TRT has designed a custom widening trailer with spaced quad axles that increases payload by five tonnes – expanding the ability of Horotiu Cartage to meet its customers’ heavy- haul needs.

Horotiu Cartage and Hire (HCH) has added its first TRT quad-axle widener trailer to its fleet, which will help strengthen and expand the company’s services to transport larger machines and equipment.

“We were basically at max capacity for machine weight and width within the capabilities of our current fleet,” says company director Shane Holland. “This trailer provides us with the extra payload and capacity we need to transport bigger machines for our customers. Our services are always in high demand. Adding another trailer to our fleet also means having greater capacity to pick up more projects and customers.”

A small family-owned and operated business, HCH provides services countrywide and offers a wide range of equipment – from bobcats to bottom dumpers and trailers – giving it the capacity and versatility to service a wide range of projects.

With a tare of 13,100kg, this quad-axle widener closes to 2.5m and widens to 2.9m, 3.1m, and 3.5m. It is also equipped with a container provision to carry either a single 40’ container, two 20’ containers, or one heavy 20’ container. It has a spaced axle group, increasing capacity by five tonnes over a rear-axle group. The double-acting hydraulic suspension provides increased stability, and allows each axle to be lifted and for he rear castor steer axle to widen with the trailer.

This trailer is fitted with conveyor belt material on the deck, high-tensile ramps to the top deck, 1420mpa Hardox wear plate on the deck and ramp face, and 2.8m-long heavy-duty ramps for a good loading angle.

The trailer also features deep coaming rails with toolboxes set into the sides. It has a demountable headboard and is painted with two-pack electrostatically applied paint to match the HCH branded colours.

For Shane, choosing TRT to manufacture the trailer was influenced by TRT’s approach, which is not being one of ‘one size fits all’.

“The team at TRT is dedicated to customising trailers right down to the finer details to solve the problems that matter to the customers. They provide flexible solutions that tailor to the customer’s needs,” says Shane, who was involved in the process from beginning to end.

Says Glen Harnett, trailer sales engineer for TRT NZ: “Shane’s existing trailer wasn’t keeping up with the expansion of their business. He contacted TRT to discuss the options for a suitable trailer that would cover the majority of the machines they needed to transport. We had just delivered a quad-axle widening low loader to a customer in Cromwell, and this design appeared to be an excellent solution for Shane. It widened to 3.5m, had a top deck, had extra load capacity with the spaced axle group, increased stability with the hydraulic suspension, and manoeuvrability with the steer axle. It ticked all of the boxes.”

Says Shane: “I worked very closely with Glen and the design team, especially on the pedestals for the containers. There was a fair bit of back and forth to get it right. The whole team was amazing to work with and very understanding when we wanted to change specific details to suit our operations.”

Adds Glen: “Shane and the team from HCH have an excellent reputation in the heavy haulage market. We are thrilled to have provided them with a solid solution to expand the opportunities within their business.”