It has a ridge that increases rigidity, while distributing load and wear more evenly. The design uses plate with high wear resistance and strength – Hardox in floor and sides of the truck body with side bars, under body, and protective screen made of Weldox.

For users, the vehicle weight is reduced by eight tons, or 19 percent. The fuel consumption is reduced by 10 percent which can provide a cost saving of about SEK 480,000 a year per truck.

The smart body design allows faster unloading, which increases the transport capacity of the truck.

But above all, the truck body is in duty day after day without any maintenance repairs.

Application: Truck bodies intended to transport ore in mines.

Material: Hardox 400, Hardox 450, Hardox 500, Weldox 700

Customer benefits: The design has enabled Van Reenen to reduce the weight by 8 tons (from 43 tons to 35 tons) and to substantially increase the lifetime of the truck body.

The body has a ridge down the middle of the bottom in the direction of the vehicle, which has the following function:

  • Makes the body more rigid near the fittings, which reduces stress concentrations
  • Reduces impact when loading
  • Spreads the flow more evenly when unloading, resulting in less wear
  • Strengthens cab protection

The truck body is optimized for even flow to reduce wear and allow faster unloading and thus higher productivity. The old truck body handles 700 loads (133,033 tons) per month, while this body handles 726 loads per month. The old body requires a minor maintenance break after about 6,000 hours and total renovation at 12,000 hours. So far, this body has been running for 17,000 hours without maintenance shutdowns. The manufacturer expects the first maintenance break at 25,000 hours and the total lifetime of the truck body to reach 50,000 hours.

Jury's motivation

Van Reenen Steel has improved the rigidity and impact resistance of its truck bodies through a unique design with a ridged profile along the bottom of the body. Sheet with high wear resistance (Hardox 400/450/500) and strength (Weldox 700), when combined with the ridged profile and rounded corners, provides more even wear and faster tipping. The concept significantly extends product lifetime, reduces weight and environmental impact, and enhances productivity.