__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Supacat
innovative solutions in collaboration with its customers. While Nick Jones remains a director, overseeing SC Group’ s product portfolio and providing strategic technical guidance, his daughter, Lizzie Jones, now manages day-to-day business as Operations Director. Having joined the company in 2000, Lizzie is now responsible for all Dunkeswellbased planning, procurement, logistics, production, and delivery, and she joins us to elaborate on Supacat’ s ongoing evolution.
“ The entire business started with engineering services, and the design and manufacturing of innovative vehicles remains at our core,” Lizzie opens.“ We’ re currently manufacturing two fleets of the HMT Mk3, a 4x4 vehicle termed the Jackal 3 by the British Army. The first fleet of 70 vehicles was delivered to the customer in 2022, and the latest iteration features a range of enhancements to support operational requirements. It will provide a step change for users in terms of capability, comfort,
serviceability, and improved protection, and it also has an increased Gross Vehicle Mass for greater load carrying.”
Indeed, the HMT is considered Supacat’ s flagship product and is used by armed forces across the globe. Since its first service application in 2004, the HMT base vehicle has been upgraded or adapted in various configurations for several specialist uses. Within the British Army, the HMT 400, a 4x4 vehicle, is termed the Jackal, while the HMT 600, a 6x6 vehicle, is known as the Coyote. The HMT 400 proved its performance in the harsh terrain of the Afghanistan battlefields, and its unique air suspension system allows the selection of a variable ride height to match the terrain and enable internal loading. The HMT 600, on the other hand, provides the same impressive level of cross-country performance, yet provides a significant increase in payload.
HMT Mk1 and Mk2 were class-leaders in off-road mobility, but the new suspension in the HMT Mk3 will deliver even better
manufacturing-today. com 57