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Nottingham-based Croft Vehicle Services, which refurbishes used trailers, says business is booming as hauliers look to cut costs during the recession. Paul Harrington, Croft's MD, says the recession has hit new trailer sales, with curtainsiders suffering the biggest decline.

He adds that as a result repair and refurbishment has begun to play a bigger part in keeping existing trailers on the road. "A new curtainsider is worth around £13,000, by refurbishing an existing one an operator can  save £8,000-£9,000.

"In the current economic climate, you must be creative; we are looking into a new avenue with financial groups about buying older trailers from customers, refurbishing them and leasing them back to help with cash flow," he says.

Harrington also highlighted repairs to double-deck trailers as a burgeoning part of the business, which he bought for an undisclosed sum from the Yorkshire-based Croft Group in October 2008.

Work is split evenly between approved trailer repair and refurbishment for trailer manufacturers such as Cartwright, Lamberet, Montracon and SDC, and work with operators like Arla Foods.

He is keen to develop the business, which reported a revenue of £1.3m in its last financial year, towards a turnover of £2m.

Croft has recently invested in a new paint booth designed to cater for double-deck trailers, in partnership with Leicestershire firm Hex Holdings. The first trailer into the spray booth is a Lawrence David 2002  tandem-axle curtainsider. A shot-blasting area will later be added.

Harrington adds: "By investing in a spray booth, we are keeping everything in-house. It helps to maintain quality; when you subcontract it is someone else's hands, if they let you down, you let your customer down."