Sarpav mine increases the availability of its haul trucks and improves employee working conditions

Sarpav, one of the companies in the Equipav Group Aggregates Division, is among the main suppliers of manufactured sand and aggregates for the construction industry. It is located in the city of Barueri, São Paulo state, Brazil. With the aim of improving productivity and the quality of its operations, Sarpav has chosen Metso’s rubber lining for truck bodies to ensure the best performance of its trucks and to reduce maintenance downtime.

Metso’s rubber lining is capable of absorbing stress at every point in the truck’s work cycle and has a wear life four times longer than a traditional steel lining, which is still widely used by the industry. “The lining installed on Sarpav’s trucks aims to maximize fleet availability and productivity, with a focus on reducing the high costs of repairs and maintenance,” explains Metso Product Support Specialist Fernando Antonio.

“Designed to spread and absorb the kinetic energy of material impact, the lining protects and preserves the body of the truck, as well as other elements such as the bearings, transmission, tires and chassis, which can help reduce the cost of maintenance and damaged equipment,” says Antonio. This means fewer maintenance stops for the trucks and fewer replacement parts.

In the case of Sarpav, the rubber lining is installed on its medium-sized Randon RK430 trucks that have a payload capacity of up to 30 tons. “We have already achieved a significant reduction in the number of maintenance hours for our fleet. Previously, we had to change the truck body lining every 4,000 hours. Today, we have reached almost 10,000 hours – a gain of 125% – and the lining shows little wear. Before installing the panels, we weren’t sure whether they would be resistant to the transportation of larger stones, but so far we have had no issues,” explains Sarpav Production Manager Luciano Neri. 

In addition, the wear panels absorb impact shock better than steel and can reduce noise by 10 to 15 decibels, which is equivalent to a 50% reduction in perceived noise. “You can feel the difference even inside the truck cabins. We have noticed a reduction in noise and vibrations, and an immediate improvement in the condition and quality of our operators’ work,” reports Neri.

The industry understands that the constant impact and stress of loading and dumping heavy and abrasive materials can cause damage to the body and truck as a whole, and this damage is usually costly. Cost per ton increases with each unnecessary stoppage for repairs and maintenance. In order to reduce these stoppages, Sarpav decided to invest in a Metso Haul Truck Solution, ensuring the longevity of equipment and improving the entire hauling chain.