Whale puts a step in its tank
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by Brian Weatherley • Whale Tankers has developed an unusual "stepped" design monocoque vacuum tank trailer that offers quieter pumping. better roll stability and up to 10% more payload than an equivalent full chassis tanker.
The 25,000-litre StepVac is intended for non-hazardous waste transport at up to 38 tonnes GCW. It will be built in collaboration with Clayton Commercials which will supply the air-suspended triaxle bogie and subframe to Whale's Ravenshaw, Solihull site, where it is mated to the steel tank barrel.
By adopting a monocoque stepped body design Whale has been able to lower the Ilm long tank trailer's centre of gravity by around 300mm, while its payload has been increased by around one tonne (900 litres) compared with a conventional straight barrel vacuum tank on a full chassis trailer. Although the first two StepVac trailers have a steel bogie subframe, an alloy subframe design will also be offered. This will provide further weight savings of up to two tonnes.
Whale will cut sound emissions by enclosing the threecylinder Deutz air-cooled donkey engine and Mistral exhauster/compressor in a concave "acoustic chamber" at the front of the trailer, capped by a GRP cover. Access to the engine will be via side panels while air intake is controlled and discharged overhead.
Whale plans to exhibit one at the IMT exhibition at Birmingham in September. Sales director Keith Van Hagen says Whale is "already talking to contractors and water companies about the StepVac and we believe they'll be prepared to pay a premium for what we're offering in terms of innovation and productivity." • Whale increased both turn over and profits in 1995, following an expansion in the num ber of higher-spec/v alue products pa ssi ng through its Ravens haw plant, reports managing director R ad Turner.
The corn pony also hopes to i ncrease its
export sal es to Pacific rim count ries which could incl ude a joint venture d eal with a local assem bier.