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Wijchen-based H.M. Verploegen BV has recently started using eight brand-new, fully equipped Pacton sliding curtainsider trailers. The Pacton TXD.342T-EP1 and TBD.342-T-EKP1 are both three-axle trailers, while two of the eight feature rear-axle steering. The new trailers will be widely used in the Netherlands and abroad and have plenty of Pacton company, joining Verploegen’s fleet of over 50 Pacton trailers. “No Verploegen trailers are standard, but we do want to keep our fleet as uniform as possible”, CEO Henri Verploegen explains.
CEO Henri Verploegen reveals that four of the eight new trailers were purchased as replacements, with the rest serving to expand the fleet. The design of the sliding curtainsider trailers boasts a vast array of different options and details. "Appearance is very important to us, because trailers are like a mobile business card. You have to make sure that your equipment looks the part.”
Verploegen’s new trailers feature a three-axle SAF air suspension with disc brakes, as well as a liftable front axle. The axles have a load rating of 9,000 kg. The two trailers with rear-axle steering have their rear axle mounted on a turntable and can be steered by means of a rod connected to the clutch/coupling. Both trailers are equipped for a piggyback forklift and feature pneumatically operated beams for mounting and dismounting the forklift. The six remaining trailers are equipped with a self-powered 1.5-ton trundle with a dedicated battery pack, as well as featuring an extra stainless steel box for transporting a pallet jack.
Other than that, the eight trailers are mostly identical. The generous design serves as the foundation of reliable, highly functional pieces of equipment that boast far-reaching attention to detail. The 13.64 m trailers have a maximum authorised mass of 42 tons. The braking system consists of an electronically controlled Wabco type 2S/2M pneumatic EBS, with an anti-tipping system. The floor of the trailers is 28mm thick hardwood, while the steel rear portal is fitted with two flat aluminum overlay doors. There is LED lighting all around, with side lights, wide beams, top lights and work lights.
Verploegen puts a lot of thought into the details and finishing of its trailers. We care greatly about appearance and want our look to be both unique and aesthetically pleasing.
Maximum flexibility
The eight trailers feature three universal sliding stanchions on both sides to enable ultimate flexilibity in terms of transportation, loading/unloading and securing loads. Moreover, the trailers boast no fewer than 38 two-ton TÜV-approved lashing eyes on each side. The hoods can be opened from the front or from the back, and the trailers are also equipped with high-quality finishings such as aluminum side guards, aluminum hood boards and two stainless steel crates.
The Albers side curtains are also of the highest possible quality; 2x2 double-threaded PVC curtains made of 860 g/m2 fabric. All trailers were delivered in full by Pacton, including full-colour print and a special dirt-repellent coating, all in Verploegen’s signature red hue, which returns on the chassis and other parts of the trailer, from the outriggers and hubs to the axles and rim rings.
First and foremost, the curtainsider trailers are fully spray-galvanised to increase their longevity. All trailers are equipped to meet the requirements for the XL Ladungssicherung certificate (27,000 kg). This was made possible by reinforcing the chassis (headboard, rear portal, rear doors and stanchions), additional horizontal straps in the side curtains and reinforcing the roof curtain.
Close-knit family business
H.M. Verploegen has been around since 1936. The family business now has about 80 employees and is helmed by third-generation brothers Henri and Erwin Verploegen. The team strives to provide ultimate transparency in the transportation process, allowing customers to track the status of their products at all times and ensuring that drivers are fully in tune with the organisation. “We have a close-knit team and want to provide high-quality, personal service with the latest knowledge and materials, all so we can service our customers as best as we possibly can," Henri Verploegen explains. "We have a total of about 50 lorries and 80 trailers, about 50 of which are from Pacton. We purchased our first two Pacton trailers almost 30 years ago and have been a loyal customer ever since."
The trailers of H.M. Verploegen usually have a lifespan of 14 years, but the trailers are extensively overhauled after about 7 to 8 years. Henri Verploegen explains: “We install a new roof, new axles and new side curtains, giving the trailers a whole new lease on life. We also have the trailers repainted, although we don’t do so ourselves. This easily adds another 7 years to the lifespan of the trailers, because Pacton makes a hell of a trailer. Their product and service quality are truly second to none.”
Uniformity
H.M. Verploegen specialises in transport in the Benelux area and France. The company is headquartered in Wijchen and has branches in Lyon and Düsseldorf. Verploegen is affiliated with the French Pole network, which has hubs in Montpellier, Ludres, Genas, Bouglon and Épieds-en-Bauce to guarantee efficient, professional and responsible last-mile delivery in French city centres. With several of its lorries, Verploegen transports dedicated construction materials through the Ruhr region, as well as offering groupage services from Düsseldorf to and from the Benelux area and France.
Verploegen partners with other logistics services providers to transport goods throughout Europe, as well as providing container/shipping services for bulk goods and large consignments to ports in Asia and Europe.
Verploegen's trailers are put to heavy use and have to be versatile, which is why the custom vehicles offered by Pacton are a must. “We want all our trailers to be tailored to our specifications, so Verploegen trailers are never standard. However, we do want our fleet to be as universal as possible, which means axles and lighting - for example - should be uniform. Not only is this easier for our in-house maintenance department, but our drivers appreciate it too. That’s also why all our trailers are equipped with tail lifts or piggyback forklifts, as well as all sorts of features to make life easier and more flexible for our drivers, like extra lashing eyes and crates, shortened shelf holders and pneumatically operated beams for the forklift. Our drivers are our calling card, but so is the equipment they use to do their job.