THE VAN RACKING SPECIALISTS
Ford Custom for welding machine installation and maintenance
A Custom for transporting delicate equipment
We have emphasised the importance of proper liners on many occasions, whether you need to convert your van into a mobile workshop of simply carry equipment and machinery more efficiently and safely. The owner of this Ford Custom needs to use the entire cargo compartment to carry bulky, costly and delicate equipment to and from his workshop. The company concerned specialises in the installation and maintenance of industrial seam and spot welding machines.
Syncro System’s racking technicians protected all the van’s interior surfaces with robust liners before equipping the left side wall with a single unit of fold-away shelves and adding a number of retaining systems to carry bulky cargo safely without it sliding around inside the van.
Choosing the right liners
A great deal of care and attention went into choosing the liners that cover every surface apart from the roof inside this Custom.
The decision to protect every inch of body was mandatory given the intended use of this van: the equipment that has to be loaded and unloaded daily is often so heavy that it requires an access ramp and pallet truck or a small fork lift. This kind of lifting equipment is often responsible for accidental impacts that can easily damage a van’s delicate bodywork.
The floor was lined with a marble-look plywood panel. The same material was also chosen to protect the entire bulkhead, creating a pleasing effect of continuity and also providing users with an effective non-slip surface.
The walls and doors were then lined with painted steel panels. Finally, the wheel arches were covered in a combination of both materials.
Fold-away shelves: the most flexible form of racking
The only item of racking as such in this Custom for the transport of industrial welding equipment is a unit of folding shelves installed next to the bulkhead on the left side wall. This type of shelving was designed at Syncro System’s HQ in Cassola near Vicenza, Italy especially for express courier services, and incorporates all the functionalities needed for this type of work. It features large shelves for carrying small to medium packages and comes complete with retaining straps to hold boxes in place. More importantly, it can be folded away simply by tilting the shelves backwards, to occupy virtually no space inside the van. In the case of this particular van, this shelving allows the user to carry smaller items than normal whenever he needs to do so, with a high level of safety.
Cargo retaining systems
The seam and spot welding machines carried in this Custom need to be securely held in place by suitable cargo retaining systems to eliminate the risk of damage to the machines themselves or to the van’s interior and occupants. For this purpose, Syncro has installed a series of milled rails clearly visible on the side wall, bulkhead and floor. These metal rails are specially shaped by milling on the outer edge, making them ideal for use with different combinations of hooks and straps for holding cargo securely in place.
Only use your van to transport material, equipment or machinery? Take a look at this page showing how a Fiat Ducato or any other similar van can be fitted with liners, cargo retaining systems and loading ramps.