MAN Truck & Bus UK has completed the conversion of 382 MAN HX trucks “helping modernise the British Army’s Logistic Vehicles Fleet”.
The contract required MAN to install and integrate a new pallet and container loading system (Enhanced Palletised Load System, or EPLS) onto the tried-and-tested HX trucks of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, vehicles that MAN delivered to the MoD under a separate contract signed in 2005.
According to the firm:
“The EPLS Conversion Contract was a major engineering process, essentially a 382 vehicle retrofitting programme. To ensure both quality control and timescale were met, MAN Truck & Bus UK recruited an entirely new team of over 40 skilled and qualified technicians for the contract period of 32 months. Full product training across the team had to be completed within 8 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 both 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.”
Thomas Hemmerich, CEO MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd, was quoted as saying:
“The EPLS re-engineering project has been a huge success for MAN Truck & Bus UK. 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 2021 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.”
Good trucks and nice to see a contract work to plan.
Aye agreed 💯 spot on , good to see a positive comment aswell👍🏻 , beats the 💩 out of having those shitey negative waves emanating from this platform from the shitehoose Haters crew that seem to permeate like an unflushed turd in the wifies changing rooms.🚽🤭
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Glass half full! (Till I swill it anyway) 🙂
Very amusing…..pity that you haven’t considered how forums operate! A diversity of opinion leads to long threads and the survival of the website. Your introductory missives, and a few congratulatory support posts, don’t quite cut it!
The only consideration I need to consider is if I post how likely is it the the silly wee Morris dancing dafty that is yourself might pop up spouting some incredibly negative dull and boring monologue reply akin to a steaming pile O shite ? 😉
is it any wonder you have been threatened with violence on here ? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 you simply can’t cut it son 👋🏻
I make no apology for being positive when it comes to U.K. plc 👍🏻
Meanwhile God Bless HM Armed Forces across Britain’s globe👍🏻
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My posts are 50/50 when it comes to positivity…. as are most posts on this site! If you wish to create an air of sublime right-wing support for the establishment, you may find a more totalitarian country is appropriate….try Putin’s Russian Federation. Your pre-occupation with faecal matters is quite disturbing…rarely a post goes by that hasn’t a reference to shit…..you clearly have an obsessional association with your bowels! As for bragging about violence, that is par for the UK Brown House and its unhinged, proto-fascistic supporters. As for being a Celtic bard, I don’t think that Burns ever wrote about… Read more »
Yes it is good to hear that a contract has been completed on all the vehicles.
I take it the knuckle draggers are happily playing with these EPLS in the compounds ;P
Glad to see another vehicle upgrade success story
Bridging and TBT trucks next?
Hopefully the RA will be getting Archer based on the MAN 8×8 chassis.
Just need DE&S to find some money and place a contract. No real R&D required as already in-service
https://www.baesystems.com/en/feature/archer–the-development-of-wheeled-artillery-with-a-new-purpose
Mark, I think this the best value for money option for the RA, as its a quick win. If they go down the route of the dedicated Volvo 6×6, they will face issues in the long run, especially if they want to increase the barrel length (calibre). The Archer system fold flat into a protective box behind the cab. This means the barrel length id fixed unless they do some major surgery on the chassis. Whereas, using a Man 8×8, when the barrel is stored it rests above the cab. Therefore, if a longer barrel is required in the future… Read more »
Barrel length aside, Archer x MAN seems to be a better option purely due to logistics. Utilising a common vehicle simplifies spares, maintenance, and training significantly, and lets you use an economy of scale with upgrades and support contracts.
Unfortunately, where the MoD are concerned common sense isn’t one of their strong points.
I really do hope the RA get Archer, as I believe it’s better than anything else on the market. Buying the Man truck version is a no brainer, surely?
If they go with the WFEL Dry Support Bridge, that should come on an MAN 10×10 and the bridge sections will come on Flat-racks.
https://www.australiandefence.com.au/land/first-tranche-of-army-bridges-delivered-under-land-155
The next problem to solve is getting qualified operators. They haven’t trained any for months at DST and getting instructors qualified in units has been painfully slow.