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Bouwcenter Nelemans, with its head office in Etten-Leur, has recently purchased two triaxial, steered Pacton/Kennis crane semi-trailers. Henry van den Berg, the facilities coordinator of Bouwcenter Nelemans, relates that a good semi-trailer needs replacement after a good 15 years. During this time many changes took place. The semi-trailer, as a product, has modernised. He continues to say that he had to get reacquainted with the subject matter when their old crane semi-trailer from Floor and Pacton was due for replacement.
Bouwcenter Nelemans is the business partner with respect to construction and finishing material. Their services stretch from sole-practitioner operations and small businesses, up to large construction companies and project developers. The family-owned company, founded in 1930, has over 90 years of experience in construction and is known to be a reliable and professional partner. Jac Nelemans started selling construction material and fuels this year. The current shareholders are the third generation in the family business. The company has been taken over by Hans, Guido, Edgar and Fred Nelemans in 1993. The newly built office, warehouse, showroom and building shop totalling 35,000 m² for the head office in Etten-Leur, has been commissioned in 2002. Furthermore, there are Bouwcenter locations in Breda, Roosendaal, Tilburg, Zundert, Oosterhout and The Hague.
Compact fleet
Bouwcenter Nelemans, with its 140 employees in total, is by no means unfamiliar to Pacton Trailers. Their fleet consists of two Pacton crane semi-trailers as well as a curtainsider trailer. The company is in possession of five rigids and besides that, an important part of their transportation is hired. Given the compactness of their fleet, they do not have regular contact with trailer builders regarding the build of new semi-trailers. For the sake of orientation, Van der Berg took a good look around him to see what other transporters and drivers use as combinations, and he did not hesitate to engage in conversations. He wanted to know why they have chosen certain combinations, and if they were satisfied with its performance. Van den Berg enquired about different brands, but the choice for Pacton Trailers was made once again.
Tailored for distribution
In collaboration with his drivers and Pacton Trailers in Ommen, the choice was made in favour of two Pacton/Kennis triaxial, steered crane semi-trailers of the type TPD.345.C-B. The trailers were optimally executed for the intensive distribution work of construction material commerce. The floors of the new crane semi-trailers have been executed with 4 mm thick steel between the crane gantries and the outer compartments with 28 mm thick hardwood. This results in torsional stiff crane semi-trailers which are capable of carrying the heaviest loads. The mobile crane moves across the steel girders with its 1,30 m track with. Bouwcenter Nelemans fitted 14 tonnes/metre Kennis cranes onto the semi-trailers. The Pacton/Kennis semi-trailers have 2 x 19 lashing rings in the V groove and grease lubrication has been provided at 38 lubricating points.
With an abundance of building lamps, side lights, steellampen, width marker lights, work lamps and flashes, the semi-trailers have been richly provided with lighting. The sides of the trailers have been finished off beautifully with stainless steel toolboxes to the left and the right. Open storage boxes to the width of the trailers have been fitted, as well as side drops. The dismountable aluminium bulkheads of 1,20 m in height, each has an optional attachment of 40 cm for higher loads. The semi-trailers have been equipped with five hinged and detachable aluminium side drops of 1 m in height.
Intentional nine tonnes axles
Due to the desired manoeuvrability at various delivery addresses, Bouwcenter Nelemans has chosen shorter trailers of 11,80 m in length. Each one has two steered axles, forced steered by means of a Pacton double rod steering system from the king pin. Furthermore, the first axle is a lift axle. In contrast to the past when Nelemans occasionally deployed outrunners, the chassis runner is currently seen on the crane semi-trailers as common property. A crane semi-trailer which is executed in this way has weight advantages and more compact in its execution overall. With a SAF air suspension and a set of three nine tonnes axles, Bouwcenter Nelemans chooses a lighter version of the trailer in any case. Van den Berg explains that they access cramped construction sites as well as private persons in residential areas. Having a tight turning radius is a big advantage in those cases. He adds that three, nine tonnes axles are almost always sufficient. Not only do they transport big bags of stones, but also building products in full width and that include isolation material, tubing and panel material, roof tiles and more. The three, nine tonnes axles are adequate, drives smoothly, are lighter and are also more beneficial to acquire. With this configuration, Van den Berg expects them to be on the road for many years to come.