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THE WAY AHEAD?
Page 63
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Moving floors — the view from Knapen
Honk Buscop, pictured, boss of Dutch specialist trailer maker Knapen, lists safety and versatility as the benefits of a moving floor trailer over a conventional tipper. And having worked for tipping ram manufacturer Hyva, he knows what happens when a driver tries to tip on uneven ground. "I've seen a lot of trailers fall over" he confirms. adding: 'There's still a market for rear-end tippers, but they can't reach Mere you can with a moving floor. Tippers can also be a 'one-way' system. As long as you've got a return load, it's fine but most tippers don't"
The ability to discharge bulk products safely and backload palletised products makes a moving-floor semi an attractive proposition for operators looking at maximum productivity. And the option of a side opening provides even more loading versatility Having been the first to offer a moving-floor trailer in Europe (initially based on the Keith 'walking floor' design), Knapen now produces some 300 trailers a year, the majority of which are moving floors based on the Cargo Walk floor system.
Operators can specify an all-alloy body/ chassis configuration, a standard alloy body on steel chassis, a semi-chassis-less Inonocoque'-style or an ultra-heavy duty alloy body on a steel chassis specifically for landfill/ waste work. Depending on the depth of the side walls and fifth wheel height, load capacities of up to 115cm are available on a standard 13.6m trailer.
Buscop admits there's a world of difference between Knapen moving floors sold for waste transport in the UK and those bought in mainland Europe, especially regarding durabilffy. "We're selling more 'true waste spec' in the UK [with a steel chassis] than any other type,'' he says. 'In the UK. you have a completely different waste from that in. say, Germany," reckons Buscop. 'And UK landfill sites are very different, too! So our trailers have to be strong enough to withstand the forces. If they get stuck, they need to be pulled out." The Y&D
trailers are 95cm3 models with 4.2m side wal and steel chassis. Their tare weight is arounc tonnes fully equipped with a manual sheetini system. Depending on the final spec, a Knal moving floor retails for £36,000-£47,000.
RS not only British landfills that hammer waste trailers. 'Roundabouts put trernendou high forces through the framework, too," Buscop says. "If you go for waste and specif monocoque, in my opinion it doesn't work. W seen the impact of waste when it's dropped c the floor and [on waste work] there's a need t have a strong chassis a full steel one."
Knapen builds in extra crossrnembers an plank bearers, particularly on the rear. "That's where tt loading and unloading forces are." Buscop points out. "We could skip a beani or have lighter sidewalls, but we won't make any concession on quality."
For ultra-heavy duty was work, Knapen offers an 18mm floor plank with extrt reinforced top ribs to withst aggressive material droop into the body from a great height. Users can also opt a heavy duty 4mm internal sidewall lining, plus a reinforced bulk head, t( steel cant rail cappings, drop-down rear light guards and full auto sheeting.
It all sounds impressive, but is Knapen's construction really strong enough for UK was conditions? Allan Bradshaw from Knapen's agent R&I Sales says ills. 'We listen to the fit who have to fix them after they break, becaut they know what they're doing to them!"
Supplying Yuill & Dodds was clearly a mai coup for Knapen. The operator is known to work its vehicles hard and demand strong manufacturer support. "We'd hold our hands and say we did have problems, but we listen' to the customer and resolved it." says Bradst R&I has already sold more than 50 moving floor models, including 13 to Yuill & Dodds sit late 2002. And despite describing the UK ms as 'unpredictable'. Buscop remains adaman that: "Legislation and the insurance compani are helping to move more companies away from tippers.' Y&D certainly agrees.