BEDALE SKIPS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH TWO NEW HARSH UNITS

17 January 2023

THAT’S 50 YEARS!

BEDALE SKIP HIRE CELEBRATES ITS HALF CENTURY WITH TWO NEW TOP FLIGHT HARSH UNITS

Few of today’s skiploader operators can celebrate a continuous half century in business – which is why Bedale Skip Hire has chosen to mark its historic milestone with two brand new, top flight HARSH HS14 skip units mounted on 18t DAF LF chassis.

“2023 is our 50th year” says company director Ben Farrow, “so we wanted to get a pair of new trucks on the road to mark the occasion as soon as possible in January. Thanks particularly to HARSH and their workshop staff we managed it – on the first day back after the Christmas and New Year break! The new trucks have replaced two similar spec vehicles, which over five years gave us sterling service.”

Ben’s father Bernard fondly recalls how the business was started way back in 1973. “My father travelled all over the UK buying and selling trucks, which left my mother pretty much in charge of building up the skip business. Everything was really hard graft in those days, but everyone in the family has always wanted to be involved, and still does today. Ben is the third generation, and we continue to progress in our own particular way, offering a reliable, efficient and friendly service throughout our local area.”

As well as celebrating 50 years, Bedale Skip Hire’s new trucks also mark 10 years of buying HARSH bodywork, making them one of the very earliest users of HARSH skiploaders. Since that first unit, every further skip vehicle has been fitted with HARSH. As well as other 18 tonners, the company also has a versatile and highly productive HARSH 12t skip unit and a 32t 8×4 HARSH hookloader.

“In this business, all you really need are tough, durable and reliable products, backed up by an efficient and responsive after sales service as and when you need it” says Ben. “On all these points, HARSH delivers, with the added bonus of making products that are well thought out in terms of safety and ease of operation. The wireless radio control system is a game – changer in skiploader operations, and we particularly like their latest in-house sheeting system too. The lightweight DAF chassis is also the ideal partner for HARSH skip units, with the narrower LF cab being perfect for more restricted access situations in urban environments.”

Based on the edge of Bedale village in North Yorkshire, the company occupies an impressive 5 acre site complete with its own new-build indoor waste sorting shed, purpose-built offices and on-site weighbridge. Managing all the company’s day to day administration and vehicle tasking is Ben’s sister Ellie, completing the family team.

Aside from the skip platforms themselves, the new trucks also feature HARSH’s highly versatile ‘Skip n’Go’ cantilever sheeting system that makes light work of fully covering all sizes of loaded containers up to 12 yards capacity.

The HARSH HS14 skiploader offers a maximum lift capacity of 14 tonnes with its arms retracted, or 10 tonnes with the arms extended to their full 4250mm reach. Available with a wide range of options such as rear-facing LED platform lighting, access ladders, fold-away platform extensions and drawbar couplings, the HS14 is absolutely ideal to operate with all 4×2 18 tonnes gvw chassis.

Speaking for HARSH, Jason Bramall, Business Development Manager for northern England comments “Family owned companies such as Bedale Skip Hire are still very much at the core of the HARSH business.  We are naturally delighted to have built such a strong bond with Bernard and Ben, and look forward to working with them for many years to come.”