Company approaching 90 years with help from JOST

In the 1960s the fleet was expanded with Leyland’s and the 1970s saw the introduction of Volvo and DAF tipper wagons. In 2000 Ken passed the baton onto his three sons, Gordon, Jonathan and Mark.

Today, operating a fleet of 38 vehicles, Longthorne’s main markets are in aggregates from the surrounding quarries and transportation of livestock.

It has a long standing and trusted reputation, said Mark Longthorne. “Customers such as Hansons, Tarmac and Aggregate Industries are naturally very demanding, while many of our livestock clients have been with us for literally decades.

“Similarly we are very loyal to suppliers who have served us well, like JOST which provides fifth wheels, axles, tipping gear and other equipment for our trucks.”

Longthorne maintains a modern fleet of vehicles, which helps it to guarantee reliability of service. The fleet includes articulated lorries, for aggregate and livestock work, and eight-wheeled tipper trucks for hauling road stone and other quarry products, plus snow ploughs, which can be vital in the area’s harsher winters.

Jannine Burt, Regional Fleet Manager for JOST UK, explained the importance of reliability as most of the company’s trucks are likely to work in demanding environments. “For instance, aggregate trucks may have to travel across very uneven quarry floors and still tip safely and efficiently, while livestock transporters may have to contend with farm yard slurry, country lanes and long runs on trunk routes.”

“The equipment fitted to the lorries has to be robust, reliable and first class in every respect. We’ve been working with Longthorne for many years now, so it’s fair to say that they appreciate the robust quality of JOST components.”

One such critically important part that Longthorne sources from JOST is the fifth wheel coupling which connects an articulated vehicle’s tractor unit and trailer. Without reliable and fast coupling it’s impossible to maximise the productivity of a vehicle, to say nothing of the potential safety implications.

All JOST fifth wheels are tested to ensure safe, secure and reliable coupling in tough environments, but Longthorne often favours the low maintenance JSK37CW model which features automatic lubrication of the lock jaw as standard.

Longthorne explained the automatic lubrication feature reduces maintenance requirements on the fifth wheel which ultimately gives them more time on the road with the vehicle.” It’s also fitted with a Sensoric feature which helps the driver to make sure that the trailer is safely coupled to the tractor, this is particularly helpful when operating on uneven surfaces.”

Additional JOST components are also specified as a matter of course, such as the king pins and landing gear. The JOST Module series, telescopic landing gear has a modular construction with variable mounting and operating heights; different crank handle and connection shaft lengths; as well as five different foot types. This flexibility allows an end user to standardise on one product for efficiency and cost effectiveness while still meeting individual needs of each vehicle.

When it comes to tipping vehicles for the aggregates, Longthorne again turns to JOST and its Edbro range of tipping gear, often choosing the popular CX range. This uses a combined ram and tank design to cut the overall kit weight by as much as 258kg. Thanks to advanced design and manufacturing techniques, such as one-piece tube construction and double lip wiper seals, the CX range is stronger and more robust than other like-for-like cylinders on the market and offer faster tipping speeds.

Longthorne added: “We’ve always been a fan of Edbro and for over 16 years we’ve not fitted anything else, to our articulated tippers or our eight wheelers. You always know you’re getting the best tipping ram when you specify Edbro.”

All Edbro cylinders are complemented by Edbro’s customisable wet kits which can include steel or aluminium tanks, hydraulic valves, pneumatic controls, piston and gear pumps, PTOs, and all other fittings.

Longthorne has also specified the newest member of JOST World.

JOST Axle Systems (formerly Mercedes-Benz Trailer Axles) uses JAS’s complete modular disc braked axle and suspension system, engineered by Mercedes-Benz. This gives reduced cost of ownership and low life cycle costs for the trailer and customer alike. Couple this to reduced inventory of spare parts; it becomes the pre-requisite needed to maintain a large fleet of vehicles.

Adding the unsurpassed quality and range of JOST Axle Systems to its product portfolio enables JOST to be the only key supplier to offer a ‘whole vehicle concept to its customers; offering total peace of mind that all the core truck and trailer components are from one unique and trusted supplier.

Mark summed up his appreciation of the reliability of JOST and Edbro equipment: “Most of our trucks are in a stunning metallic livery, so are easily recognisable. They stand for quality, reliability and service, standards that have been the hallmark of Longthorne since Granddad’s day.”