Welding and folding are two important aspects when it comes to manufacturing trailers and trucks, and for YLZ Truck Bodies Director, Nathan Whiles, having the best steel is what makes the difference.
Operating in Pakenham, Victoria, since 2016, YLZ Truck Bodies manufacturers its truck bodies using Hardox wear plate and aluminium plates.
All products are built, fabricated, painted and assembled in-house, with a finished product delivered to the customer.
The company has grown from three employees to nearly 30 and has even had to move to a bigger premises. Since then, YLZ has also begun building tipper bodies and trying out different types of steel.
“We were using all sorts of steel and tried Hardox and it was just a better product, so we approached SSAB about getting on board,” Nathan says.
That was four years ago, and it hasn’t looked back since. YLZ joined the SSAB Hardox In My Body Membership which allows manufacturers to publicly verify their product is made with Hardox wear plate. Today the program supports more than 500 members in 60 countries, and the numbers are growing rapidly. Members serve a wide range of industries, such as mining, construction, quarrying, road building, recycling, demolition and agriculture.
Swedish steel manufacturer, SSAB, considers 1974 as a major turning point in steel history because that was the year that it created the Hardox product, as it looked to find something both tough and bendable. Originally intended as wear plate, it is strong enough to double as a load-carrying part in many applications. This allows for innovative ways of designing steel structures that combine strength, lighter weight and high wear resistance.
Hardox 500 Tuf combines the best properties from Hardox 450 and Hardox 500. You can weld the steel using any conventional technique, and no pre-heating is needed up to 25.4mm. This applies the same for cutting and machining, making the upgrade to Hardox 500 Tuf a smooth process for YLZ.
“It’s just so easy to work with and the ease of use for welding and folding is great,” Nathan says. “The operators can be pretty hard on their equipment and this material just really holds up to it.”
YLZ has also started using SSAB’s Strenx product for its trailers.
“We are using it for the same reason as the Hardox,” Nathan says. “It’s because of its strength and durability.
The Strenx performance steel, SSAB says, offers its customers increased payload and improved fuel efficiency for every loaded ton, unit or passenger and it meets the productivity and sustainability challenges faced by the transport industry.
Fast fact
YLZ Truck Bodies is a certified Hardox In My Body member. This sign represents equipment that is manufactured to the highest standards by a qualified Hardox In My Body member. All members have been thoroughly assessed and have earned the right to display this logo as a sign of their commitment.
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