German Kempf points the way to Strenx™ 960
German company Fahrzeugbau KEMPF offers tailored solutions for various transport needs including dump trucks and trailers, tipping semi-trailers, beverage semi-trailers, sliding floor systems as well as for a great number of special vehicles. A long-term customer of SSAB, they have used Strenx™ 700 for a long time and are now working together with SSAB to upgrade their trailer chassis to Strenx™ 960.
Kempf is a private company established almost 70 years ago and is today managed in the second generation by brothers Norbert and Heinz Kempf together with the grandson of the founder (Walter Kempf) Daniel Dressler and another family member Manuel Kempf.
Established by, Walter Kempf, the company first started converting old pre-war vehicles for agricultural use. The company later switched to producing trucks and tipper bodies and is currently the third largest provider of tipper applications in Germany.
Fahrzeugbau KEMPF now has approximately 300 employees and operates in three different locations, two in Germany, the headquarters in Bad Marienberg and a nearby repair shop for used trucks. The third location is in Poland, where a large part of the steel production takes place. Kempf’s customers are wherever tippers are needed, for example in quarries.
Pursuing the benefits of upgrading
“Kempf has been a customer since the 1990s, and we have always had very good co-operation with them. They have used Hardox® in their tippers for years and have now been a member of the Hardox In My Body network for two years. The great thing is that they are very progressive and open to technical advances, which makes cooperation easier from the technical development aspect,” says technical development manager Martin Bülter from SSAB Special Steels.
“We have used SSAB’s high-strength steels for many years and we know their benefits. We have used Strenx™ 700 for a long time and are now upgrading trailer chassis to Strenx™ 960 with the aim of delivering even better products and customer service. We expect Strenx™ 960 to give us approximately 10% weight reduction in the frame. Weight reduction is very relevant in our business,” says design manager Markus Hilpisch from Kempf.
Hardox® In My Body means partnership
Strenx™ and Hardox® combined result in performance benefits. Hardox® in tipper bodies means life-long endurance, whereas Strenx™ is ideal for weight reduction. Hardox® tubes can be used for example in the tipping axle. There is also an increasing shift away from heavy plate to strip in the side walls,” explains regional sales manager Christoph Bednarz from SSAB Special Steels.
“Hardox® In My Body is not only a label on the product. It means partnership with SSAB, with our input to innovate. We want to explain the benefits of upgrading to our customers, but at the same time we need to listen to the customer so that we can integrate our steel into the customer’s production chain,” says Martin Bülter.
The customer’s business in focus
“The customer’s business in focus is one of our values at SSAB and we want to stand out from our competitors. For us, this means that in addition to having a clear owner of the customer relationship on our side, we have also many others in close contact with them and very close cooperation between different functions. The main contact is sales, a kind of key account, to listen to customer needs before talking to different departments to involve them,” explains Christoph Bednarz.
“It is very important to be open with the customer and to build trust, telling about the possibilities, but also about the risks. It is the responsibility of sales to involve other departments in SSAB, for example, Technical Development, in the dialogue. We have visited Kempf several times with our Knowledge Service Center people. Being available for the customer is a key factor,” Christoph Bednarz continues.
Watch the film made together with Kempf:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNlo9M8tFho
HARDOX® IN MY BODY
Hardox® In My Body has more than 30 members in Germany. Altogether there are more than 400 members in over 60 countries. The Hardox® In My Body logo on a product verifies that it has been manufactured using Hardox wear plate and not an inferior imitation. It means that your buckets, containers, mixers, demolition tools or other applications represent a first-class product that delivers unsurpassed wear resistance and impact strength, saving you time and money down the road. So, when you see the Hardox® In My Body sign, you can be sure you're getting a superior steel product manufactured by a qualified program member.
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