Lightweight trailers increase payload

Simple interventions by commercial trailer and body manufacturers are helping increase payload even in the most demanding conditions, Trailer manufacturers face the twin challenges of reducing weight while improving reliability and strength. Every kilogram of weight that is saved is another kilogram of cargo that can be carried. This has seen the introduction of aluminium and, more recently, composites for trailer manufacturing. According to European Aluminium Association, around 35kg can be saved by using aluminium legs instead of steel. In another example, a 13.5 metre aluminium chassis is 700kg lighter than the steel equivalent. There are also savings on components such as curtain rails (100kg on 2x13.5m units), 85kg on the rear door, and 300kg on wheel rims. But, at the same time, truck and trailer combinations in southern Africa work thousands of kilometres away from home – often across multiple borders. Trailers have to be both robust and low-maintenance to survive poor roads and prolonged exposure to the elements. According to the Aluminium Association, problems with aluminium components are often due to poor design. “Strength, like stiffness and lifetime, are only design criteria. “Experienced manufacturers optimise their design for the material they use and are able to produce aluminium chassis offering an equivalent or longer lifespan but at a much lower weight than conventional models,” says the association. Composite usage starts with the use of curtains rather than solid bodies, as well as f loor liners and scuff bands. Fibre-reinforced chassis and other components have also been used by American and European trailer manufacturers for some time, but it seems with mixed results. There are a number of South African trailer manufacturers making use of aluminium and composites, but they are behind their European and American counterparts in promoting the use of the lightweight materials. In a number of cases FTW has been told by hauliers that they designed their trailers themselves in order to save weight and optimise the design for their needs. Another challenge shippers and hauliers face is theft. Containers continue to provide the best security while the load is on the road – provided additional locking mechanisms are employed. Standard container locking systems are relatively easy to circumvent – particularly when the container is at an overnight stop, for example. But goods are often transhipped in the ports from containers to trailers in order to save weight and the costs of demurrage or container hire. This poses its own set of challenges. The physical presence of guards provides the most effective deterrent. Security companies provide armed escorts for trucks travelling up certain passes in the Ciskei and Transkei regions of the Eastern Cape, for example.