Bolognesi y Goren timber trailers in Strenx® 700MC steel are safer and 15% lighter

In 2008, Bolognesi, a manufacturer and installer of pneumatic suspensions for trucks and trailers, joined forces with Goren, a Chilean equipment hauling company with five decades of experience on the road. Together, they develop and implement technology exclusively for the forestry market with advanced load transport equipment and timber trailers.

In response to industry concerns and since vehicles transporting logs must comply with a series of specific standards, Bolognesi y Goren incorporated an entire safety system for them to travel on streets and highways. The company developed a 12-meter (39-foot) timber trailer at 5,500 kilos (5.5 tons) and a load capacity of 33 tons, with the entire structure made of Strenx^® 700MC steel. The steel is known globally as a high-performance structural steel for lighter yet stronger applications.

By incorporating the Strenx^®-brand material into the equipment, it allowed for a 15% reduction in weight also making the transport and delivery of loaded material to market safer and more efficient. “In addition, this application is considered to feature high performance that meets the expectations of our customers,” Bolognesi says.

• 15% lighter trailer achieved with design innovations
• Meets customer and regulatory requirements for lighter equipment with higher load capacity
• Helps to meet demands for lighter yet safer forestry equipment
• Predictable, more rapid production in the workshop
• The timber trailer user gains a 15% payload advantage while reducing fuel consumption by 15%

In production, SSAB's high-performance structural steel proves beneficial to the company for workshop efficiency. “It is a material that delivers very good cutting and bending performance. We are working with the right welding process, as well as increasing our knowledge about how the welding joint is implemented with the right substance,” Enzo Bolognesi says. “We have never had any problems in manufacturing.”

The steel's strength quality and flexibility allow for excellent performance so that trucks loaded with equipment do not lose traction on extremely unstable roads. “This equipment is subjected to a lot of punishment from poor road conditions, including muddy, uneven surfaces. That's why it has to be a heavily reinforced trailer to carry 33 tons of cargo. 

According to the company, it has a prestigious reputation in the market and SSAB is well-known for the quality of its materials. To use SSAB's steel is to be a market leader with equipment that is superior and better engineered. “We need to partner with the best,” Bolognesi says. “We have maintained a good relationship with SSAB over the years, and we want to keep it that way.”