Customer case

Concrete pump truck manufacturer KCP pumps up with Strenx® to shed weight

May 07, 2021 6 min read

Bright red concrete pump truck with employees from KCP proudly holding a my Inner Strenx certificate

Case details

Product Strenx® 1100MC Strenx® 1100 E/F

Country Korea, Republic of

Company KCP Heavy Industries

Industry Trucks and buses

Brand program My Inner Strenx^®

With a new design using high-strength Strenx® steel, KCP’s trucks have lost major weight, extended the reach of their pump booms, and become 5-10% lighter than most of their competitors’ products.

Case details

Product Strenx® 1100MC Strenx® 1100 E/F

Country Korea, Republic of

Company KCP Heavy Industries

Industry Trucks and buses

Brand program My Inner Strenx^®

An incredibly long yet strong concrete pump boom made in Strenx® 1100 steel, reaching up to the sky " (Default Alternate Text: "An incredibly long yet strong concrete pump boom made in Strenx® 1100 steel, reaching up to the sky

KCP Heavy Industries, located in the Gyeongsangnam-do province of South Korea, is a leading Korean manufacturer of concrete pump trucks, sewer cleaning trucks and custom industrial vehicles. The company produces truck-mounted concrete pumps for brands like Scania, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and MAN, among others.

KCP is the first company in the world to manufacture concrete boom pumps in Strenx^® 1100, a point of pride for the company. Strenx^® 1100 structural steel has a minimum yield strength of 1100 MPa for stronger and lighter booms, cranes and other structures. KCP used Strenx^® 1100 MC and Strenx^® 1100 E in one of their concrete pump truck models destined for the overseas market, and cut the weight by roughly 600-700 kg (1,323–1,543 lbs.) compared with their existing model.

Why use Strenx® in concrete pump trucks?

“One of the first requirements for the road vehicles we produce is that they should be lightweight,” says Kim Nam Jin, laboratory director at KCP. “Our trucks are used to transport concrete and are designed to evenly distribute the load. So, the structural technology here is tricky, with severe space limitations.”

For KCP, Strenx^® performance steel was the perfect choice of material to lightweight their trucks while extending the reach of the booms. They were able to redesign a boom that was 61 meters (200 ft.) long to measure 71 meters (233 ft.), and in the process shed roughly 650 kg (1,433 lbs.) off the truck’s weight. Strenx^® 1100 E is a high-quality material that is also used in some of the largest and most advanced mobile cranes in the world.

Less weight means less fuel and reduced environmental impact

“Because our concrete pump trucks that use Strenx^® are 5-10% lighter compared with competitor products, our customers can increase their vehicle fuel efficiency,” says Kim Won Sik, vice president of KCP. “On top of this, customers today also appreciate the positive environmental benefits of lighter trucks.”

Another benefit of the boom pump’s weight reduction is easier transport of wear parts to a job site – which translates into less downtime on the job.
And in the workshop, the biggest advantage when welding steel plate with a high tensile strength is that there is minimal heat straining and bending after welding.

A strong brand brings concrete benefits to your business

KCP is planning to develop its presence on the European market. The company’s recent membership in the My Inner Strenx^® brand program marks an important step towards achieving this goal.

Kim Won Sik says, “My Inner Strenx^® certification gives us an opportunity to progress to a level that wasn’t possible before. This logo on our vehicles makes a strong brand statement that can help us gain the trust of our customers – which I think is the greatest value of all.”

“My Inner Strenx® certification gives us an opportunity to progress to a level that wasn’t possible before.”

Kim Won Sik, Vice President, KCP

As a program member, KCP can collaborate with SSAB on innovative designs that will improve both the performance and the resale value of their equipment. The My Inner Strenx^® logo on a product indicates that it has passed strict quality inspections and is approved by SSAB in terms of welding, design and manufacturing process.

KCP thinks that late technology adopters and competitors will likely challenge them with similar products and solutions. “But we’re equipped with the spirit of an explorer – we’re always interested in the potential of new steel technologies to improve our products and help bring them to market around the world!” Kim concludes.

A welder welding high-strength Strenx® performance steel

Customer benefits

Extended the reach of its concrete pump booms.

At the same time, cut 650 kg (1,433 lbs.) off the concrete pump truck’s weight.

Trucks have lower fuel consumption thanks to a lighter structure.

Improved environmental footprint because less steel is used.

Can meet tough restrictions on maximum vehicle weight allowed on roads.

Tight tolerances of Strenx^® 1100 mean highly consistent forming in the workshop.

Less welding time and fewer consumables used thanks to thinner plate.

Get a Strenx^® upgrading consultation

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Boom pumps being manufactured in high-strength Strenx® steel at a workshop

Strenx^® High-performance steel

Strenx^® performance steel can make your products stronger, lighter, safer, more competitive and more sustainable. We call it performance steel, because it adds performance beyond ordinary structural steel

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