Matthews Brothers Engineering’s range of quality spreader box units, backed by a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and team, are making waves in the sector. Roads & Infrastructure sits down with the team responsible to learn more.
Ever since the mid-20th century, the spreader box has emerged as an essential industry instrument, helping to accurately and concisely dispense loose materials such as sand, blue metal and most other aggregate materials for road works.
Whether it’s sealing, repairs or construction, the spreader box has seemingly always been tied to the roads sector, as has road construction machinery and equipment manufacturer Matthews Brothers Engineering.
The company’s spreader boxes have been a staple of its offerings throughout the entirety of this century. Despite this, Matthews Brothers Engineering has gone out of its way to constantly evolve and improve its spreader box design, driven off the back of industry engagement and feedback.
One of the biggest changes was Matthews Brothers Engineering’s decision to evolve from four gates to eight, allowing for greater control over material flow during operation.
The earliest spreader boxes also featured manual operation, which included handles and simple mechanics. The units have since advanced to include hardwired controls for the cabin, and more recently, advanced Bluetooth remote controls with unique frequencies, enabling simultaneous operation of multiple units without interference.
Martin Barker, Production Supervisor – Matthews Brothers Engineering says these changes to the control panel are of “huge” benefit to medium-to-large scale operations.
“Because they’re all set up for a separate frequency, you could have multiple spreader boxes operating together, and there’ll be zero interference between one and another,” he says.
Changes to the manufacturing process have also occurred. Previously, components were often bought pre-made and then modified. Now, most parts are purpose-designed and laser-cut for a more precise and efficient assembly process. Matthews Brothers Engineering has also evolved its installation and fitting methods to better cater for specific truck and user needs.
Andrew Tidd, Fitter and Turner – Matthews Brothers Engineering has been at the business for 15 years. He says that the company is invested in trying new concepts, even if those don’t always make it to the final factory floor. A big part of this development can be attributed to being in constant communication with the company’s dedicated design department.
“We’ve gone through a number of versions and types,” he says. “We’ve even supplied front-mounted spreader boxes and some other options as well.
“Every now and then I’ll check in with the design team, as there might be a few iterations that they’ve been working on, to continually refine and improve the equipment we are producing.”
Choices all round
Matthews Brothers Engineering provides both fixed and winged spreader box iterations, enabling greater flexibility of choice, depending on the requirements of the job at hand.
The former features a durable and robust design, often with larger cylinders and gates, making it sturdy and reliable for heavy-duty use. With a spread width of 2.7 metres, the fixed spreader box option provides consistent and reliable spreading performance. The fixed option also has fewer moving parts than a winged spreader, resulting in lower maintenance needs and greater ease of operation.
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Alternatively, the winged design allows the spreader’s width to be reduced below 2.5 metres for transport, then extended up to 2.9 metres for wider spreading onsite. Offering all the spreader advantages of a larger fixed unit, the winged spreader box can also adapt to different job requirements. This is due, in part, to additional air cylinders and mechanisms that ensure that users can find a balance between regulatory simplicity and a wider working footprint, with no oversized permits needed.
Barker says that the selection between fixed and winged depends on the requirements. But high quality and consistent performance is shared across both units.
“Each unit has eight individually operated gates. Each gate has a dedicated pneumatic cylinder, with the opening size set and controlled via a linear actuator to accommodate various sizes of aggregate,” he says.
But the choices don’t end there.
Matthews Brothers Engineering can also cater for a number of installation types, led by customer requirements.
The twin lifter installation provides full lifting functionality, allowing the spreader box to be raised entirely out of the way. Ideal for flexibility, users can tip the truck or use the spreader as needed.
Another installation type features a single hydraulic cylinder lifting from the centre. Simpler than the twin lifter, this option is primarily used for easier hook-up and removal but doesn’t lift as high. Customers can also select from a chain installation option if needed.
Quality ensured
Each of these box spreader iterations – like the rest of Matthews Brothers Engineering’s sprayers, tankers, coaters and more – involve multiple team members and departments collaborating to ensure quality.
Tidd helps by saying, “I make a point of getting around to the fitters, painters, and fabricators during the build.” That simple habit builds teamwork, keeps communication flowing, and ensures the final product stays consistent from start to finish.
Before painting, a “dry fit” is performed, assembling parts to make sure everything fits together, helping to detect any potential problems early.
“It’s usually a pretty straightforward process,” Tidd says. “If anything needs tweaking here or there, the team will usually come to me to make sure everything is alright.
“It might be a part here or there just needs a little bit of adjustment, or if there were any issues with a component, we’ll change it out. We have a wide selection of parts on hand if that’s the case.”
Such scenarios are handled on the spot, with additional checks occurring before the product is finalised and hooked up with pneumatics and electronics.
Assistance is always offered for after-sales as well, with a dedicated staff member offering support, service and part supply.
This article was originally published in the November edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.
