Tautliner is used as a generic name for curtain sided trucks/trailers. It is the trade name of commercial vehicles built by Boalloy of Congleton, Cheshire, England. The curtains contain load retaining straps which, when released, allow the curtain to be pulled back and a forklift to be used for easy and efficient loading and unloading.[1]
The company patented the concept in 1969, and credits much of its popularity to its adoption by the haulier Eddie Stobart.[2]
Tautliner side curtains were designed by Mr Derek Lawrence, the original 'buckle' being the wire design, the concept of the curtain being manufactured by means of overlapping panels of fabric that were 'welded' by means of high frequency welding. these machines were manufactured by FIAB. The biggest customer of the original Tautliner was Rentco, a subsidiary of Fruehauf.