Customer solution: Container chassis with weighing system

At its Duisburg site, a key hub for combined transport along the Rhine, Köppen GmbH provides the specialist infrastructure required for the operation of tank containers. Through its logistics services, Köppen connects the chemical industry’s production facilities in the Rhine and Ruhr regions with the region’s container terminals and seaports.

The company recently took delivery of two new SDS 380 chemical container chassis. These lightweight and robust chassis are designed to carry 20-foot containers and feature a special design: the vehicles are fitted with precision load cells as standard. “We have a customer for whom we transport flow improvers for pipeline products. This speciality chemical is very expensive and subject to excise duty, so the customers we supply need to know exactly how much has been unloaded,” explains transport operations manager Marco Thalhäuser, outlining the reason for the weighing system. Previously, the company had used an old, converted chassis for ten years, but with increased demand, something new was needed. “We discussed the options with Helmut Fliegl at a trade fair, and then we ordered the two chassis,” says Thalhäuser. 

The SDS 380 is equipped with a stainless steel drip tray featuring a shut-off valve and drain pipe, plus two 5,900-millimetre-long lockable hose racks for hose pipes. The earthing strap is, of course, also fitted to ensure ADR approval in accordance with FL/AT. 

The BPW disc brake axles are laser-measured ex-works and precisely adjusted to within ±1 millimetre, which reduces tyre wear and lowers fuel consumption through lower rolling resistance. The first axle is designed as an automatic lift axle, including forced lowering and start-off assistance: up to a speed of 25 km/h, the axle can be raised if it is carrying up to 30 per cent of the load – this ensures greater pressure on the fifth wheel plate and thus increases 

grip on slippery surfaces. “We also ordered the second axle as a lift axle because we often load in Trieste and usually only drive with a load on the outbound journey. For the return journey, we can raise both axles and thus protect the tyres,” says Transport Operations Manager Thalhäuser. 

Thanks to a slightly extended wheelbase (1,410/1,310 millimetres), the gross vehicle weight can be 44 tonnes, making the trailer suitable for combined transport. The low unladen weight of 3,291 kilograms is achieved, among other things, by the lightweight aluminium rims; the payload is 34,709 kilograms. To ensure that the gross vehicle weight is not accidentally exceeded, in addition to the built-in load cells, the trailer is equipped with an axle load detection system complete with a display in the cab, which receives data from the EBS CAN bus signal.

The comprehensive LED package consists of multi-chamber rear lights, side marker lights, position lights and lane-keeping lights; the side LED lighting is linked to the indicators. Due to the increased demand for speciality chemicals, and because there are very few similar vehicles, the trailers are likely to remain in service at Köppen for a long time. No problem, as Fliegl offers a 10-year warranty against chassis rust-through. 

Key features at a glance

SDS 380 three-axle container semi-trailer

• Payload: 34,709 kilograms
• Unladen weight (basic version) approx.: 3,291 kilograms
• 1st axle designed as a lift axle, with approach aid and forced lowering; 2nd axle lift axle
• ADR approval in accordance with FL/AT
• Hose racks, stainless steel drip tray with drain pipe and shut-off valve, earthing strap
• Load cell, accuracy class 3
• Comprehensive LED lighting package
• Tyre pressure monitoring system in accordance with ECE R 141