STOWMARKET-based Timberwolf, one of the the UK’s leading manufacturers of wood chippers and shredders, is among the first in the country to comply fully with new European legislation.

The European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) is set to become mandatory for road tow machines and vehicles from October 29 and Timberwolf has secured approval well ahead of time so that all of the machines sold by the company will now hold a Certificate of Conformity.

The legislation is designed to reduce trade barriers by creating a level playing field for companies wishing to sell vehicles in Europe. Currently, EU member states have different approval schemes, so manufacturers often need to have their vehicles approved to each county’s standards.

Timberwolf has invested considerable resources, time and money into the lengthy compliance procedure, with numerous tests carried out at the company’s premises. Some adaptations have also been made to the company’s road tow machines to ensure that they retain optimum performance while also improving safety on the road. Improvements made include new rain flaps, anti-trap bars and reflectors.

Richard Marshall, managing director of Timberwolf, said: “Spearheaded by John Colman and Steve Avery, the whole team has worked extremely hard to ensure that all of our new machines would reach conformity ahead of schedule. It was a very involved process, so it’s a real credit to the team that we were able to achieve this.

“We are proud to be a Suffolk-based manufacturer and feel confident that we are leading the way in our industry by providing equipment that meets, and even exceeds, the requirements of our customers. Our reputation for quality and assurance is deserved, and something which we work incredibly hard to maintain, as we’re proving with our pre-emptive action to ensure that all new road tow machines are compliant.”