Smooth sailing

Based in Wallan, Victoria, ETA Heavy Haulage started out as a heavy vehicle service and repair centre under the umbrella of parent company, ETA Mechanical Solutions, specialising in the service and repair of earthmoving equipment.

Director, Luke Jackson, founded the business initially just to transport gear to and from his workshop, but the heavy haulage side of the business grew and demand for more arose.

ETA Heavy Haulage has since turned into a formidable player within Victoria’s heavy haulage division, having expanded substantially in recent times.

“We operate a fleet of seven floats and tilt trays, and we have eight highly skilled mechanics powering the business from behind the scenes,” Luke says. “We still operate ETA Mechanical Solutions separately, but ETA Heavy Haulage has grown majorly – especially in the last four to five years.”

A key aspect of ETA Heavy Haulage is the fact its entire fleet operates on BPW axles. This equipment specification has delivered a series of operational benefits to the business according to Luke.

“All my trailers run on BPW axles,” he says. “It’s one of my biggest non-negotiables. I believe they are the best axles you can get on the market, especially for the harsh conditions and climates which our trailers operate in.

“Having a fleet of BPW axles makes maintenance and getting spare parts easier. Our trailers are always heavy, but the product performs and withstands whatever we throw at it. The axles have proven themselves across our floats and low loaders, and that’s why we stay with them.”

The BPW tradition was continued in ETA Heavy Haulage’s latest trailer order of a quad-axle Tilt ‘N’ Slide Widener from Tuff Trailers. The combination is Tuff Trailers’ latest model (Phase Three) in the Tuff Tilt ‘N’ Slide range – the result of a major development project incorporating more than 10 years of customer feedback.

The combination’s BPW components include BPW ECO Plus 3 17.5” grease axles with drum brakes, twin self-steering rear axles and custom-specified low-riding D36K airbag suspension modules which significantly improve stability, lifting power and deck height.

The trailer itself includes numerous upgrades over its predecessor such as the deck widening to 3.7 metres and a low running deck height of 1,000mm. Stability is also significantly improved thanks to a new chassis design and spring centre coupling, along with 15-degree self-tracking axles on rows three and four.

Luke says the combination is another string to his bow that will be extremely versatile in the heavy haulage game.

“Our Tilt ‘N’ Slide covers different markets because it can be used as a float or a tilt tray at the same time,” he says. “It’s also been set up to do some recovery work which will help our mechanical side of the business and recovery operations as well.

“That was the main reason we headed down the Tilt ‘N’ Slide track – because of the ability to have that versatility for different freight tasks.”

Luke says he chose Tuff Trailers for this application based on its reputation.

“Tuff Trailers has a fantastic name in the industry,” he explains. “I previously dealt with Denis Di Pasquale for a second-hand float, and the extents he went to get me a solution within a short period of time was unbelievable. He was extremely decent and a proper gentleman, and I’ve got the utmost respect for him and his team from that first encounter.”

Tuff Trailers has long associated itself with BPW. The business shares an extensive, collaborative partnership with the components supplier covering more than 30 years and thousands of trailer builds.

“We specify BPW axles and suspension systems as a core part of our engineered steering trailer solutions,” says David Dengate of the Engineering and Design Department at Tuff Trailers. “Our relationship involves joint innovation such as integrating powered steering systems with BPW components for our advanced steerable product range.

“We’ve worked together on groundbreaking projects such as our early 8×8 Steerable Low Loader Platform for Harts Transport in 2013, and we’ve had many customers like Hogan’s Heavy Haulage specify BPW on Tuff trailers for over 20 years. It’s a strategic, trust-based engineering partnership focused on delivering high-quality, reliable and innovative transport solutions for our customers.”

David says BPW provides “premium, proven running gear” that aligns perfectly with Tuff Trailer’s emphasis on custom-built, durable solutions.

“We pride ourselves on innovative, custom-engineered Australian-made trailers that are strong, reliable and tailored to customer needs,” he says. “BPW represents premium quality, durability and innovation in axle and suspension technology.”

Tuff Trailers primarily uses BPW axles with drum or disc brakes, heavy duty airbag suspensions and self-steering axles. According to David, they perform exceptionally well on Tuff Trailer applications.

“It’s ‘set and forget’ reliability with minimal maintenance,” he explains. “BPW axles and suspensions deliver outstanding durability, reduced tyre wear (especially with steering systems), strong braking performance and excellent ride quality.

“They handle heavy loads, tight manoeuvres and tough Australian environments, with customers reporting hundreds of thousands to millions of kilometres with few issues.”

Extremely positive feedback from customers reinforces David’s experience with the product.

“Operators love the reliability and low maintenance of BPW axles and suspensions,” he says. “They often tell us that nothing goes wrong with them. They get phenomenal access in tight sites, reduced tyre wear and high resale value due to the quality spec.”

Additionally, aligning itself with BPW has significantly benefitted Tuff Trailers as a business.

“Partnering with BPW reinforces Tuff’s reputation for high-quality, engineered solutions,” David says. “The collaboration has led to strong customer loyalty, repeat business and referrals. It also differentiates our custom trailers in a competitive market, while supporting innovation and contributing to better resale values and fleet performance for our customers. This, in turn, drives our growth.

“Pairing Tuff Trailers’ custom Australian engineering with BPW’s proven global track record in axles and suspensions creates trailers that are built tougher, perform better and last longer in demanding conditions. We’re proud of this partnership and the real-world results it delivers for our customers.”