November 30, 2022 8:00 CET 6 min read
Since switching from SSAB’s Hardox® 450 steel to Hardox® 500 Tuf, M. Torre, a Spanish manufacturer of tipper bodies for the recycling industry, has extended the lifespan of its products without having to alter its processes. The result is a tipper body that is not only between 25 and 30% more durable, but also lighter and more sustainable.
Founded in 2001, in Villanubla, outside Valladolid in central Spain, Carrocerías y Grúas M. Torre is a manufacturer of tipper bodies for scrap metal and an official dealer for Palfinger in the Castilla y León region.
The company, which takes pride in working exclusively with premium materials for the manufacture of its products, has been using Hardox® wear plate since 2010.
“For us, the best thing about SSAB is that it’s not just a supplier, it’s a partner,” says M. Torre’s second-generation owner, David Torre.
Torre explains that his company’s partnership with SSAB began when it started manufacturing its tipper bodies for scrap metal.
SSAB delivers the Hardox abrasion-resistant steel to our subcontractor Ferro Industrías Yustos, which then cuts and bends it. We weld and assemble the parts in our plant, and, finally, deliver the finished product to our clients in the steel recycling plant,” he explains.
“The best thing about working with SSAB is not only about the steel. There’s the technical support, new applications, new products and helping our customers see the benefits of having Hardox 500 Tuf in their tipper bodies.”
David Torre, M. Torre’s second-generation owner
“M. Torre’s tipper body was originally made from our Hardox 450 steel but, in 2021, together we decided to switch to SSAB’s newest wear-resistant steel grade, Hardox 500 Tuf,” says Rubén de Diego Agüera, SSAB’s Technical Development Manager. “The new material, which has significantly higher impact strength than other grades, made it possible for to reduce thickness, resulting in weight reduction and payload increase.”
“Making the switch was an easy decision because we didn’t have to alter the way we work but could still extend the lifespan of the final product,” David Torre continues.
M. Torre tipper bodies need to be able to transport all kinds of metallic materials. Their customers use them to collect scrap metal and other heavy materials and transport them to recycling plants. The sides, the front part and the floor of the M. Torre tipper are all made of Hardox® 500 Tuf steel, while Hardox® 450 steel is used in the upper beam, thus guaranteeing a longer useful life and greater resistance.
“Due to the materials being transported, the tipper bodies need to be able to withstand a lot of heavy and aggressive wear. There is a lot of impact, which is why we use Hardox 500 Tuf,” Torre explains.
M. Torre recently carried out a series of wear tests comparing the durability of its previous tipper body made from Hardox® 450 and the new one that uses Hardox® 500 Tuf. The results speak for themselves.
“We estimate that the lifespan can be increased by 25 to 30%,” Torre says. “There’s also an environmental benefit because the tipper body is very light and therefore contributes to lower fuel consumption.”
For M. Torre, partnering with SSAB has many benefits, extended far beyond the superior quality of its steel.
As SSAB’s Regional Sales Manager Pedro Berregui explains: “Using our expertise, we’ve been able to maximize the benefits of Hardox wear plate, using harder steel to increase durability, and a lighter material to increase the payload of each transport and save fuel.”
In 2020, it was Berregui who first presented Hardox® 500 Tuf as a suitable solution for M. Torre’s products.
“The best thing about working with SSAB is not only about the steel,” Torre says.
“There’s the technical support, new applications, new products and helping our customers see the benefits of having Hardox 500 Tuf in their tipper bodies.”
M. Torre has been a member of the Hardox® In My Body customer program since 2019. According to David Torre, it is a recognized mark of quality for the equipment and a guarantee of good design practices and the use of genuine Hardox® material.
“Hardox In My Body is known worldwide and helps us penetrate new markets, and convert prospects to customers in new areas,” he concludes.
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Hardox® wear plate is the world’s leading abrasion-resistant (AR) steel. Hardox® is hard through and through, from surface to core, giving you an extended service life and high productivity in even the toughest environments.
Look for the Hardox® in My Body mark when you're looking for products that are hard, tough, cost-effective and made of genuine Hardox® wear plate.
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