Up To 10 Percent Weight Reduction For Fanalca's New Garbage Trucks Using Hardox And Strenx Steels

Customer demand compelled Colombian garbage truck manufacturer Fanalca to start using Hardox wear plate and Strenx performance steel. And now, with the newly designed lightweight trucks, customers can collect more garbage on each round and thus increase their revenue.

“We began large-scale production last year when we got a tender for the city of Bogotá, where we delivered 100 garbage compactors,” says Diego Reyes, sales manager at the environmental and bodywork unit of Fanalca S.A. “We've also sold equipment to other clients this year, and they have been very satisfied thanks to the new wear plate and lightweight design.”

Fanalca, based in Cali, Colombia, makes solid waste collection equipment and containers using Hardox wear plate and Strenx performance steel. The company started using SSAB steel products a couple of years ago because of customer demand and competition, on both national and global scales.

“Garbage compactors on the worldwide market were being made with lightweight steel, and Fanalca didn’t want to be left behind,” Reyes says.

Fanalca became a Hardox In My Body customer program member in 2017 because the company wanted to get the most out of its collaboration with SSAB.

“It gives the company a competitive edge,” Reyes says. “Globally, the trend has been moving toward high-quality, lightweight materials. Having the Hardox In My Body sign on our products shows that we are using high-quality steel and we stand out from the competition because we can offer very innovative products. The customers know about the program, and they appreciate and value it.”

The Hardox In My Body membership means receiving extensive support from SSAB.

“SSAB has helped us take our projects forward, and this makes us noticeable compared with our competitors,” Reyes says. “We have been able to reduce the overall weight of our garbage compactors. For the client, this new product represents savings as the compactor can take on much bigger loads, so it is more profitable.”

The garbage trucks’ new, lighter design gives Fanalca’s customers the ability to increase their revenue because they can collect more garbage on each round. The SSAB steel products also offer other positive outcomes.

“The equipment is more hard-wearing, because the steel is much more resistant to abrasion, so the parts need to be replaced with less frequency,” Reyes says. “The time between replacements is about twice as long as with traditional steel. Also, from an environmental point of view, fuel consumption is much lower because the truck weighs less when empty. That also means that tires, suspension and brakes are changed less often.”

Fanalca uses Hardox 450, Strenx 700 and SSAB precision tubes in the design of the garbage compactors as well in containers. Manaseth Gutierrez, head of product design at the company, is constantly trying out new solutions using SSAB products.

“So far, we are using SSAB steel in the entire range of our solid waste garbage compactors,” he says. “We’re also using it in containers for construction waste and for solid waste, and we are starting to introduce it into our whole range of trailers for heavy loads. Our aim is for our entire portfolio of products to be designed using SSAB steels.”

Basically, Hardox 450 is the steel used for direct contact with the loaded material, and the bearing structure is made out of Strenx 700. For Fanalca, the change to SSAB materials has been a game changer.

“You can always make continuous enhancements but changing materials has enabled us to take a leap forward,” Gutierrez says. “It's not only the clients who recognize the quality of SSAB steel. We know it's the only steel that guarantees us a uniform hardness all the way through.”