Not a week went by when a ‘Fruehauf’ rumour came to the fore. Always it was about its future and whether the long-established body and trailer manufacturer actually had one, writes Peter Brown.
The ‘anecdote’ would be unfounded but carry a thread of plausibility, usually about an unpaid supplier, late filing of accounts or an unhappy customer. Nothing would come from it, and I’d wait for another week before more smoke drifted across my desk. Eventually that smokes’ source proved to be a fire, and news broke in August 2021 that the beleaguered business had been placed into administration.
The administrator Quantuma Advisory said Fruehauf’s collapse was attributed to a toxic mixture of Brexit, Covid-19 and a global shortage of materials. As a result, its Grantham factory closed down periodically, and Fruehauf also utilised the government’s furlough scheme due to the slowdown in business.
No smoke without fire, eh? All that changed in September 2021. MV Commercial announced it had acquired the business in a deal worth £1.25m that helped secure the jobs of 120 workers.
The deal to buy Fruehauf out of administration secured a future for one of the most identifiable brands in the industry. MV Commercial announced plans to invest a further £30 million as part of ambitious plans to modernise the manufacturing facility and realise the full potential.
At the time, CEO of MV Commercial Tom O’Rourke said it was ‘an opportunity we couldn’t turn down’. And so, its fair to say that the future of the iconic UK manufacturer of tippers for both rigids and trailers was secured with more than £10 million invested in its Grantham based facility, and the rumour mill ceased there and then.
Since the acquisition, MV Commercial has expanded its workforce by 30%, as well as laid out an ambitious £30 million investment roadmap which has seen the site being revitalised with modernised facilities.
Additional product diversification has seen the addition of Fruehauf’s innovative new blower trailer product designed to meet the needs of the UK and Ireland’s bulk transport industries, as well as specialist rigid bodies and subframes for MV Commercial’s truck hire fleet, including high specification crane trucks.
Fruehauf’s commitment to growing manufacturing in the UK remains a cornerstone of its operations. Commenting on the transformation of the company, Tom O’Rourke said: “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved over the past three years. Fruehauf has not only regained its position as a market leader but has also shown that UK manufacturing is alive and thriving.
“With MV Commercial’s backing, we’re building a future based on innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction.”
Looking ahead, Fruehauf is poised for further growth, with plans to expand its product portfolio and continue investing in its facilities. The company’s focus on listening to customer needs and engineering bespoke solutions ensures it remains a trusted partner for bulk tipper and blower companies across the UK and beyond.
The Fruehauf name originates from its founder, August Charles Fruehauf. Born in 1868 in Fraser, Michigan, he began his career as a Detroit-area blacksmith and carriage builder. In 1914, a local businessman asked him to build a trailer that could be towed behind a Ford Model T and transport a boat to upper Michigan. He successfully built the device and continued to produce more of what he called ‘semi-trailers’. In 1918 he incorporated his business as the Fruehauf Trailer Company.
