Only Hardox will do for AA Diesel Truck Bodies
AA Diesel Truck Bodies gain 10-plus years of product life for end-users with Swedish Steel wear plate
FOR 20 years, family-owned AA Diesel Truck Bodies have been supplying custom-made truck bodies to the demanding Australian transport industry. The company’s use of Hardox steel in its body units helps to reduce weight by 10–20% and increases the payload for the end-user.
‘We started using Hardox wear plate because Australians who use tippers and trucks that experience hard work to the body, have noticed that it’s the best material,’ said company founder Alija Siskovic.
Pointing out that Hardox wear plate is good for everything, including welding, he added: ‘Customers are pleased. They ask us which material we use for the body, and as soon as we say that it’s Hardox from SSAB, they’re happy to order.’
Arnel Siskovic, Alija’s son and the company’s managing director, added: ‘We’ve experimented with Hardox 500 Tuf, and that’s also an excellent product, but currently Hardox 450 steel is generally our main material.’
He reckons it is easy to get 10 years extra using a Hardox steel body, compared with a 350-grade steel body.
‘Hardox steel bodies are generally more expensive,’ he explained. ‘but when you take their longevity into account, we get so many orders that we have a huge amount of work, because people know that it’s money well spent.
‘By using a Hardox steel product in the truck body, you can go from an 8mm plate to 6mm in the floor, and from a 6mm plate to 5mm in the sides. You’re gaining a lot because you’re saving on weight – probably 10 to 20%. Your payload is higher in combination with the longevity of the body, so there are many positives in using this product.’
Mr Siskovic has also noticed a higher second-hand value for truck bodies with Hardox wear plate. ‘AA Diesel Truck Bodies have got trucks that have had Hardox steel bodies for five or six years. The paint might have a few scratches here and there, but the structural part is intact. It’s still very straight, with no dents, no damage, and the floor is still very flat, ready to continue carrying big loads,’ he said.
When SSAB suggested that AA Diesel Truck Bodies should become a Hardox In My Body member, the company was happy to enter the customer programme. ‘We’re very proud to be a Hardox In My Body member,’ said Arnel Siskovic. ‘Truck drivers know now when they see the sticker that it’s a quality truck body, that it’s endorsed. They know that they’re getting the best.’
