Europe’s biggest trailer maker is enjoying a big dose of glitz and glamour – going on tour with pop megastar Rihanna.
The Barbadian singer, who has sold 20 million albums and 60 million singles, has just started a massive European tour.
And Ifor Williams Trailers are playing a supporting role by providing a box van that’s being towed behind a luxury tour bus from Chester-based Dale Travel.
The trailer is being used to transport the huge range of merchandise that’s being sold to Rihanna fans on the Loud tour, sponsored by the makers of the skin cream, Nivea.
The singer’s publicity machine has been in overdrive in recent weeks.
She was chastised and asked to leave by a Northern Ireland farmer when she appeared topless in his field and a doppelganger has been unveiled at the Madame Tussaud’s waxworks in London.
This isn’t the Ifor Williams Trailers’ first taste of rock stardom. The makers of the popular MTV programme Pimp My Ride UK contacted the firm to provide a trailer to be featured in the the show.
It was flamboyantly kitted out for an up and coming London Indie band, Playground of Legend.
In the past their trailers have also been filmed with Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Phillips, and a computer generated unicorn for a TV ad promoting the national lottery.
According to Andrew Reece-Jones, the Design Engineering Manager at Ifor Williams Trailers, it was particularly exciting to hook up with Rihanna.
Mr Reece-Jones said: “We are constantly amazed and the different uses that are found for our trailers and we’re delighted to be a support act on the Rihanna tour.”
The trailer will be towed behind a specially converted luxury band bus that will be transporting the star’s merchandising team.
The home from home on wheels has 12 bedrooms, two lounges, a high definition TV, a Playstation 3, a kitchen, a toilet and a shower.
It will be driven by Dale Travel boss Ian Dale, who lives in Flint and is really looking forward to the 14,000 marathon
The bus and the trailer have been wrapped in tour branding.
Ian, 51, said: “We’re going to be on the road for three months. After the UK dates, we’re off round Europe and Scandinavia. We’ve got one date in Poland and one in the Czech Republic.”
“We’re going to Germany, France and Spain and we finish in Lisbon on December 16.
“When you get a full house of 12 people, it really is a bit cosy,” he added.
