B.K:s builds dump trucks in Hardox® 500 Tuf to edge out the competition

The company’s philosophy is to provide customized equipment based on in-house designs, ensuring maximum usability during the products’ entire lifecycle. B.K:s has a history of using Hardox® wear-resistant steel that goes back to the early 1980s. Hardox^® 450 has been the steel of choice for several years. When Hardox® 500 Tuf was launched, it didn’t take long for B.K:s to switch. Hardox^® 500 Tuf is now specified in all of the company’s products.

One of B.K:s’ customers is Bellmans Åkeri och Entreprenad AB in Stockholm, Sweden. It operates a combined fleet of 600 tipper trucks, trucks with loader cranes and excavators. This makes it the largest company catering to the building and construction sector in the Stockholm region.

“We have been running 5 tipper trucks and 5 tipper trailers with bodies from B.K:s for about a year now,” says Henrik Wilmi, fleet manager at Bellmans. “When we met B.K:s before ordering, they talked about Hardox^® 500 Tuf and its benefits, such as longer service life and durability. I’m happy with the performance. The bodies still look practically new with no sign of any dents. I even get praise from the drivers, and they are usually very hard to please! They say that people from other contractors like the look and give them the thumbs up.” 

From design to manufacturing, B.K:s has set up a flow that makes its products highly competitive. The design is done in-house, as for the latest RW20 truck and trailer body, with patented dump truck design features.

The supply chain relies on a triangle formed by B.K:s in Sweden, SSAB, and the steel body manufacturer Sigma in Poland. B.K:s takes full advantage of the pre-fabrication resources provided through SSAB. Complete kits of cut and bent plates of Hardox^® 500  Tuf are delivered to Sigma, where all parts are welded together, and the body gets its final coat of paint.

The kits are tailored to meet specific customer requirements. One important structural design element that all B.K:s’ bodies have in common is the integrated top rail. Before this was incorporated, the top rail and the side wall were produced as two different parts and then welded together. Now it’s bent in one piece, forming a body side with an integrated top rail. This cuts down welding time considerably, and results in a stronger beam that also looks better.

As B.K:s’ ‘kit master’ Joachim Eresjö, sales manager at SSAB, says: “B.K:s has really gone all-in with the concept of pre-fabricated parts. SSAB has a complete offering for companies that are looking for ways to streamline the supply chain. We can help them to set up a cost-effective and secure logistics chain, either to subcontractors or directly to our customers.”

Henrik Jansson at Bojab has recently taken delivery of a brand new dump truck and trailer combination from B.K:s. “We have used Hardox^® wear steel in our equipment for at least 20 years, particularly Hardox^® 450, so we know how it performs. For our latest purchase we wanted to see what B.K:s could offer. They made their case for the new material Hardox^® 500 Tuf and pointed out that the dump truck body was Hardox^® In My Body certified. The numbers they gave us on weight savings were impressive. So, we went ahead and bought the full package. It was delivered on time and even if we haven’t clocked any great distances yet, everything so far is to our satisfaction.”

Tobias Korsulainen, sales and marketing manager at BK:s, knows how the supply chain benefits the company: “When we develop our products, SSAB is a vital part of the process. They know the steel inside out, what we can do with it and how its properties will improve our products. The switch to Hardox^® 500 Tuf meant that we could make our largest dump bodies up to 1,000 (2,200 lbs.) lighter.”

“When meeting customers, I often give them this example: A dump truck and trailer that loads 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs.) more and travels 300 km (186 miles) per day can transport an additional 1,350 metric tons (1,329 tons) per year. This can result in fuel savings of around € 1,500 per year, based on more hauled load per liter of fuel, and savings when the truck travels empty on the return trips. Also, the yield strength of Hardox^® 500 Tuf is higher. This increases the body’s resistance to dents, which is highly appreciated by our customers.”

The fact that B.K:s is a member of the Hardox^® In My Body program has a positive effect in two ways. For one, the company can improve its design and manufacturing processes thanks to cooperation with SSAB, which evaluates and certifies equipment made according to the Hardox^® In My Body specifications. The other positive effect is that customers know they are getting a quality product made with Hardox^® steel. B.K:s sees this as a marketing advantage since customers generally recognize the Hardox^® In My Body brand.