TRAILERS FRANSENS TRANSPORT
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When is a curtainsider not a curtainsider? When it's also a tanker. CM takes a look at an unusual dual-purpose trailer that's helping Dutch operator Fransens ensure that it's always got the right truck to carry a load—and a load to carry on its truck.
There's no getting away from it. Dutch operators do have a reputation for being among the most professional in Europe. And when it comes to screwing every penny out of the business they don't hold back. That maybe explains why whenever Commercial Motor travels to various European truck shows we invariably find some very impressive, and expensive, piece of kit on display with a Dutch operator's name on it.
One haulier in Holland which exemplifies that Netherlands know-how is Fransens Transport. When the Wildervank-based company visited the Hanover Show a year ago last September it was taken with an unusual semi-trailer displayed by Dutch trailer maker Burg. The MEPA tanker is a 13.6m' ' tri-axle high-floor curtainsider but with an insulated 25,000 e tank underneath . the load deck. In short, it's both a dry freight and a tank trailer.
The MEPA concept was developed in Finland by Saalasti Transport Machinery—MEPA is an abbrevia tion for the Finnish words: 'Nene and "Paiute meaning going and returning. Some MEPA trailers have been supplied so far, mainly to Nordic opera tors, for all kinds of liq uid and general cargo. However, since the beginning of last year Saalasti has been working closely with tanker manufacturer Hobur, part of the Burg Group, to introduce the MEPA concept to a wider European audience. While Fransens could see the potential of a MEPA tanker in its operation, it wasn't until early this year that it finally got to grips with one, naming its new baby -Liqsolid" to highlight its dual-purpose role.
Stainless-steel tank
"When we saw the semi-trailer at the show the paint was still wet, it was so new," explains Fransens' Liqsolid driver Roelof Speelman. "After Hanover the stainless-steel tank had to undergo all sorts of operations and that's where the time went.
"For food products there are stricter requirements for the inside of the tank, not least for cleaning," says Speelman. "lb be able to polish everything properly we had to work in the tank itself and that was an awkward job."
To meet those stringent requirements the Liqsolid tank has an integrated washing system with eight spray units and seven manlids, accessible through the load deck. Since hitting the road with Fransens some six months ago, it's been busy earning its keep with no reported problems. To see the Liqsolid in action CM joined Speelman for a trip to Wilhelmshaven across the border into Germany. The cargo was powdered calves' milk in bags for animal feed. Time is money and no sooner had Speelman pulled back the curtains than the loading was done. As the freight deck of the Liqsolid curtainsider is 1.95m above ground level, a small ladder is supplied to get up to it. Once inside you realise one immediate shortcoming. The loading space below the roof is only two metres as the Liqsolid is built to conform to Continental 4m trailer height limits. But in Britain where height limits are less rigid there would clearly be more internal headroom.
But that small load height is not a problem insists company boss Harry Fransens: "Most loads we carry are heavy or so fragile that they can't be stacked anyway but I do think that the next semi-trailer, if there is one, will be built lower, which will make the load height greater."
The Liqsolid's high load platform does have some advantages—not least for fork-truck drivers. Because the pallets are stowed so high up a loader driver can see clearly underneath them. With a normal height curtainsider the pallet's in the way.
With the curtains closed we head into Germany with Speelman via Nieuweschans. Despite the fact that the centre of gravity of the 20 tonnes-plus of cattle feed is above two metres, the combination, pulled by Fransens' Volvo FH12, handles exceedingly well. There's no worry of the air-suspended trailer leaning over excessively.
"That was the biggest question for us," says Fransens. "In the design of the trailer we always took the line of the greatest possible stability but how it turned out remained to be seen. There really are no worries. The most important point is the wide spacing of the air suspension, its short travel and the enormous rigidity of the
semi-trailer. The thing sits on the road like a rock."
Towards the end of the morning we've reached our unloading point. Speelman sets up the pallets at the back and everything is taken out neatly with the lifttruck. Then it becomes clear why Fransens bought this trailer. In less then five minutes, after connecting the hose to the front of the trailer (discharge is at the rear) it's being loaded again with another cargo of milk, this time in bulk liquid form for Belgium.
The arrival of the Liqsolid certainly caused a little consternation with customers when it first arrived, admits Speelman: "They're rather more used to it now but in the beginning especially they couldn't work it out—this strange Dutchman having a curtainsider filled with milk at a milk factory! At the unloading points, too, they sometimes look at you very oddly. 'What are you here for? Bringing milk in a covered trailer, in packets or bottles surely?"
Taking samples
However, they're now very enthusiastic and taking samples is easy too. On a conventional tanker you'd have to climb up on to the top of the tank, with the Liqsolid Speelman can get one via the manlids in the deck.
Then it's back to Nieuweschans and the border with the cargo of milk. And with 25,000 litres travelling so low down the trailer has an exceptionally high stability. Taking bends is child's play with such a low centre of gravity.
Although the full tank means the 2+3 arctic is close to the German 40-tonne top weight, in Holland there's still some margin. The Dutch domestic maximum weight limit of up to 50 tonnes means there's room for a light load up above on the curtainsider platform deck. And it's this load that really pays.
With the load of milk destined for Belgium Fransens has the opportunity to look for a domestic cargo en route for the south of the Holland. And in Veendam it finds one, a load of industrial doors.
"This stuff weighs nothing and can't be stacked in any case", says Speelman, adding "these are the runs that really suit this semitrailer perfectly. Milk down below and inside a light load on the platform."
However, Harry Fransens accepts this doesn't happen every day. "Of course we're looking for this type of double load but sometimes that's difficult. But we're flexible with this semi-trailer with the result that there are very few empty runs with it. In our planning it fits precisely between the curtainsider trucks and the tanker trailers."
To take full advantage of the Liqsolid you'd have to be engaged in both dry freight and bulk liquid haulage before you could even consider investing in one. At a cool .C80,000 and a 9.8 kerbweight plus it's not for just any operator. But Fransens is very happy with it and is definitely not ruling out another one.
• by Iep van der Meer
MEPA/LICiSOLID CURTAINSIDER TANKER
• Dimensions: 13.6m long/4m high coupled to standard 1,200mm height fifth wheel Volvo tractor.
II Construction: Saalasti stainless-steel milled barrel acting as monocoque frame with BURG curtainsider bodywork and load deck.
• Running gear: 24/27-tonne back bogie consisting of air suspended BPW ECO axles with nine tonne rating per axle.
• Tank capacity: 25,000 litres.
• Cargo volume: 70m3
• Tare weight: 9,800kg.
• Supplier: Burg Trailers, contact 0031 153694340.
• Cost 280-85,000 depending on final specification
FACTFILE: FRANSENS TRANSPORT BASED: Wildervank, Northern Holland. FOUNDED: 1941. CONTACT: Harry Fransens, owner/md. FLEET: Mixed with 25 vehicles including artics. SPECIALITY CONTRACT: General haulage and tanker work.