E-Plas’ QuickSilver liners increase safety, efficiency

E-Plas’ QuickSilver and QuickSilver Heavy Duty tipper liners are two premier options within the transport industry which have demonstrated their worth in real-world applications. Each come with their own unique benefits depending on the application and freight task at hand.

The classic QuickSilver variant has long been renowned as an ultimate state-of-the-art industrial strength UHMW-PE continuous liner for truck and trailer combinations. Generally used in end tippers, side tippers and quick-release applications across the transport, bulk handling, minerals, agriculture and grain sectors, it diminishes a number of core issues upon implementation including hang-up, tipper body abrasion and corrosion, unnecessary service and maintenance, downtime and increased expenses.

On the other hand, QuickSilver Heavy Duty has quickly emerged as a top-tier solution since launching in the Australian market just over a year ago. It was developed specifically for extreme abrasion under high intensity and can withstand applications such as sand, gravel, rock, recycled glass and construction rubble which require eight or more trips per day – while still flexing increased wear capacity and flow improvements.

Side by side, QuickSilver and QuickSilver Heavy Duty can cater to the varying demands of tipper combinations while ultimately increasing safety.

“Safety is a very big aspect of QuickSilver and Heavy Duty,” says E-Plas National Operations Manager, Rupin Joshi. “These liners are the perfect products to have because they can handle multiple different materials with very low maintenance and cleaning required.”

Hang-up, one of the most prevalent issues in tipping, is eliminated with QuickSilver and QuickSilver Heavy Duty. The liners’ flow rates prevent bulk material from sticking to the surface of the tipper tray, allowing materials to flow much easier at a lower tipping angle and increasing safety for heavy vehicle operators. This increases productivity while eliminating the potential for injuries to occur.

“Having an empty trailer when returning after each trip is key for a lot of operators,” Rupin explains. “This is one of the biggest benefits of QuickSilver and Heavy Duty.

“Bins are always left empty, meaning drivers can load them with more cubic metres and get more money per trip. It also decreases the chances of injuries occurring because people aren’t spending as much time manually cleaning their trucks out.”

Both QuickSilver liners were developed in the United States by Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (MCAM). They quickly gained traction throughout the international market before arriving in Australia.

To compare the effectiveness of each, E-Plas and MCAM recently conducted a case study which put both liners through the applications of a customer that was transporting a very abrasive material. The results found that Heavy Duty lasted approximately 30 per cent longer than the standard QuickSilver – proving the claims behind its durability to be true.

In another study, E-Plas and MCAM compared QuickSilver Heavy Duty and a wear resistant steel liner with a customer that was looking to reduce weight and achieve a similar product lifespan. Heavy Duty lasted twice as long as the wear resistant steel liner material did.

“Aluminium liners don’t tend to help with the release, flow and elimination of carryback,” says MCAM Linings Business Manager for Asia Pacific, Orson Yong. “This can cause damage to the trailer body itself, leading to unnecessary repair costs and downtime.”

Elimination is what QuickSilver Heavy Duty in particular specialises in. The product also has a distinctive green colour which allows operators to easily identify whether a tipper is empty or if there is still product in the trailer.

“There has been a very positive trend for Heavy Duty, especially in Europe,” Orson adds. “We launched Heavy Duty internationally around six years ago and the uptake has been very encouraging.

“The growth of Heavy Duty over the classic QuickSilver grade has been around 15 per cent. That says a lot about its performance considering the original QuickSilver product has been in the market for over 20 years.”

QuickSilver Heavy Duty has been performing exceptionally in Australia so far. According to Rupin, feedback has been extremely positive.

“In terms of its performance, the initial response has been very good,” he says. “The product has met all of the standards and requirements that we expected it to.

“Our customer base has been very open to Heavy Duty. There has been a great reaction from the market, and we haven’t received any negative feedback from all of the people currently using it.

“A lot of customers have also been interested in upgrading from QuickSilver to Heavy Duty too. Australia seems to be loving it.”

The classic QuickSilver liner remains the perfect choice for transport companies and operators outside of the mining realm. The fact that it has been available in a competitive and ever-expanding market for more than 20 years speaks for itself.

“QuickSilver is a great long-term investment,” Rupin says. “We know that it can be installed in a day based off the feedback received from the operators we work with. Our customers have been able to keep their trailers on the road for longer and get a great return on investment.”

E-Plas plans to further investigate the long-term benefits of QuickSilver Heavy Duty in the near future. Simultaneously, it will continue the legacy of QuickSilver.

“We are currently having discussions with our installers to see if QuickSilver Heavy Duty will work in hot mix applications,” Rupin reveals. “We’re also exploring a mine site application with automated trucks.

“We’re always looking to take on an application that others might not want to touch. That’s the key thing about our partnership with MCAM – we have the freedom to explore different sizes of rolls and kits without being restricted to one thickness or size. We’re always watching out for different opportunities and we’ll continue to do so.”