Terex Trucks

An accomplished manufacturer of articulated haulers, Terex Trucks is looking to benefit from a buoyant construction industry worldwide, as it plans considerable expansion overseas
Powering through

An accomplished manufacturer of articulated haulers, Terex Trucks is looking to benefit from a buoyant construction industry worldwide, as it plans considerable expansion overseas

Terex Trucks has been proving its heavy equipment manufacturing credentials for nearly 70 years. Based in Motherwell since its beginning in 1950, when it was formed as Euclid Great Britain (a subsidiary of Euclid Road Machinery located in Ohio), the company first acquired the name Terex in 1968. This happened when its then owner, General Motors, decided to divest the Euclid brand, leading to the remaining earth moving division being renamed.

1982 was the next milestone year in Terex’s history, as the business launched its first ever articulated dump truck, its signature product up to present days. The company’s ownership then changed hands again in 1992, when North West Engineering bought Terex from General Motors, before the manufacturer was finally acquired by its present owner, the Volvo Group, in 2014, when a division of Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) called Terex Trucks was established.

According to Managing Director Paul Douglas, operating a vertically integrated design and manufacturing facility gives Terex Trucks the edge over its competitors, allowing it to produce haulers to the highest standards. “All of the articulated hauler design work is done here, at the factory, and the trucks are largely made onsite, too. We buy steel plates and form the main chassis frames and dump bodies. We also assemble components on our state-of-the-art assembly lines using digitally controlled torque tooling.”

Terex Trucks manufactures two models of articulated haulers – the TA300 and the TA400, with payloads ranging from 28 to 38 tonnes, which find applications in mining, quarrying, and construction around the world. Paul introduces the vehicles to us: “Our articulated haulers are very simple to operate, providing and maintaining high-performance capabilities. They are extremely reliable trucks of the best quality, fitted with the latest engine and transmission technology.

“The 28-tonne TA300 is equipped with true independent front suspension as standard, to enable excellent traction control and operator comfort, also ensuring maximum productivity in the most challenging of conditions. Furthermore, the hauler’s fuel efficient five-cylinder Scania DC9 engine meets the requirements of EU Stage 4/EPA Tier 4 Final emissions legislation without a diesel particulate filter,” explains Paul.

In July 2018, the TA300 was updated with a new transmission to further improve fuel efficiency. The articulate hauler now incorporates the latest EP320 transmission from ZF as standard, resulting in a five per cent improvement in fuel efficiency. The new transmission has come with eight forward gears, as well as four reverse gears, higher overall gear ratio spread, equal ratio steps between gears, and optimised gear shifting with partial load shifts. Moreover, the hauler’s maximum speed has increased to 55 km/h, so that customers can achieve faster cycle times and lower cost per tonne. Having been calibrated specifically for the TA300, the EP320 transmission was tested for two years internally and by operators on real job sites working in a variety of conditions, before it was introduced to the highly-regulated emissions markets of Europe and North America in August this year.

Boasting a six-cylinder Scania DC13 engine and an Allison HD4560, the 38-tonne TA400 is the second type of dump truck offered by Terex Trucks. Paul reveals some of the vehicle’s key capabilities: “Its planetary gear transmission provides smooth and efficient gear shifting for optimised fuel consumption and reduced cost of operation. On top of that, ground level test points and a fully tilting cab, combined with an electronically raised hood, ensure ease of service and a reduced downtime.”

Energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction are known to have become a leading topic across the whole business spectrum, as more and more companies begin to pay greater attention to the necessity of ensuring an environment-friendly future for their businesses. Terex Trucks has taken certain green policies to heart and the manufacturer has been on a journey to implement these, enthusiastically supported by Volvo. “We have recently invested in LED lighting systems across the whole site, which will help us significantly reduce our energy consumption. In order to be consistent in our actions, we closely monitor the energy useof our equipment, and we know which areas to invest in next,” Paul asserts. “We have also been closely measuring and managing our idle energy and through that, we have identified many waste energy areas that have subsequently been removed. Our aim as part of the Volvo Group is to become a carbon neutral site.

“In the meantime, we are trying to increase awareness of end-oflife recyclability. Our new product development (NPD) processes now include a full evaluation of the disposal of machines when they reach end of life, as well as the level of recyclability that is possible,” he points out. “As part of the NPD process, these factors are considered at the beginning of the design process, as opposed to being reflected upon afterwards. To complement our efforts in the area, we have also invested in extending the life of individual components, as well as the whole machine.”

Encouraged by the growth of the articulated hauler market, Paulis looking to steer Terex Trucks to a stronger global presence. As a result, the development of newoverseas dealerships has moved to the top of the agenda for the company. “We distribute our products internationally through a number of independent dealers. Right now, there are several key markets that are particularly strong, including North America, South America, Indonesia, Australia, France, and Russia. North America, France, and Germany are the regions where we are currently expanding our operations, trying to reinforce our commitment to customers and dealers alike. We have recognised the need for strong partners who understand the local customers and can deliver high-quality support and solutions. Our role here is to provide them not only with the products, but also with genuine spare parts manufactured in our factory. We also have a dedicated team to provide training either on the Motherwell site or travel to the franchisee’s location to train dealers on product details, applications, special features, and service requirements,” he outlines Terex Trucks’ plan to strengthen its proposition abroad.

“The market is definitely on the upswing at the moment. There is a large demand for energy, housing, and infrastructure in many parts of the world, which, in turn, is driving demand for construction equipment. Against the backdrop of these positive trends, we want to continue to grow in terms of volume output and, ultimately, market share. We are confident that the projects we have for facility development and product investment will mature and come to fruition in the next few years,” Paul summarises optimistically.

Terex Trucks
Products: Articulated haulers