October 31, 2022 10:00 CET 6 min read
When Polish Bodex wanted to improve the durability of its vehicles, without increasing the weight, it looked no further than SSAB Steel Service Center Oborniki. The result is an innovative new trailer design made from Hardox® 500 Tuf steel that is stronger, more durable, and more sustainable.
“The greatest benefits of working with SSAB are the accuracy of production, repeatability and on-time delivery,” says Damian Stepien, sales representative, Bodex.
Based in Szczerców in central Poland, Bodex is a manufacturer of semi-trailers and truck trailers. It has been delivering a wide range of trailers and tippers to the Polish and European markets since its creation in 1991.
“Our trailers, which we manufacture using wear-resistant steel from SSAB, operate in very tough conditions, so we have to pay attention to their durability which is a very important factor in their daily work,” Stepien comments.
In 2020, Bodex reached out to its local SSAB center, SSAB Steel Service Center Oborniki. The company was looking for a way to develop a new, even more durable trailer, without compromising on weight or performance.
“The motivation to find a new solution was the need to increase the durability of the vehicles, without increasing the weight of the empty semi-trailer or trailer,” explains Stepien, adding: “SSAB has been our partner for almost 20 years, and, in all that time, we’ve been very satisfied with their products and services. Every time we get a new delivery of prefabricated components made of Hardox steel from SSAB Steel Service Center in Oborniki, we know for sure it will be bent precisely according to our specifications.”
"Thanks to the prefabricated components received from SSAB, we have been able to reduce production time and optimize costs.”
Damian Stepien, sales representative, Bodex
“Service Center Oborniki is constantly developing, and we place the emphasis on new technologies – all to better meeting our customers’ expectations,” says Piotr Filipiak, operations director, SSAB Steel Service Center Oborniki.
“We provide steel and smart logistics solutions, and our engineers are always available to help with design, product development or technical questions,” he adds.
The new trailer design created for Bodex is made from Hardox® 500 Tuf steel, instead of the Hardox® 450 grade it previously used. Hardox® 500 Tuf is an innovative formula of wear-resistant steel, which has significantly higher impact strength than other grades.
“This enables us to produce a trailer that has very high durability, but we can also increase the payload by reducing the weight of the trailer,” comments Michał Tatarowicz, sales manager CEE, Services SSAB, adding that Hardox® 500 Tuf also allows users of Bodex’s products to reduce their environmental impact by using the products for longer.
The new trailer design also features an integrated top rail, which has reduced the total number of components on the vehicle, as well as the need for welding. Instead of welding it, the top rail is bent using a press break machine at SSAB Steel Service Center Oborniki, which is one of the largest and most advanced of its kind in Europe.
“The main advantage of the new design is that it reduces the number of welds on the loading box. This allows us to shorten the production time and deliver a semitrailer that will be more durable as it contains fewer welded elements,” Stepien explains.
All the Hardox® steel components on the new Bodex trailer are prefabricated by Service Center Oborniki and assembled by Bodex.
“Thanks to the prefabricated components received from SSAB, we have been able to reduce production time and optimize costs,” says Stepien.
“At SSAB Steel Service Center Oborniki, we pride ourselves on offering individual solutions,” Filipiak explains. “Our priority is to supply high-quality components and parts, which lead to the production of stronger, more durable and safer final products.”
Bodex has been a member of Hardox® In My Body customer program since 2022 – something Stepien admits has benefited his company both as a stamp of quality and also when it comes to SSAB’s process expertise – not least in the development of the new trailer.
“Being part of the Hardox In My Body family is proof that our products meet the highest requirements,” Stepien concludes. “Most of our clients are familiar with this program and it allows them to rest easy in the knowledge that they are using products of highest quality.”
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