Boral Buys Hi Tech B-Double Bitumen Tanker
10/Mar/2005
Tieman's first 19-metre stainless steel B-double bitumen tanker has entered service with Boral Transport in New South Wales. It is the first bitumen 19-metre B-double to operate in Australia.
It joins seven Tieman-built Boral tri-axle tankers which use a unique stainless steel barrel design to eliminate corrosion problems long associated with hot-cold bitumen cycles.
Tieman's advanced design also features outstanding thermal performance thanks in part to a floating barrel design which allows full wrap around insulation and isolates the heated load from the cooling fin effect of conventional chassis designs.
The new B-double is the result of a detailed productivity assessment by Boral. Every new equipment design must have a favourable "Net Present Value" equation before the company will invest funds according to Boral Senior Procurement Manager Merv Rowlands.
B-doubles are considerably more expensive to buy and operate (maintenance, fuel, tyres, driver MC licence) than a single trailer so there has to be a clear benefit over the extra costs.
Boral had previously done extensive modelling to prove the economic advantage of Tieman's stainless steel over conventional bitumen tanker designs so the modelling focused on the costs and benefits of a 19m B-double compared with a tri-axle trailer.
In brief, a tri-axle bitumen tanker carries roughly 23.5 tonnes payload. The 19 metre B-double carries about 25.5 tonnes as a general access vehicle, only two tonnes more. But on B-double routes the payload is more than 30 tonnes.
So
to be worthwhile, Boral figured a 19 metre B-double in its bitumen fleet has to operate at least 20 percent of the time on B-double routes at higher gross weights.
Several innovative design features help decrease turn around times, further boosting productivity. One idea, suggested by Boral drivers, was to place the loading hatches at the back of the "A" trailer and the front of the "B" trailer within the 2.5m swing distance of the loading gantry. That avoids the need to shift the unit during loading.
Minimising unloading times was also important. Bitumen tankers usually unload at the rear. So Boral specified that there be a steel transfer line through the inside of the B-trailer with a detachable hose between the trailers to allow both to pump out from the rear of the combination.
The B-double is used on longer hauls to make the most of its carrying capacity and that has also made it easier to make extensive use of the B-double route network where it now spends the majority of its running time.
"But the best thing about the 19 metre B-double is its flexibility", Merv Rowlands says. "It can go anywhere a tri-axle can go but on B-double routes we can load it right up."
"Having a big fleet gives lots of options", Mr Rowlands adds, and that is what enables the unit to be used to advantage.
"Tieman works closely with its customers to design and build innovative trailers that improve productivity and safety," says Tieman Chief Executive Hymie Jechilevsky. "Boral has achieved a significant productivity advantage with its new B-double by combining Tieman's advanced tanker technology with several Boral innovations and intelligently deploying the vehicle on operational tasks."
"This kind of systems approach is becoming more and more important for transport operators who want to achieve a competitive edge."
Tieman built its first stainless steel tanker in 1955 and its first cutting edge stainless steel bitumen tanker in 2001.
Australia's leading tanker builder has built more than 3200 stainless steel, mild steel and aluminium tankers for dairy, wine, chemical, fuel and bitumen applications.
Tieman is based in Melbourne and has an extensive nationwide repair and service network.
