History

The Website: We believe that beauty is on the inside.  No flash extras that slow you down - no waving flags and driving trucks - asking you to download some Flash software to view the page. This is a custom built site designed to deliver you up to the minute information and service - with a unique interface - a site built in Newton's own image.

So on with the corporate bit:

Formed in 1966 the Newton started with one tractor and trailer in haulage growing through the years to 25 owned trailers and as many as 15 sub contractors. During that time James Smith acquired an expertise and knowledge of the bulk transport market and became known as a good and honest dealer of tipping trailers.

In 1986 James sold the haulage business and since then Newton's has become one of the largest dealers of used tipping trailers whilst also selling in the region of 35 % of new trailers in the UK each year. Newton estimates that there are around 12,000 tipping trailers running on the roads of the UK & Eire. We believe that as many as 5,000 of these may have been owned by Newton at some time or other in their lifetime. As there is probably no way of checking - we might even be the largest dealer of tipping trailers in Europe?

The company maintains a large standing stock of trailers at Harlington - typically about 40 to 50 trailers to provide an unrivalled choice of products. This helps us meet the specific needs of each customer whether it be new equipment or 20 years old.

In 1987 Newton started hiring bulk trailers and now has a fleet of over 100 trailers. This makes Newton one of the two largest bulk hirers in the UK.

In 1999 Andrew Smith took over ownership of the company from his father James who retired from the business - however retirement for James means he now only works six and a half days a week and I haven't got the heart to change the locks.

In 1999 Newton became the exclusive agents for the UK & Eire for STAS tipping trailers and for STAS moving floor and STAS Keith Walking Floor Trailers. Newton decided to move to STAS trailers because we considered them the market leaders in plank sided technology. We took STAS from little known in the UK to number one in 2004/5. We still service and sell STAS trailer parts.

In 2005 we decided to move away from STAS Trailers for commercial reasons to Fruehauf for our tipping trailers.

Fruehauf were number one in the UK for 20 years for tipping trailers based on quality of the U shape bathtub. Now, rejuvenated and dedicated soley to the production of tipping trailers Fruehauf have regained their market leading position - and are already on line to produce about 12 trailers per week. This we estimate would give them over 60% of the UK market. They have recognised the trend for smooth sided tipping trailers and are now able to develop a market leading product - which essentially for the customer delivers the class leading straightframe Fruehauf steel chassis with a fabulous box. The trailer with full equipment at 66 cuyd weighs just 6395 kgs!

With  5 years of the Fruehauf tipping trailer badge under our belt 2009 has been interesting - despite a lousy year we increased the number of new tippers sold to around 150 - which gives Newton about a 30 % UK all tipping trailer market share - something we and all our staff are proud to have achieved in tricky trading.

2010 which is just about to start - will hopefully be a fresh start for the economy.  We will be coming out all guns blazing with a couple of bold new ventures - should be fun and bumpy - just how we like it.

Cargo Moving Floor Trailers and Keith Walking Floor Trailers

We started selling our first moving floor and Keith Walking floor trailers in 1997 by accident. This happy chance turned into plentiful sales with STAS trailers in 1999. Interestingly we have now probably sold more new and used moving floor trailers and Keith Walking Floor trailers as a team than any other group in the UK. Moving Floors are definitely a Knowledge based segment and combined with us being the largest supplier of Cargo Floor parts and service it means that in the UK this one eyed man is King.

In 2006 Newton Trailers we took on the agency in the UK and EIRE for Kraker moving floor trailers. Kraker represented a logical move post STAS in that they were the match of the STAS on quality but with more flexible production capability. We decided at the end of 2009 to cease construction and move our supplier base elsewhere.

In 2010 Newton took on the Knapen Trailer range of products. Knapen are Europe's largest cargo floor manufacturer. We are cock a hoop (a dangerous phrase to put on a website) that we are their agents. We can now offer a huge range of Knapen floor products and Knapen spare parts with seriously good back up. 2010 will be a good year.

To support our moving floor offer Newton are one of only two Official Cargo Floor agents for parts and services in the UK & Ireland. We carry a complete moving floor DOCTOR KIT for CF 300 and CF 500 systems and full sets of standard 6mm, 10 mm and HDI planks planks. We do also carry Keith Walking Floor parts and the 5mm walking floor and 10mm walking floor plank types.

We understand moving floors and know how to service and support them whatever the make. We hold in stock all common cargo moving floor components and a range of Keith Walking Floor planks for both companies and can despatch them within 24 hours to you. We also have a network of partners able to troubleshoot and repair cargo moving floors throughout the UK & EIRE. We can supply complete revision set floor systems for old worn out trailers with most plank types instantly available. We believe we are the only company able to make this claim in the UK.

Newton offer the ability to service Keith Walking Floor equipment. In many ways Keith are the Daddy of the floor world.  Keith Walking Floor of America have supplied a significant number of Walking Floors - principally the Running Floor II walking floor system and the Workhorse - sometimes called the Running Floor III - into the UK market. Even though we do not ship that many Keith systems we are often the only idiot in town holding stock when all the other experts shelves are lacking.  We are also expert trouble shooters of these systems and stock a range of spares for repairs. Call us or better still consult our website parts area for exploded views and pictures - or go to the website Resource Center for more complete information such as Keith Walking Floor Manuals or Cargo Floor Moving Floor manuals.

Andrew

Ramblings of A Deranged Mind

Not Making Any Sense

This section is the variable bit in which I think about the market and trends - once again please take on board the usual disclaimer - I am an idiot who knows nothing and whose opinion holds no value - these are just ramblings of a deranged mind that should certainly not be used in a court of law:

I just received a timely reminder that the World Cup was over and that my website was out of date. At least I have the password to my website and haven't had mine locked since 2005 with cobwebs and tumble weed all over it. For those of you who follow the website something magnificent has happened - I don't mean Fruehauf going bust again -  I mean we have a new website! In fact it is the third but this one does some interesting things.  If you ask nicely you can log on and view any trailers that we have sold you and this short cuts you to parts and service history on the trailer or trailers. So much so dull. But the logic is the trailer you click on is yours and only the parts that fit your individual trailer are shown to you. So if you have a SAF disc you do not get offered an ROR drum. Or if you have a Wilcox you do not get offered a Fruehauf part. Clever eh! Well time will tell - might be a complete bag of shite.

Other than that what else is new. Well the market is picking up - we are selling a lot of new kit at the moment - lead times on new tipping triailers is going out to October and new moving floors out to January 2011. Knapen are now constructing 15 trailers a week - not seen since the heady days of 2006. And we are single handedly selling out PPG's new product - mostly because of quality and the maxim 'Only purchase from a company with a reputation to lose'. The other reason is weight the fully loaded trailer is coming out at 6200 kgs - see the weight ticket on the gallery section. This is some 250 kgs lighter than the Fruehauf equivalent we wer selling before they went bust. Two clear reasons to make the right decision.

'Now on the cusp of the post - crunch era, ranging from the oldest to the newest trailer Newton remains the Dealer of choice. We believe in long term business with every single one of our customers and this can only be based on delivering honesty.' God Bless You All as we sit happily at our desks in this sunny 2010 wishing that the Octopus had chosen England rather than Spain.

Andrew, 4 February 2009