Brandon makes the cut with Hardox® HiAce chipper trailers

For many tree-care companies and arborists, chipper box trucks or trailers often add chokepoints to their operations. From weight restrictions and parking ordinances to faster degradation caused by corrosive wear from the chipped wood payloads. 

Highly corrosive wear eats steel and profits

Chipper bodies used in the arborist industry are exposed to highly corrosive materials. The acidity levels found in wood and organic debris can quickly break down standard steel, leading to premature wear, frequent maintenance, and reduced equipment lifespan. For Brandon Manufacturing, entering this market meant solving a critical challenge: how to build a chipper body that could withstand both abrasive wear and long-term corrosion without compromising manufacturability or performance.

Customers needed a solution that would last longer, perform consistently, and reduce downtime — all while maintaining the strength required for demanding daily use. Originally founded in 1966 as a small, family-owned welding shop, Brandon evolved into one of North America’s trusted truck body manufacturers.

Much of the company’s success is related to its use of high quality materials including Hardox^® wear plate made exclusively by SSAB. Brandon Manufacturing’s experience building dump bodies with Hardox^® wear plate bolstered their confidence to meet the unique demands of arborist applications. The result was a newly designed truck box featuring Hardox^® HiAce, a wear-resistant steel designed specifically for corrosive environments.

”We’re known for our innovation and pushing technology, says Sylvain Lemaire, Brandon’s CEO. ”It's been an easy journey to work with Hardox^® HiAce. Our patented, bolt-on system allows our customer’s dump body to be modular, adaptable and flexible without compromising durability or weight.” 

Hardox^® HiAce offers workshop performance comparable to other Hardox^® grades, allowing for seamless bending, cutting, and welding during production. At the same time, it delivers significantly improved resistance to corrosion — a key factor in extending equipment life in chipper body applications.

“It was a no-brainer for us because we already had the trust in the Hardox^® 500 Tuf and Hardox^® 450. We’ve been using it for years,” explains Richard Allard, Brandon’s VP of Sales and Marketing.

By integrating Hardox^® HiAce into their designs, Brandon Manufacturing was able to create a chipper body that maintains strength and consistency while performing reliably in environments where traditional steel falls short. 

Thanks to its hardness and toughness, equipment can be made in thinner dimensions of Hardox^® wear steel. This makes the steel faster to process and it makes equipment lighter, improves payload capacity and cuts fuel costs for faster ROI. Equipment made from Hardox^® steel also requires less maintenance and has a longer life, saving time and money.