company still tries to meet customer requirements within normal engineering constraints. The family-business principle remains simple: build what customers want rather than what the builder wants to make.

His brief for the new chassis was to reduce empty tare without compromising strength or longevity, a priority for fleets seeking more payload from every trailer. The company says quality, forward-looking engineering and durability run from design through production, allowing each unit to serve customers for longer.

How does the Wielton relationship change supply?

Lawrence David joined the Polish-owned Wielton Group in 2018, becoming part of what McEvoy describes as Europe's third-largest trailer manufacturing group. Wielton also operates Fruehauf in France, Guillén in Spain, Langendorf in Germany and Viberti in Italy. He says the group sought to compete with market leaders on capacity while retaining each acquisition's geographic brand and taking market share.

Wielton is also Lawrence David's largest supply partner. In 2020, it opened a dedicated line in its factory solely to build Lawrence David chassis, rather than placing the Peterborough company's body on a generic frame. That arrangement gives Lawrence David a direct route from body design to chassis production, although the company gives no supply, price or delivery commitments.

What does the repair business add?

Advance Body Repairs, launched in 1990, provides repair and refurbishment through service centers in Peterborough and Corby. McEvoy says the service has high customer retention and repeat business, with a customer base linked to Lawrence David but also extending to other trailer and body brands. Lawrence David keeps new-build sales and repairs separate, even though both feed one business.

How far does the net-zero work reach?

Lawrence David's early net-zero measures include solar generation at its production sites, electric company vehicles, battery-powered tools, and upgrades to compressed-air and gas systems, boiler valves and pipework. The company has analyzed employee commuting to reduce fuel use. These measures are intended to reduce the operation's energy footprint, but the business has published no emissions baseline or reduction percentage.

The harder boundary sits beyond the factory gates. McEvoy says Lawrence David must determine when suppliers fall inside its net-zero scope because their progress feeds directly into the group's reporting. He describes the roadmap as challenging but says it is making progress. For procurement teams, supplier-chain boundaries will determine whether those operational gains become reportable supply-chain performance.

Is Lawrence David closing the gap?

Year-to-date registrations keep Lawrence David in second place in the UK curtain and box trailer market. McEvoy calls the position comfortable because it lets the builder press the leader without constant anxiety, and he plainly wants first place, though not at the expense of balance. The statement is candid rather than boastful, which is rather Lawrence David.

What could redefine the next chassis?

McEvoy points to autonomous cars as the visible precedent and says operators are already discussing autonomous trucks. He identifies further autonomy as the largest potential influence on future trailer design, while noting that alternative-fuel and electric-vehicle development already continues.

He gives an intentionally wide horizon of two years to 100 years for those advances. That is a useful admission that software will not change trailer purchasing next quarter, even if autonomy eventually redraws the chassis.

Until Lawrence David publishes tare, payload and build-volume figures, more goods per trip remains a design target rather than a fleet-planning input. The next commercial milestone is straightforward: disclose the additional kilograms each chassis can carry, and let operators decide whether the flexibility is worth paying for.