Introduction
In the Essential Services Sector, there is a significant demand for modifications to vans to better meet daily operational needs. These vans play a critical role in supporting engineers and operatives who perform essential repairs and engineering work. Ensuring that all necessary tools and equipment are readily available is key to both effectiveness and efficiency.
Operatives, particularly in the housing, utilities, and infrastructure services sectors, often need to transport ladders and pipework for household servicing and maintenance repairs. This is where the additional storage space provided by modified vehicles becomes invaluable.
Given the expensive nature of the tools and equipment carried inside these vans, secure storage and enhanced security measures are essential to deter both opportunistic and targeted theft.
A company that perfectly meets these requirements is Van Guard Accessories. Established in 1976 as GK Land Engineering Co. Ltd., it began as a business supplying machined components and providing industrial finishing for various products, including electronics, lighting, audio, and engineering. Over the years, the company has grown and expanded its offerings. In 1993, it developed a range of products for light commercial vehicles, including van roof racks, roof bars, internal van racking, and a Tool Store under the brand name Van Guard. Thus, Van Guard Accessories was born!
Essential Fleet Manager was delighted to meet with John Land at Van Guard Accessories to discuss their product range and how organisations within the Essential Services Sector can benefit from specifying and using their products within their van fleets, and consequently ensure that vehicles are not only equipped for demanding tasks but also that they are secure and safe.
Interview
Many incidents on the road have been caused by ladders and external equipment not being secured sufficiently to vans. Could you start by summarising your range of ladder racks and how they address the issue of reliable securement?
We offer a comprehensive range of roof storage products designed to safely stow ladders, pipes, conduit and trade kit. Our best-selling roof bars are available in aluminium and steel versions, and have been created for almost every type of van on the European market. Strong, weatherproof and with an innovative T-track system to secure loads in place during transit, all roof bar systems come with two pairs of adjustable ladder load stops as standard. For wide loads, we offer a large gallery-style van rack in the ULTIRack, which has built-up side channels and a full-length rear roller as well as a T-Track, allowing for the attachment of load stops to ensure stored items are safely secured. Last year, we introduced our ULTILoader, an ergonomically designed ladder loading system with gas struts to aid the safe unloading and loading of ladders from roof to ground level. It’s available as a single or double ladder loader, crash-tested to 20G and proving extremely popular as a quick and low-risk solution for fleet vehicles.
All our systems are tested under real-world conditions, providing van operators with peace of mind that their equipment is securely fastened, reducing the risk of road incidents caused by unsecured ladders.
Accessing equipment stored at height, for example, on the roof of a van, poses several Health and Safety risks. Could you explain how your ladder system overcomes these issues and provides for safe loading and unloading?
Our roof storage systems are designed with user safety as a priority. The ULTILoader ladder loader has been ergonomically designed with a unique separation piston in the damper to minimise whipping and ensure the loading process is controlled so ladders can be loaded and unloaded with minimal strain. The rubber wheels, strap loops and replaceable pads ensure a smooth loading experience, tidy storage and abrasion prevention. Essentially, the system enables the user to lower the equipment to a more accessible height and ensures that loading is done in a controlled manner and the equipment is always securely fastened before the van is in motion.
Fleet operators of vans, especially those stored at the homes of drivers, are faced with the prospect of costly and disruptive vehicle break-ins and thefts. How does Van Guard provide the extra layer of security needed to protect against these events?
We recognise that van security is a major concern for fleet operators; there’s a growing tool theft epidemic in this country, and we want to ensure hard-working trades are protected as best they can. Van Guard has a broad portfolio of products that span storage and security. So, while all our ladder racks, roof bars, and accessories come with locking systems and cannot be easily removed without the correct key or tools, we’re also renowned for our range of high-security hooklocks, deadlocks, slamlocks and shields. Our hooklock, for example, is one of the most popular aftermarket van security locks in the marketplace and was the first van hooklock to be awarded gold standard Sold Secure status, alongside Secured by Design accreditation. With all our locks, we offer door-specific designs and multiple fitting options. We’ve seen a big growth in shielding in recent months, including internal and external shields, handle shields, loom guards and anti-peel brackets as cost-effective deterrents to protect vulnerable areas on a van.
Operators are focused on minimising payload to maximise fuel efficiency and ensure compliance. As a result, they are looking to specify lightweight materials for both internal storage systems and external racks. Could you please explain how Van Guard addresses this issue within the products you supply?
We understand the need to balance durability with fuel efficiency, and we use lightweight yet high-strength materials that ensure both performance and fuel efficiency are maximised. Our roof bars, roof racks and pipe carriers are manufactured from high-quality aluminium and are aerodynamically designed to reduce wind drag. Our steel version of the roof bar offers an alternative to aluminium but with the same signature streamlined profile to aid greater fuel efficiency compared to others on the market.
Internally, our trade van racking is made from lightweight aluminium and entirely bespoke to best utilise the load area and ensure that vans are kitted out as required without the risk of over-specification.
Sustainability is an issue for many operators when considering vehicle conversions and accessories, often in terms of reusability or the manufacturing processes. How does Van Guard measure up to these concerns?
Our focus is on reducing the environmental impact of our products through their whole life cycle using sustainable manufacturing processes to make products that are ultimately built to last. Van Guard products are made onsite in Devon primarily using materials like aluminium and steel, which have a long lifespan and are fully recyclable. The ULTIBar Trade, the steel version of our best-selling roof bar, is made using S350GD steel derived from recycled steel scrap and coated in an anti-corrosion coating with a low zinc content to minimise its environmental impact.
Many of our products are designed with modular components, making them easier to repair or upgrade, reducing the need for complete replacements and contributing to overall waste reduction. We also promote the reuse of our accessories, and we supply kits that allow our customers to repurpose their bespoke kit when they choose to upgrade their vans to a new model.
Could you explain how your solutions are specified, both in partnership with a vehicle converter and independently with fleet operators?
We work with converters up and down the country in supplying our range of commercial vehicle kit depending on the needs of the consumer. Converters will usually establish relationships with fleet operators and will offer solutions based on their requirements, but also on the recommendations of Van Guard. As a one-stop shop, we can advise on the best way to transport and secure products internally and externally for any van model within their fleet.
Due to our reputation in the marketplace, fleet operators reach out to us and based on their accessory needs and location, we will partner with a converter to provide a full consultation and fitting solution. It does not matter what the fleet size will be; we will identify the needs and timescales of the operator, allowing us to brief a converter and introduce both parties to one another.
Van Guard Accessories is increasingly working with organisations operating within the essential services sector. To what do you attribute this success?
While every fleet’s requirement will be unique, the essential services sector is no different to others in their need for products that are durable, easy to access and competitively priced. Over almost 50 years, Van Guard has built a reputation for offering high-quality, bespoke products manufactured at our factory in Devon, and our portfolio is one of the strongest and most varied in the UK.
All products are tested to withstand the rigours of daily commercial use, so we know they’re a solid choice for fleets operating in all weather conditions where downtime costs businesses dearly. Our ULTIBar Trade roof system, for example, is tested to withstand over 300 hours of salt spray testing, so we’re confident that when we send our products out the door, the components will remain in excellent condition with little to no maintenance required.
I suppose we would like to think that Van Guard hits the sweet spot for fleet managers: a range of premium products at the right price and backed by best-in-class customer service. With dedicated account managers, we’ve been able to build strong, long-term relationships with fleet managers in this sector and offer them an ever-evolving range of storage and security products. We’re a one-stop shop where businesses can specify anything from ladder loading systems and internal racking to high-security locks and shielding.
Although we’re chiefly manufacturers of vehicle kit, we work closely with installers around the UK, so we’re able to not only provide the accessories but also handle the installation process if required.
In a rapidly evolving and increasingly demanding sector, what steps are being taken to ensure that you will meet the future needs of fleets?
A key part of our approach is our onsite R&D team, which is at the heart of everything we do, driving innovation and continuous product development. As the ideas hub within the company, they are in close contact with our account managers and customer care teams, who regularly gather feedback from customers to understand their challenges and identify opportunities to improve our products.
Every year, we’re expanding our product ranges, whether that’s building in modular designs to make shipping more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable or to create new safety mechanisms, load variants, etc. In addition, there’s an ongoing series of projects, such as the continued adaptation of our designs to keep up with new vehicle releases and making sure our products are always compatible with the latest fleet models.
For more information contact sales@van-guard.co.uk or visit: www.van-guard.co.uk
This article appeared in issue 1(2025) of Essential Fleet Manager Magazine.
