The world has changed - we all know a lot more about our families than we did 10 weeks ago. Our previous aspirations to be bigger, better with a larger turnover than previous years has been altered by something which is just 50 nanometers across and arguably isn't even alive until it inserts its' RNA into you.
So we have all been through what appears to be a world wide Balloon Debate - one where each person gets thrown out of the balloon to keep the balloon afloat. Who knows who will be the survivor and who will be a smear mark on the countryside below! Quite possibly there will be no casualties amongst the trailer manufacturers. In the UK they are all equally sized and all equally badly managed. But then again the customers tolerate this and even seem to desire it. So my guess is a poor finish to 2020 and then a slow lifting of the balloon until Covid is forgotten and the next 'big thing' hits. God Bless Us All.
Posted by Andrew on 06/05/2020
The implications for Trailer Manufacture of Covid 19 Virus is that we are all about 3 weeks away from not seeing any new trailers for some months.
The issue of course is that any manufacturing process is only as strong as the link that breaks. If it is cable ties or axles or lighting systems - a trailer needs all of them to be ......... a trailer.
In Germany Wabco have shut the factory so constructors using WABCO EBS system (or brake calipers) are not going to producing when Inventory is used up.
Could get interesting.
Posted by Andrew on 13/03/2020
Well Christmas came and went. Hope you are ready for the roaring 20s.
We have spent the time between Christmas and New Year painting and cleaning the workshops. We have been on the 'new site' nearly 10 years - which is very scary. Never thought I would grow old in the business. Father James is his mid-80's and still comes in daily.
The 20's last time round were a roaring success - let's hope it is for you and for us.
Happy New Year.
Posted by Andrew on 31/12/2019
Twas The Night Before Christmas
Merry Christmas to you all. We made it....
Apples had a shorter run into Christmas than expected but otherwise things look fairly normal. Sugar Beet has been going okish but the wet ground is making operations a bit trickier.
The Euro swing after the Election has eased price pressures from European supplier somewhat. Construction is looking an unhappy zone into the New Year but we will see what the housebuilding sector makes of the Conservative win in January and hope that things pick up a bit.
The manufacturers are looking weak throughout Europe and the UK. Europe is down 30% or more on trailer numbers which will surely hurt. In the UK numbers are down about 50% going into January and February but maybe some optimism will return with the dead lock in Parliament removed.
So reasons for optimism into 2020.
God Bless You All and thank you for your business.
Best wishes,
The Team at Newton
Posted by Andrew on 24/12/2019
This year, the biannual Agritechnica trade fair will be held in Hannover between 10 and 16 November. Agritechnica is the world’s largest trade fair for agricultural technology. At the fair, Newton together with Knapen Trailers will be presenting our K200 HDX-A, the agricultural moving floor trailer suitable for on-road and off-road applications. Kep it 3 months a year on off - road tyres and 9 months a year on on road tyres. For example in Germany this qualifies the trailer to be exempt form road tax.
Posted by Andrew on 06/11/2019
