Doctor Airbrake has announced consolidation of its product and service divisions into a single, larger site at Slade Heath, Wolverhampton.
For the past three years, the company has seen significant growth in vehicle maintenance solutions, an area which has bolstered the core air-brake work that Doctor Airbrake is renowned for. The diversification into complete vehicle maintenance has come after three decades of commercial vehicle diagnostics and repair. To maintain standards, engineers regularly complete OEM training courses with some of the largest parts manufacturers supplying the commercial vehicle sector.
The success has led to contract negotiations with partner companies, including multi-haulage solutions firm DE O’Reilly. Doctor Airbrake has recently entered into a full fleet maintenance agreement with DE O’Reilly to provide a one-stop solution for maintenance and compliance. The O’Reilly fleet includes a range of railway infrastructure vehicles, flat beds, Moffat Mounty trucks and Hiabs.
Operations Director, Mark Lowe, comments on the move: “Occupying the newly-vacated Aggreko building within the K’s Transport yard will give optimal positioning. It will enable us to continue delivering the high-quality service our long-standing clients have come to expect, while facilitating new business growth. Our expansion has necessitated a recruitment drive to attract the highest calibre engineers with the determination to go the extra mile.
“I believe that investment in the team and responsiveness to customers’ changing needs is a key part of our success. For example, since we have become aware of the increasing importance of operator compliance risk scores, new procedures have been implemented – such as dual checks from multiple engineers before a vehicle is presented for MOT. This is at no extra cost to the customer.”
The new site boasts an 8000 sq ft workshop, manufacturing & office space. It includes three pits, a CNC engineering shop and specialist brake test bay. Alongside this is a state-of-the-art electronic assembly suite with in-house EMC testing facility for own-brand products. The product division has been based at Huntington, Cannock since 2015, after outgrowing the original Penkridge site.
Technical Director and Doctor Airbrake founder, Jeff Lowe anticipates further growth: “Closer alignment between the product and service teams will allow for greater harmonisation of our final installed systems. We’re really excited about the move as it marks the next chapter in the company’s progression towards being a globally recognised provider of innovative solutions to the commercial vehicle market.”
In addition to aptitude and an innovative approach, the team is selected for adaptability and ability to think ‘outside the box’, says the company. Using a range of manufacturer-specific diagnostic software alongside more commonly used multi-diagnostic tools, engineers can identify and address early component wear and root-cause before undue wear is placed on other connected components. Using this approach for preventative maintenance helps to extract maximum life from components and extend clients’ return on investment.
