As the first company in Argentina to use SSAB’s Hardox® 500 Tuf wear plate in tipper truck bodies, Industrias Baco has seen customer satisfaction surge. Product lifespan has been extended by about 30 percent, and 90 percent of the company’s tipper bodies are now made of Hardox® wear plate.
Industrias Baco has transformed the market for tipper trucks in Argentina as it becomes the first company in the country to introduce Hardox® 500 Tuf wear plate in its units.
The switch to Hardox® steels from traditional steel has been a fundamental part of the company’s increased sales. With a 30 percent extended product lifespan, customer satisfaction is at an all-time high.
“I believe Hardox steel has been a great part of our sales success,” says Patricia Meers, financial manager at Industrias Baco. “SSAB has helped us a great deal with marketing over these past years, and sales of our tippers have increased greatly with the help of Hardox wear plate. Our clients are very satisfied because the Hardox material is much more hard-wearing and versatile.”
Industrias Baco has been part of the industry for more than 70 years, and it has seen continuous progress thanks to constant improvement of the company’s products. One of its pioneering advancements in Argentina was the use of the new product Hardox® 500 Tuf wear plate in tipper bodies.
“With Hardox 500 Tuf, we have created a new model with a design that facilitates the unloading process even more,” says sales coordinator Nelson Bacolla. “It was developed taking our clients' suggestions into account.”
The newly designed tipper trucks reduce the time it takes for customers to unload, increasing productivity and the bottom line.
“It has been very successful,” Bacolla says. “When it comes to the distribution of the load, the truck functions much better with the new bodywork made from the new wear plate. It is the perfect combination. We have been able to use the advantages of Hardox 500 Tuf to accompany the design of the new model.”
Meers has worked for Industrias Baco for 15 years and witnessed first-hand the positive change that came when the company started to include Hardox® material in the tipper bodies about 10 years ago. The company has been a member of the Hardox® In My Body customer program for two years.
“It makes us more competitive to be a Hardox In My Body member,” Meers says. “By having the sign on our products, it shows the customer what material we use. Nowadays customers know about Hardox wear plate and are asking for it. They know it means stronger, more lightweight and more hard-wearing tipper trucks that can carry heavier loads.”
Bacolla has worked at Industrias Baco for 12 years, but as a fourth generation member of the family that owns the company, he has been around the facilities his whole life. He agrees that Industrias Baco gains a considerable advantage from its membership in Hardox® In My Body. “Being part of Hardox In My Body gives us much more presence in the marketplace,” he says. “It gives us a lot of prestige, and it enhances our image as a reliable company. It shows that we work with the best materials in the right way, which the customers are quite aware of. Also, in terms of profitability in the case of a potential sales, Hardox In My Body is definitely going to be helpful.”
Industrias Baco uses the diverse grades of Hardox® wear plate for three different tipper truck models. They all take advantage of the same conical shape facilitated by the wear plates, accelerating the unloading process.
“Customers want equipment that can handle heavy loads and that is resistant,” Bacolla says. “Our aim is to produce tipper trucks for the sort of heavy-duty work that is carried out nowadays. For that we use Hardox wear plate, and it fulfills all the demands of today’s market. Hardox wear plate makes the tipper bodies stronger and lighter at the same time. We are really happy to have discovered the world of Hardox.”
