Slashed costs, lower emissions
For Bennes Vincent’s customers, the lighter weight tipper bodies make a big difference. With reduced tare weight, not only can they load their tippers more than previously, but they can also travel lighter when the tipper is empty or not fully loaded, resulting in drastically slashed fuel costs and less wear and tear on the trucks themselves.
“In just five years, the tipper body has already paid for itself and the following years translate into pure profit. The tipper body will last as long as the truck itself, if not longer,” Thal explains.
But the main advantage, Thal says, is the reduced environmental impact.
“By moving less unnecessary weight, you pollute less, and this is essentially what our customers are all aiming for.”
This is also in line with the European Union’s new and tougher CO2 emissions standards, which aim to reduce heavy-duty vehicle emissions by 15% from 2025 compared with 2019/2020 levels, and by 30% from 2030.
Thal says the secret to the weight saving is the steel itself, Hardox® 500 Tuf.
“It’s super resistant and has higher elasticity so we can use thinner gauges than before. Our Multi-Blocs tipper body, for example, was using 8 mm (0.315 inches) thick floor plate and 6 mm (0.236 inches) side panels compared to 7 mm (0.276 inches) and 5 mm (0.197 inches) today with Hardox 500 Tuf.”
Savings on tools and materials
Bennes Vincent, also a member of the Hardox® In My Body customer program, currently produces an average of 650 tipper bodies a year. Today, they make 80% of their tipper bodies with steel from SSAB’s Hardox® wear plate product range, out of which Hardox® 500 Tuf accounts for 10%. This is about to increase even further, as Bennes Vincent also has started to work Hardox® 500 Tuf into its 2-way tipper bodies, and there are plans for more.
“The Brinell hardness is higher, the elasticity is increased, and the abrasion resistance is improved,” Thal says.
But the lighter product line has not only received a warm welcome by customers, it is also benefitting Bennes Vincent.
“The biggest benefit when upgrading from Hardox 450 to Hardox 500 Tuf is that you get a more high-end product, using less material and without changing any tools in the workshop.”