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Streamlining trailer production lead times and preparing for the future, Next Gen Engineering uses Fuwa K-Hitch axle and suspension systems as a standard across its business.

Optimising its trailer builds with Fuwa K-Hitch suspension and axle systems, trailer building business, Next Gen Engineering, has grown exponentially since its inception three years ago.

Operating from its new facility in Campbellfield, Melbourne, Next Gen Engineering Director and owner, John Abela, says that by the end of 2017, his company will have manufactured over 130 trailers in the year. “The new facility now has its own ‘spray and bake’ set-up as well as workshops with bending machines – all the machinery needed to do what we do best. This year, we continue to set new benchmarks for trailer productivity.”

John explains that he has worked hard to perfect his in-house operations to achieve efficiency gains, positioning the OEM for further growth while providing clients with prompt service and quality equipment. “Getting faster at building transport equipment means looking at the big picture while also considering every detail, no matter how small,” he says. “The team realised, within three months of opening shop in 2014 that it was possible to boost trailer manufacturing times by simply choosing axle and suspension gear that was much easier to work with.”

Fuwa K-Hitch Regional Sales Manager, Diaa Bishara, says that Fuwa has been supplying the trailer builder with KT250 air suspension systems with 10-stud disc brake axles that are fitted with WABCO Pan 19 brakes for about three years.

“The KT250 is a U Bolt version suspension that allows flexibility for John when fitting our full range of axle sizes such as 19.5” and 22.5” drum brake and disc brake models,” Diaa says. “Fuwa K-Hitch welds and assembles the suspensions to the axles at nominated chassis rail centres here in Derrimut as well as pre-installing additions such as Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) pole wheels, sensors and automatic slack adjusters.”

Diaa explains that Fuwa K-Hitch also supplies John with KI250 integrated air suspension that is suited for 22.5” wheels as well as a full range of products to suit John’s dog trailer applications including ball race assemblies, towing eyes and drawbar hardware which he says makes life as easy as possible from a supply perspective.”

“Fuwa K-Hitch gear seems to fit in almost seamlessly with our production builds,” John says. “The performance advantage is something like three-to-four days per trailer, which is phenomenal considering it now takes the company about seven working days to finish a new tipper or dog trailer, as opposed to 10-12 days.

“This boost to productivity is a boon to not only the end-user but also to the industry. The latest custom design to be delivered is a three-axle trailer tipping dog, which would have seen a longer production cycle if it wasn’t for the Fuwa K-Hitch axle and suspension fitting.”

John also explains that having access to a reliable supplier like Fuwa K-Hitch is essential for efficient forward planning. “Fuwa K-Hitch is a great supplier and has always maintained excellent communication, providing as much as three-weeks notice to advise ETAs for new axle and suspension deliveries.”

With Fuwa K-Hitch providing effective after-sales support, Next Gen Engineering can coordinate better trailer builds. John says that if a trailer build was to enter the axle and suspension stage without having access to the specified parts, it can waste an entire day – protracting the manufacturing lead-time, which makes Next Gen Engineering’s professional relationship with the manufacturer important for maintaining exceptional customer service.

Embracing the benefits of trailer building productivity – to benefit commercial transport operators looking for reliable tippers and transport equipment – Next Gen Engineering is working hard to push its capabilities even further.

“Next year, Next Gen Engineering will be out to play with the ‘big boys’,” John says. “I intend to ‘grab the bull by the horns’ to create a legacy as a reliable and efficient trailer builder, using quality axle and suspension gear to complement our goals of achieving greater operational efficiencies and shorter production cycles.”

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Fast Fact: Since 2014, John Abela, Director and owner of Melbourne-based business, Next Gen Engineering, has narrowed the company’s focus on manufacturing general bodies and tipper equipment. “I decided to specialise because there are a lot of fleets out there looking for tippers at the moment, so much so that we’re actually trying to keep up with the demand for our gear. It’s a good problem to have,” he says – adding that the high demand doesn’t affect his delivery promise.

Rhino Trailers is well prepared for the major growth spurt in its Toowoomba home, thanks to the support of suppliers like component specialist, Fuwa K-Hitch.

The city of Toowoomba, Queensland – also known as ‘The Garden City’ – is blossoming. Heavy investments in the region from government and private entities alike will pump upwards of $1 billion into infrastructure and roads, much of which will directly benefit the heavy vehicle road transport industry.

One such project is the Toowoomba Enterprise Hub (TEH), which claims to be one of the most significant transport, logistics and business hubs in Australia, encompassing an internationally capable airport and a major freight facility with more than 2,000 hectares of industrial land. On top of that, access for heavy vehicles is being improved thanks to the $1.137 billion Toowoomba Second Range Crossing (TSRC) project, which is making progress with Stage 2 of the Gore Highway works at Athol and the Warrego West interchange projects now underway.

Local trailer builder, Rhino Trailers, is already riding the wave of the region’s growth with an order book brimming with requests for its trailing equipment. Scott Arnold, General Manager of Rhino Trailers, says requests for its tippers and low loaders have been particularly strong over the last two years – also thanks in large part to the trailer builder’s close proximity to the Darling Downs and its significant grain production.

“Rhino Trailers has a strong focus on manufacturing tippers and road transport equipment with low tare weights and short lead times. Demand has certainly grown recently, we have 80 units on order and it’s absolutely crazy here,” Scott says. “The market is doing well, and thanks to our diverse trailer offering, we were prepared for this shift and are ready for any future fluctuations in demand.”

Scott says that when Rhino Trailers is in the thick of it, it turns to its suppliers for their support and on-time deliveries.

“When we’re dealing with such hectic times in the business, we need suppliers we can rely on to provide the right equipment at the right time that will perform – no questions asked,” Scott says – adding that a significant quantity of his fifth wheels, landing legs and axle and suspension units come from Fuwa K-Hitch.

“Fuwa K-Hitch makes a good, durable product that is known country-wide. As well as building quality components, it has a nation-wide after sales service that is always really good at giving us the help we need,” Scott explains. “Although we mostly deal with the Brisbane guys, every now and then it will fly someone up from the Melbourne head office to lend a hand if we need, it’s just fantastic.”

Fuwa equipment is Rhino’s standard fitment, Scott says, adding that other brands can be fitted on customer request. “It’s important to offer our customers a choice to ensure they receive a trailer that suits their needs. It’s part of our tailored manufacturing promise.”

That custom promise is echoed throughout the Fuwa K-Hitch offerings, explains Jayson Federico, Sales Manager Queensland and Indonesia. “Fuwa K-Hitch has every axle dimension covered, from general-purpose on-highway gear in the standard nine to 13 tonne range to extreme off-road equipment in the 20-tonne and beyond category,” he says. “On top of that, we will always go that extra mile to tailor a package that will suit the individual client, which is incredibly important in a time like today if you want to be able to add value.”

Jayson says Fuwa K-Hitch is very much a locally focussed business, aiming to deliver trailer builders like Rhino Trailers high-quality yet cost-effective equipment with no time to waste. “We place huge value on holding stock locally to ensure the quickest possible turnaround times from order to supply, which means we react quickly to our customers’ requirements while reducing their own inventory costs and reliance,” he says. “We have also forged close relationships with many trailer manufacturers locally to offer them the best possible pricing and service.”

Mirroring Fuwa K-Hitch’s customer focus, Rhino Trailers has recently expanded its service to encompass all its client needs, from small repairs right through to full refurbishments at its 11-acre facility in Toowoomba. “We’re really starting to push full refurbish and major crash repairs to ensure we can offer as much to the end user as possible,” says Scott.

He adds that Rhino’s location is a real drawcard for the transport operators working on the massive local infrastructure projects, with the most common alternative a two-hour drive away in Brisbane.

“We’re right on the doorstep of the construction, which is handy for people who don’t want to travel for repairs. Plus, our facility can handle combinations up to AB-triples right to the gate, otherwise to get to Brisbane they’d have to split the trailers,” Scott says. “Toowoomba is growing, and we’re growing right alongside it.”

Transport equipment innovator, Peter Max, and running gear specialist, Fuwa K-Hitch, have teamed up to create Australia’s largest ever Performance-Based Standards-approved LPG tanker.

In a surprise announcement, Melbourne trailer specialist, Peter Max from Gas Tank Hire, and Fuwa K-Hitch (FHK) have just pulled the wraps off a new tanker design that could permanently change the country’s LPG transport market.

The LPG tanker boasts a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 50.5 tonnes and lays claim to the title of the “longest, largest, most sophisticated LPG tanker in Australia,” according to Peter. “No one has ever done anything like it in the world. This tanker carries 30 per cent more payload than a standard one, and we expect it to increase operator profitability by up to 60 per cent.”

After a lengthy 10-year development process, Peter says the ongoing evolution of the Performance-Based Standards (PBS) scheme and constant lobbying of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) have finally made the quantum leap possible.

“The idea has been in development for quite some time, but it wasn’t until the advent of PBS that we found a way to make it a reality,” he says. “It is a great scheme that helps manufacturers design and build better, safer trailers that increase productivity and reduce the number of trucks on the road – and provided us with a pathway to make our vision a reality.”

While the Australian first is already approved to run at 50.5 tonnes in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia under the PBS framework, Peter says he is currently working on approvals for the remaining states to ensure free movement nationwide.

NHVR Chief Engineer, Laszlo ‘Les’ Bruzsa, agrees that Peter’s design is a step forward in Australian tanker design, and therefore pushed hard for it to get through the PBS approval and certification process. “Because the tanker is the first of its kind, it has been a struggle to get it through the system,” he says. “But it was worth the effort. Peter’s tanker design is revolutionary and will be important for the future of road transport.”

The LPG tanker is unique for more than its size, Peter adds. Rather than the standard three-axle setup most LPG tankers use, his design adds a fourth axle in the centre of the tanker – which is where FKH’s expertise came into play.

Under its ‘belly’, the tanker features a self-steering FKH lift axle, while the front axle of the tri-group is a tapered FKH lift axle. As a result, the unit can run on two axles when empty. “It is the first trailer in Australia with a centre belly axle, so we knew we needed an experienced running gear expert on board the project,” Peter notes. “The four-axle set up we’ve developed together lowers the unit’s centre of gravity and spreads the load over a greater surface area, which is much more stable and protects the road’s integrity with less weight per tyre on the road – and also increases the unit’s braking ability.

“I knew from past projects that the FKH product is up there with the best on product quality, while still coming at a competitive price,” he adds. “But it’s been the team’s engineering know-how that made all the difference. If you want to discover unchartered territory like we did, you need to partner with suppliers that truly understand the matter and take ownership of the project.”

Agrees Chris Barrett of FKH, saying the objective was to provide a stable platform for the trailer whilst still allowing for tare savings to maximise productivity and ensuring compliance to all ADR and PBS requirements.

The axle and Weweler Ultra lite suspension welding and assembly process was carried out in the FKH workshop, Chris says, so Gas Tank Hire would receive a complete modular package with little lead-time. “I am very pleased that FKH has the product range, engineering capability and production capacity that allows us to work hand in hand with projects of this significance,” says Chris.

“The trailer is certainly an innovative design. I commend Peter and his team for their vision and perseverance in the design and certification on a development which will join the transport industry as a safe and highly productive vehicle.”

The complicated design took Peter six years to perfect, with another three years just to manufacture the prototype unit at his facility in the western Melbourne suburb of Sunshine.

Part of the process involved a substantial scientific evaluation process to perfect the way the steel was welded, he reveals. “We invested around a quarter of a million dollars to get the welding procedure right,” Peter explains. “I sounds bizarre to spend so much just to perfect the welding process, but it was necessary to comply with the latest LPG standards. Now we are the only business in the world capable of welding this particular type of steel to 100 per cent weld strength, while still retaining a certain flexibility in the material.”

The result is a tanker that is lighter and stronger, but still flexible. “Retaining the flexibility of the metal was an important part of the design process as the size of the tanker meant it had to be strong, but also able to flex a bit,” Peter says. “We also used the largest pump and full bore valves available for this type of tanker in order to speed up the loading and unloading process. Even smaller tankers don’t operate as swiftly as ours.”

For the record unit to go into operation, only one last series of on-road tests remains – and initial feedback is positive, Peter reveals. “We are seeing phenomenal results from the on-road tests that are currently taking place, in terms of handling, braking, load times and stability. This tanker has everything, because we were looking for every operator advantage possible during the design stage and brought in the best suppliers to get the job done.”

Peter is confident the unit will make a significant impact on an industry he says was “screaming out” for a new approach to tanker design. “Our new LPG tanker will make Australia a safer place,” he concludes. “I’m aware that other tanker manufacturers out there will copy my design, but I think it’s a good thing for the transport industry. Besides, I’m already hard at work on version two.”

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Fast Fact: The 50.5 tonne LPG tanker boasts a number of design features to improve vehicle safety, including an additional internal baffle for stability. “Normal tankers have three internal baffles but we have included a fourth one,” says inventor, Peter Max. “Throughout the project, we made sure every design choice would improve vehicle safety, which is important for both industry and the public.”

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Fast Fact: A FKH kingpin is fitted to suit the 20mm skid plate’s unique mounting, which Melbourne trailer specialist, Peter Max from Safety First, describes as reminiscent of an ice-cream cone. “Any shocks or vibrations the tanker may encounter during transit are dissipated into the side of the barrel, ensuring the longevity of the tanker even on rough roads,” explains Peter.