Engineering specialists at a Leeds company are pioneering fabrication in a material new to the UK for the manufacture of fire engine bodies that are safer, lighter, stronger and more durable. Barkston Plastics engineers co-operate on the production of the bodies in the co-polymer Polybilt, in place of the traditional glass fibre and aluminium.

Advantages of Polybilt include improved impact-resistance and ease of repair, compared with the traditional glass fibre and aluminium. In the past 18 months Barkston has supplied some 80 fire engine bodies and the order book stretches ahead to cover the nation with Polybilt fire engine bodies.

Barkston Operations Director, Mark Carter said: “The co-polymer used in PolyBilt has a unique combination of compressive strength and flexibility giving it superb impact resistance. This translates in the field to little or no damage when impacting street furniture and walls. Even in a high speed collision, there is no shock transfer through the body, keeping damage to a minimum. “It is also highly heat resistant, meaning vehicle paint will ignite and tyres melt before it is even affected. The design incorporates an integral water tank which delivers a host of operational and safety advantages for fire and rescue crews.”

According to Mr Carter, financial advantages of the new body include lower running costs and a remarkably long operational life of up to 40 years, plus a re-mountable option for a “second life” and totally recyclable raw materials.