Britannia helps UK's growing van fleet to keep clean

The record number of vans on the UK's roads has reportedly led to a rise in enquiries for the UK-based manufacturer of Britannia automated vehicle washing systems.

Smith Brothers & Webb, based in Alcester, Warwickshire, exports worldwide but the latest trend in the UK is for systems that can wash vans as well as larger vehicles.

Andy Barracliffe, Director of Britannia Washing Systems, said: "Of course these vans have to maintain the same professional, polished image as the rest of the fleet so businesses want an automated washing system that can adapt to a variety of vehicle sizes, such as our Britannia Strong.

"Thanks to its microprocessor control the Britannia Strong gives the same thorough wash to a van as it does to a bus, coach or truck – indeed it can cope as easily with articulated lorries and draw bar trailers as well!

"There are now more than four million vans on the roads in the UK and we have definitely noticed an increase in enquiries from fleet operators who want the same high standards of cleanliness in their vans as they do in their trucks."

Smith Brothers & Webb is an engineering firm with more than 70 years heritage of manufacturing in the Midlands. All of its washing systems are manufactured in the UK and the company has a fleet of dedicated service engineers in the UK.

The company has a reputation for unsurpassed wash quality and the durability and longevity of its washing systems. The full range includes models that wash trams, trains as well as buses, coaches, refuse trucks, lorries, minibuses and vans.

The Britannia Strong is a three-brush gantry type machine that washes stationary vehicles. It can be supplied with an under chassis wash and – for companies that want to reduce their water and drainage costs as well as improve their green credentials – full water reclamation.

The number of vans on UK roads has been rising for several years and the trend is set to continue, with a two per cent rise in new registrations of vans under 3.5 tonnes.*

*Figures quoted to November 2016.