Relationships go a long way, and with MAHA UK and Chassis Cab, the partnership travels back to when the workshop equipment manufacturer was awarded the contract to provide an ATF lane at the DAF specialist’s Great Blakenham (Ipswich) site. Several years later, MAHA UK’s sales manager, Nick Austin, paid the Cambridge (Fenstanton) facility a visit to see how the team was getting on following another installation.
Formed in 1982 by David Ruffles, the Chassis Cab Group is a family-run business that started life as a body repairer in Bury St Edmunds and is now the DAF truck franchise holder for East Anglia. It sells new and used trucks, DAF genuine parts, truck and trailer components for allmakes, as well as offer repair and maintenance services and a service workshop.
The Cambridge facility is one of four sites under the Chassis Cab banner, and Andy Ling, general service manager, oversees all four from a servicing perspective. He explained that the first installation at the Great Blakenham site – preparation, installation, product quality, speed and friendliness of service, and after-sales support – laid the foundations for a long-term partnership:
“Immediately, there was a connection,” said Andy. “Nick and the team listened and advised on how to maximise the potential of the site we had, and everything went smoothly from an installation point of view. Obviously, we’ve gained experience, learnt a lot and with this particular installation, we felt confident in taking the lead.”
Nick added: “From my perspective, it’s always very easy when working with Andy! He now has the experience to manage a project himself, and because of his relationship with Premier Pits, we acted more of a supplier this time – rather than project manage it – but we were always ready to step in if there was a need.”
Premier Pits is one of MAHA UK’s partners, which designs, manufactures and installs pits to help transform vehicle maintenance and inspection.
Premier Pits Sales Director, Dave Sylvester, said: “Andy and the team at Chassis Cab, along with Jeff Hall from Hall Contracts, are always a pleasure to deal with, and we are pleased to have been involved in another completed project for them at the Fenstanton site, working alongside MAHA UK.”
Hall Contracts is Chassis Cab’s longterm building works contractor, and it was responsible for both an extension at Great Blakenham and the redevelopment of Fenstanton.
What’s been fitted?
This new lane comprises of a MBT 7250 EUROSYSTEM brake tester – brake tester for HGV, PSV, along with classes 4 and 7 – MLT 1000 headlight tester and LMS 20.0 axle play tester. Existing equipment was also removed and relocated from Chassis Cab’s original site in Cambridge to this new one in Fenstanton.
Andy added that Chassis Cab is “working on a couple of other developments” that may mean another chat with Nick in the not-too-distant future! Before diving into another project, though, Andy praised MAHA UK and, in particular, its after-sales support:
“We know MAHA UK has a good product, it knows what it’s doing and it’s always comforting to receive the support from the likes of Neil Ebbs, MAHA UK’s managing director, and Tim Davison on the after-sales side. Should we have a question or experience an issue, we know we’re in safe hands and will receive a rapid response – whether that’s a phone call or even someone driving over!
“There are huge demands placed on us, and if we can’t test for a day or if we lose our tachograph rollers, we need our suppliers to react promptly and find a solution quickly – that’s always been something MAHA UK has excelled at.”
