Pioneering suspension wins Swedish Steel Prize 2013

“Mack Trucks has laid the foundation for a pioneering improvement of a long-established feature of heavy goods vehicles,” says Melker Jernberg, Chair of the jury, and Head of the EMEA business area within SSAB.

Road transport using heavy goods vehicles is an essential aspect of developed societies the world over, and even small improvements can make a considerable impact. Reduced wear and tear, reduced environmental impact, and improved safety are of great importance considering the number of vehicles now on the roads.

Mack Trucks’ new suspension solution offers improved handling and reduces tyre wear by up to 25 per cent. The new suspension also results in safer vehicles and increased driver comfort.  Mack Trucks is part of Volvo Group and is one of America’s largest automotive companies with over 23,000 trucks manufactured in 2012.

“Mack Trucks demonstrates how innovative and skilled development can help us to take advantage of high-strength steel to make stronger, lighter, and more sustainable products, which is one aspect of what the prize is intended for,” explains Melker Jernberg, who stresses that competition was fierce among the many strong entries.

The Swedish Steel Prize is awarded in conjunction with a three-day event where participants from around the world gather to share the latest findings on high-strength steel. The award ceremony took place during the closing dinner held at Stockholm’s new event centre - Stockholm Waterfront.

Nominees included Condeco Technologies AG from Switzerland, Pesa Bydgoszcz S.A. from Poland, and Tuff Trailers Pty ltd from Australia, who were runners up in the Swedish Steel Prize 2013.

The Swedish Steel Prize was established by SSAB in 1999 to inspire and disseminate knowledge about high-strength steel and how it can be used to develop lighter, stronger, and more sustainable products.