Heavy-duty, low deck flatbed semi-trailers are typically used to transport all kinds of unwieldy objects, like containers, office units, machinery, and concrete or prefab building elements. Dutch manufacturing company Pacton offers a wide variety of such semi-trailers, these are always designed and built to meet the specific demands of the customer.
One of Pacton’s customers is hauling company Wessels Transport Rijssen. The tractor is a 2016 Scania R450 with a 6×2/4 drivetrain, looking mighty fine in the September sunshine.
With a GVWR of 44 tonnes (97,000 lbs) and a registered payload capacity of 37 tonnes (81,570 lbs), the Pacton semi-trailer is a serious piece of over-the-road equipment.
A truck-mounted forklift can be carried along. Given the retractable signs behind the rearmost wheels (and at the front), the semi-trailer is all set and ready to carry loads that are wider than itself. The Pacton’s bed is also fitted with eight twistlocks.
The semi’s cargo is an FPT-powered Claas Arion 470 farm tractor with a single-axle trailer. Note the plentiful stanchion pockets, these are all over the place.
Two examples of more realistic workday freights. The blue low deck flatbed semi-trailer has a counter-steering rearmost axle, both 4×2 tractors -a Volvo FH and a previous gen DAF XF- come with low profile tires.
Wessels specializes in transporting a wide variety of building materials, but they also have a fleet of curtainsiders for handling general cargo.
The license plate on the Moffett truck-mounted forklift indicates that the semi-trailer in the picture is a 2015 Krone low deck curtainsider. Evidently, not only the low(er) deck is used.
As a truck driver and flatbed guy myself it’s always interesting to see how my fellow truckers around the world do things. All looks professional and well kept equipment. Keep on trucking!
The old truck salesman loves this. i agree with Dakota Always in that I enjoy seeing how the problem of transport is solved around the world. I wish that we had a closer look at the Vrachtwagenachteruitkijkspiegeltjen, but perhaps in the next posts.
Too bad Tom, I don’t have close-up pictures (yet) of hoofdspiegels, breedtespiegels, trottoirspiegels, vooruitkijkspiegels, and/or dodehoekspiegels.
Died laughing. One of our children in our day care is half Dutch. His mother is from the Netherlands. This week, little Luca tried to say “water bottle” in Dutch, but to no avail. i told him what it is in German, Wasser Flasche, (Paul, correct me if I erred, please), and said that we would ask his mother when she came for him that day. His Mom, Carola, and I went on. I learned that in Dutch it is Vater Fles. Then I referred to a word that I find very funny in German, which is Untergrundbahnhofseingang. (Subway entrance for those reading this). Carola told me that she has a better one in Dutch, which is that word that I used above. Now, I will go back to Carola with more types of spiegels. Thanks for joining in the fun and laughs. Tom
The kid’s mother didn’t happen to come from Gasselterboerveenschemond in the province of Drenthe?
Did ensign Chekov name that company??? Those sure look like late 20th/early 21st century cargo wessels, also known as trucks, semis, 18 wheelers and lorries Captain.
Seriously though how do you guys haul steel coils over in that part of the world? Here in the USA we use flat trailers like that with a higher ride height. Put some blocks of wood and chains on there, hope you do not need to slam on the brakes.
Truckers call them suicide coils, many have been killed by improperly securing the steel coils and/or a sudden stop. Or getting into a wreck. The coil just keeps rolling forward and flattens the cab
Pacton = Ploeg’s Aanhangwagens Chassis Trechters Opleggers Nieuwerkerk. High-quality trailers and semi-trailers, built to last. Don’t call them if you want the lowest price.
Steel coils are usually transported in curtainsiders with coil trenches. See below, courtesy of Jonker Transport Veendam B.V.
Jonker Veendam-1
Jonker Veendam-2
Regarding hauling coils of steel, here in the USA we need to expend the money for this safety. As Aaron, I see these cols periodically and wonder. When it comes to hauling long lengths of bar steels, we have used “half cab” tractors for as long as I can remember. These are cabs reduced in width to accommodate only the driver. The backs of the cabs are heavily reinforced with steel and the trailers have thick steel headers. Thus, should the steel bars slide forth, the drive will not be impaled (we hope).