European Tubes, the global supplier of carbon steel seamless tubes, has added its first Krone Profi Liner to the fleet which, says the company, reflects increased demand for its products and provides outstanding load flexibility.
Until now the company has used rigid vehicles but having assessed the market, a decision was taken to add a trailer tractor combination which could cope with mixed loads – from pallets to steel bundles of various sizes.
“We looked at all transport options” says Operations Manager Glyn Jones, “and given the wide range of loads we need to carry, the Krone Profi Liner came out tops for load security and versatility.”
With its integral Multi Lock loading system, the Profi Liner can be adapted at given points along the load bed, into separate rows, by using movable posts which slot into the floor. This enables various sizes of steel tube bundles to be firmly secured in one part of the trailer while allowing pallets or larger single items to be placed elsewhere. In total, 10 rows of post-pocket cassettes (81×81 mm) facilitate up to 158 different loading positions.
For secure lashing, the Multi Lock side raves each have up to 130, two tonne-capacity strapping points at 100mm intervals. This gives virtually limitless strapping permutations and prevents cargo movement during transit. The sliding roof can be fully retracted while the doors are open, which enables unrestricted crane-loading from above and 2.480mm access through the rear.
“Because our tubes are not standard, every load can be different and in the past we have sometimes had to sacrifice load space to ensure safety and load integrity.” Adds Glyn Jones. “With the Krone equipment, we can cater for up to 10 rows of individual load items and make more efficient use of the load space. Furthermore, on the return journey, we can also use the posts and restraining system to carry other mixed loads. Generally speaking, we can carry more, load faster and guarantee load security.”
The Profi Liner is manufactured by Krone in Werlte, Germany, to European Code XL standard. The steel front wall with high strength, replaceable corner posts is reinforced with plywood and the rear doors are steel ‘container-type’ with integrated door locks and concealed door hinges for added security. The welded steel frame chassis and all powder coated parts are covered by Krone’s 10-year anti corrosion guarantee.
