MAN Truck & Bus Ltd’s Modification Centre in Manchester has completed a substantial vehicle modification programme for the British Military’s Logistic Corps.
The contract required MAN to install and integrate a new pallet and container loading system (Enhanced Palletised Load System, or EPLS) onto the HX trucks of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, vehicles that MAN delivered to the MoD under a separate contract signed in 2005.
The EPLS Conversion Contract was a major engineering process, essentially a 382-vehicle retrofitting programme.
To ensure quality control and timescale were met, MAN Truck & Bus UK recruited an entirely new team of more than 40 skilled and qualified technicians for the contract period of 32 months. Full product training across the team had to be completed within eight weeks for production to begin. This project was and remains, the first of its kind to be commissioned by the UK MoD.
Once stripped down each of the 382 vehicles was re-engineered and fitted with a 2,500 component ‘retrofit’ kit, including the top hamper ILHS System. The vehicles now meet the UK MoD’s requirement to efficiently load standardised 20-foot containers and their pallet loading system.
The conversion programme also included MAN Truck & Bus UK sub-contracting the waxing and painting of all vehicles to a third-party specialist paintshop. This process also had to meet timescale and go through MoD security protocols.
“The EPLS re-engineering project has been a huge success for MAN Truck & Bus UK,” said Thomas Hemmerich, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd. “Throughout the process and the constantly changing uncertainties of Covid-19 pandemic, the entire team has remained professional and focussed and their commitment is a testament to the capabilities we have and can offer our customers.
“The final vehicle, EPLS 382, was delivered back to the MoD on the 18th March meeting the contract completion date, which in the current climate is a huge achievement for all parties involved and something we should all be proud of.”
The project has been praised by senior officers at Army HQ.
