Shermac – The new standard in service trailers

Shermac have been manufacturing service trailers in Australia for over 20 years. 

Standard models include the smaller MTS1500 that is typically less than 2,000kgs when full, with an aggregate fluid carrying capacity of approximately 1,000L, and the larger MTS2000 which can be up to 3,500kgs, with a fluid carrying capacity of approximately 1,750L. 

Shermac service trailers have been designed to cater to every site situation. With tank capacities able to be configured to suit every application, a range of products from oil, diesel, coolant, and water can be carried. 

Incorporating 20 years of customisation and improvement 

In 2022, Shermac is proud to release its latest range of service trailers incorporating 20-years of customisation and improvement, with new design features and easier configuration options to create the ultimate on-site service solution for small or large operations.  

Perhaps the most significant change is the use of fluid storage tanks made from poly, instead of steel.  

Weight savings of up to 600kg per trailer 

Poly is extremely durable, and its natural flex minimises the risk of cracking and enables it to be used with confidence in the toughest environments. But most importantly, poly is light and weight savings can be as much as 600kg per trailer.  

Increased flexibility for Service Managers 

A challenge that many service managers face is keeping their vehicles operating within legal weight limits. Take a typical service ute for example, with a GVM of 3,200kg, a GCM of 6,000kg and a towing capacity of 3,500kg. By the time the ute has a service body fitted and is filled with parts and tools, they are generally right on the GVM limits, meaning the towing capacity is reduced to 2,800kg. Any weight that can be saved in the base trailer can be used for extra tools, parts and fluids. 

Other features… 

In addition to fluid storage tanks, other features include: 

• The relocation of the compressor to the trailer drawbar, protected by a secure enclosure. This moves heat and noise generated by the compressor to the outside of the trailer, and makes maintenance, service and refueling much easier. 

• The spare wheel carrier on the rear of the trailer has been redesigned and includes a wheel lifter to improve safety and ergonomics.  

• The option of a roof-mounted retractable work light pole to provide all-round illumination. 

• The overall aesthetics of the trailer have been improved with curved back and front walls and side doors that offer better protection to the operator from sun and rain. 

Reduced lead time 

In a world of supply chain uncertainty, the increased use of locally manufactured components minimises risk and results in significantly reduced lead time. You can have the best of both worlds with short lead times and still configure your trailer to best suit your requirements.   
 
 

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Ready to find out how you can enjoy short lead times and still configure a trailer to suit your specific needs? If you’d like to learn more about Australia’s best and most versatile service trailer, please call our team on 1300 799 943 or email [email protected] with your inquiry.  

The operator of a service vehicle will visit many different locations during a shift and may be required to get in and out of the cabin up to 30 times. 

Climbing into and out of a cab is physically demanding and the risks to operator safety include repetitive strain injuries and the potential for slips, trips and falls. These risks are exacerbated by factors such as uneven, slippery or soft ground surfaces, poor lighting, different cab heights and the different body shapes of operators. 

To mitigate risk, cabin design includes non-slip steps that are deep enough to provide a stable access platform and handrails that are low enough to allow for a comfortable grip and long enough to provide a continuous hand grip up the steps. 

Operators should wear proper footwear with non-slip soles and should routinely check that the non-slip step surface is in good condition. The operator should face the cabin and use the steps and grab handles to establish and maintain three points of contact. 

Despite these measures, strain injuries, slips and falls during entry and exit from heavy truck cabs are common, and access and egress to and from the driver cab is a risk area amenable to engineering as well as behavioural solutions, and a number of truck manufacturers have introduced initiatives to try and address this challenge. 

Low Entry Cabs 

Low entry cabs were specifically conceived for operations that require the driver to climb in and out of the cab several times a day and typically feature two steps and a walk through cab that can be accessed via full-height doors on either side. 

Manufacturers note that low entry cabs are ergonomic and much gentler on backs and knees, and that work processes are significantly faster. 

Kenworth Active Cabin Entry 

The Kenworth Active Cabin Entry (ACE) is a system of hydraulically operated steps that extend outward to form a staircase and a platform to access the cab. The steps have integrated LED lights and there are two switches that can be used by the driver to activate the steps – one located on the dash and the other at the base of the driver’s seat meaning the system can be easily activated to enter or exit the cab. 

As the premier manufacturer of service vehicles for the mining and earthmoving industries, continuous improvement is part of Shermac DNA. We continually monitor industry developments that have the potential to improve operator ergonomics and optimise productivity as part of our commitment to engineering safety in and hazards out. 

The “operating envelope” of a Shermac service vehicle refers to the set of operating conditions and limitations within which the vehicle can operate safely and effectively. It defines the boundaries within which the vehicle’s performance, capabilities, and components are designed to function optimally. The operating envelope takes into account various factors that can impact the vehicle’s operation such as load capacity, environmental conditions, terrain and road conditions, and regulatory requirements. 

Chassis selection is perhaps the most critical decision when considering the operating envelope of a service vehicle. The chassis serves as the foundation of the service vehicle and determines its structural integrity, weight distribution, load-bearing capacity, and overall performance capabilities. Here’s why chassis selection is crucial for the operating envelope of a service vehicle: 

Structural Integrity 

The chassis provides the structural backbone of the service vehicle, supporting the body, engine, suspension, and other components. A well-designed and robust chassis ensures that the service vehicle can withstand the stresses and loads it will encounter during operation. It is critical to the overall stability, durability, and safety of the vehicle, enabling it to operate within its intended operating envelope. 

Load Capacity 

The choice of chassis will define the maximum allowable load capacity of a service vehicle and the distribution of the load. Proper chassis selection ensures that the service vehicle can safely carry the desired payload without exceeding its weight limits or compromising its safety and stability. 

Handling and Stability 

The chassis design influences the service vehicle’s handling characteristics and stability. A well-engineered chassis provides the necessary rigidity, suspension geometry, and weight distribution to ensure predictable and controlled handling. It helps the service vehicle maintain stability during cornering, braking, and acceleration, contributing to safe and confident operation within the operating envelope. 

Compatibility with Body and Equipment  

The chassis selection should consider the compatibility with the desired body type and any specialised equipment or modifications required for the service vehicle’s specific application. The chassis must have appropriate mounting points, structural reinforcements, and load-bearing capabilities to accommodate the intended body and equipment. This ensures that the service vehicle can operate effectively and safely within its operating envelope. 

Adaptability and Flexibility  

The chosen chassis should offer flexibility to meet specific operational requirements. This allows for the installation of auxiliary equipment or specialised storage compartments. The chassis’ adaptability ensures that the service vehicle can operate efficiently and effectively within its intended operating envelope, regardless of the specific application. 

Regulatory Compliance 

Chassis selection also influences the service vehicle’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. It must meet size and weight regulations, emission standards, and other industry-specific regulations that apply to service vehicles. Proper chassis selection helps ensure that the service vehicle can operate legally and within the defined operating envelope as mandated by relevant authorities.

For more than 20 years, Shermac have been designing and manufacturing service vehicles for the Australian mining industry. With a deep understanding of operating in remote areas of Australia, we can relate to the tough conditions that customers deal with on a daily basis. 

Shermac has unprecedented experience in chassis selection and options. This ensures that Shermac service vehicles can operate safely, efficiently, and effectively within their intended operating envelope, optimising productivity and utilisation, and minimising operational risk for our customers. 

If you’d like to discuss your next project, please call our team on 1300 799 943 or email [email protected] with your inquiry.   

As the recovery in Australian economy continues to gather steam after the coronavirus pandemic, supply-chain disruptions in markets around the world have resulted in shortages of many products that Australian manufacturers are used to having readily available and, as a result, prices are being driven up.

A publication from the University of Melbourne noted that ‘Supply, demand and logistics are the three main elements in every supply chain. If one of these is disrupted it can go on to cause a widespread disturbance along the whole supply chain. Currently, global supply chains are experiencing disruption in all three areas…’

Several factors have hampered supply chains over the last two years, including COVID-related production issues, broad-based labor supply challenges, and an imbalance between supply and demand that eliminated all inventory.

A sharp but short-lived decline in demand early in the pandemic prompted many firms to trim inventories and production. This was followed by an unexpected and unprecedented surge in demand for goods, and the challenges for businesses to return to pre-pandemic levels are compounded by labour shortages and logistical challenges. A backlog of shipments and containers waiting to be delivered has created congestion in ports and a general shortage of containers is limiting shipping capacity.

Sourcing a wide range of inputs from suppliers around the world, Shermac are not immune from the global supply chain disruptions, and this creates the potential for disrupting the Shermac production line.

In many cases, Shermac has been dealing with its raw materials suppliers for many years and benefit from reliable, well-understood relationships with them, and Shermac has endeavoured to minimise the impact on clients by increasing its material inventories.

Shermac’s business processes have stood the test of time and weathered the peaks and troughs of the mining and earthmoving industries for two decades. With the unprecedented challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic, the best assurance of on-time delivery for client projects is time, and, quite simply, the more notice that Shermac has of client needs, the better able it is to ensure that the materials for client projects are on hand and available.

Like everyone else, we hope that the supply chain bottlenecks are soon resolved and the situation stabilises. All clients can however be assured that Shermac will never compromise on the quality of its products and will take every possible action to ensure that production schedules are maintained.

If you have any queries, call our team on 1300 799 943 or email [email protected] with your enquiry. We look forward to hearing from you.

Kerb Weight is the weight of an empty vehicle with all fluids such as oil and coolant and a full tank of fuel. It is literally the weight of a vehicle parked at the kerb and ready to drive away.

The Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is the maximum weight of a fully loaded vehicle as specified by the manufacturer. This is equivalent to the Kerb Weight plus the weight of all accessories and the payload. The payload is the weight of everything loaded onto the vehicle, which includes the driver and passengers.

The payload carried by a vehicle must be properly distributed to ensure it does not exceed the maximum load that the front and rear axles can carry, as specified by the manufacturer.

The Kerb Weight less the GVM is the total payload capacity – the total weight of accessories, cargo, and people that the vehicle can transport without towing a trailer.

If a vehicle is towing a trailer, several additional factors must be considered to ensure a vehicle can reliably and safely tow a specified load and can launch – move a load from a complete stop, accelerate and climb.

The Trailer Weight (TARE) is the weight of an empty trailer, while the Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) is the maximum axle load that the trailer can carry as specified by the manufacturer.

When towing a trailer, the bulk of the trailer weight is taken by the trailer wheels, but a small proportion is passed to the towing vehicle via tow bar. The Tow Bar Download (TBD) is typically between 10% and 15% of the GTW, and together, the TBD and the GTW form the Aggregate Trailer Weight (ATW) which is the maximum towing weight as specified by the manufacturer.

Finally, the Gross Combination Mass (GCM) is the maximum combined weight of a vehicle and trailer as specified by the vehicle manufacturer. In the same way that cargo on the towing vehicle needs to be properly distributed to not exceed the axle capacities, so too does cargo on the trailer. As a rule of thumb, approximately 60% of the load should be in the front half of the trailer but it is important to note that overloading the front of a trailer will increase the TBD and potentially exceed the 15% range which may result in impairment of vehicle performance.

Headquartered in regional Western Australia, Shermac has been designing and manufacturing high quality, engineered-for-purpose mobile equipment in the mining, civil and commercial sectors since 2002.

Shermac engineers utilise world-class technology that allows them to exactly measure vehicle and trailer load, and weight distribution and compliance is verified at several stages in the Shermac design process. An initial weight report is submitted at quotation, another is submitted at completion of detailed design and engineering, and a final weight report is submitted pre-delivery.

Weight distribution is the amount of the total vehicle weight imposed on the ground at an axle, group of axles, or an individual wheel. The weight on a truck must be distributed on the axles to comply with the chassis manufacturer’s axle ratings and weight laws. 

Axle capacities are limited either by the axle capacity or legal weight limits, whichever is lower. In addition to axle capacities, the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is the maximum operating weight of the vehicle specified by the manufacturer, which takes the cab and chassis, engine, and every other component of the truck into account. 

The centre of gravity of an object is a hypothetical point at which weight is evenly dispersed and all sides are in balance. Each truck component, including passengers and cargo, have a centre of gravity.  

In physics, “moments” are a force or weight times a distance. Moments provide a way to combine several components or items to calculate a centre of gravity for them as a group. When the centre of gravity is known for all items combined, it is possible to calculate the weight on each axle. 

From a vehicle owners’ perspective, it is important to match the capacity of the truck to the weight it is expected to carry. An overloaded truck is unsafe and illegal but if a truck consistently hauls less than its capacity, the owner is not realising a full return on investment and operating costs will be higher than they should be. 

In addition to being illegal and the risk of penalties, improper weight distribution and overloading cause excessive wear and premature failure of parts, unsafe operation such as compromised directional control and insufficient braking capacity and additional stresses that may be instrumental in causing the frame to crack or break. 

Careful consideration must be given to distribution of the load weight to determine how much of the total, including chassis, cab, body, and payload, will be carried on the front axle and how much will be carried on the rear axle, and the total. Moving components a few inches forward or backward on the chassis can mean the difference between acceptable weight distribution for the truck or an application that will not do the job satisfactorily. 

Headquartered in regional Western Australia, Shermac has been designing and manufacturing high quality, engineered-for-purpose mobile equipment in the mining, civil and commercial sectors since 2002. 

If you have a technical query or would like to discuss your next project, call our team on 1300 799 943 or email [email protected] with your inquiry.   

Jacob Moore purchased his first grader in 2006 and worked on a number of different projects in Townsville, Queensland such as subdivisions, road, railways, tailing dams and mines. 

Fast forward to 2021. Jacob has been based in Western Australia since 2011 and his business – Top End Civil, has expanded to include trim graders and trim dozers for clients in mining and road construction. 

As the owner of a small business, Jacob wanted to optimise his productivity without compromising the quality of his work and he realised that the biggest bottleneck was water. “When trim grading” said Jacob, “you need a water cart all day long and if you are relying on other contractors, you’re reliant on them for the pace at which you can work”. 

“I decided to invest in my own water cart – the first one that Top End Civil has bought – and I immediately spoke to Shermac. I’d seen Shermac equipment on plenty of jobs and it always impressed me as a really good quality product” 

“I had some well-developed thoughts about how I wanted the cart configured and Shermac made it incredibly easy. The process was fantastic – they listened to what I wanted and made a few helpful suggestions, and everything was sorted very quickly without any messing around. They stuck to the time frame for build and the cart was ready when they said it would be.

“The 8×4 cart is really well set-up. I’ve heard about how difficult other people were to deal with, but my experience with Shermac was fantastic and I got exactly what I wanted. It’s definitely the best-looking water cart I’ve seen – it’s a real head-turner and I get positive comments about it every day.” 

“While the compliments are nice, the real benefit is that I now have the best equipment and that maximises my productivity and helps me to do the best job possible.”  

“The truck has been fantastic and there is absolutely nothing I would change about the entire process of dealing with Shermac” 

After his initial experience with  Shermac,  Jacob has just ordered a service trailer from Shermac and said, “The process was just as easy second time around. It’s really refreshing to talk to people who really know what they’re doing.” 

Ready to find out more? Talk to our expert team to find out more about how custom design and concept-to-delivery engineering and manufacturing capabilities can optimise productivity and efficiency.   

The Black brothers – Todd, Dean and Marc, founded TDM Construction Ltd in 2004 and, today, the business is headquartered in Pukekohe in New Zealand’s North Island, about 50 kilometres south of Auckland.

Originally established as a small specialist drainage business, TDM has expanded its team and its services to provide a wide range of civil construction services to some of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure companies and private sector developers in the Auckland and Waikato regions.

TDM now own and operate a sizeable fleet of equipment including excavators, tractors, scrapers, graders, and telehandlers.

TDM Fleet Manager, Marc Black said “We’ve only ever invested in high quality Caterpillar and John Deere equipment, and we look after it properly. About 5 years ago, we built a trailer so our maintenance teams could transport lubricants to job sites. While it helped us get the job done, it wasn’t optimum, and we decided to spend the money to get the right equipment for the job.”

“I’d heard a bit about Shermac. They had a good reputation and I thought one of their service trailers would help make everyone’s lives much easier. I wanted the trailer to be customised and told them the oil capacities I needed, and they said, ‘no problem’ – it was very easy and straightforward.”

“When the unit arrived, everyone was blown away. It is top-of-the-line equipment, and we were very happy with it. Our on-site team love it and it enables them to present extremely professional on site.”

“The business benefits have been obvious, and our service teams are much more productive on site and get the job done much faster. Another benefit is that we’re not asking people to handle heavy drums, and that has eliminated a health and safety hazard. Everyone is very happy.”

Shermac is an Australian family-owned business, headquartered in regional WA and employing a diverse, highly skilled, and multi-cultural staff of more than 50 people. Shermac manufacture high-quality, engineered-for-purpose mobile equipment in the mining, civil and commercial sectors. 

Many businesses have a tagline and while they may sound snappy, they often have no meaning.

At Shermac, our tagline – Safety and productivity engineered in. Hazards and risks engineered out® is derived from real feedback from a customer and serves as a constant reminder to our customers and our employees about what we stand for, what dominates our thinking and how we approach every project for every customer.

Established in 2002, Shermac is an Australian family-owned business that specialises in custom-built water cartage and support vehicles for the mining, civil and commercial sectors. 

Shermac was borne out of the realisation that the operational needs and operating environments of customers were so diverse that standardised equipment did not offer them sufficient flexibility and, while customers were looking for customised equipment options, these were not available in the equipment manufacturers marketplace. 

The Shermac team has addressed the specialised requirements of our clients that demand one-off engineering solutions to operate in some of the most hostile environments on earth. For the past 20 years, we have designed, engineered and fabricated equipment for some of the worlds’ largest mining and civil engineering contractors, including BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Thiess, Komatsu and Alcoa.

The entire Shermac organisation is relentlessly focused on maximising operator wellbeing, vehicle uptime and productivity with outstanding build quality that ensures lowest lifetime cost of ownership.

We will not settle for anything less.

Born out of the need for high quality, engineered-for-purpose industrial vehicles and equipment, and established in 2002, Shermac is an Australian family-owned business that specialises in custom-built water cartage and support vehicles for the mining, civil and commercial sectors.

Shermac realised that the operational needs and operating environments of customers were so diverse, that standardised equipment did not offer them sufficient flexibility. While customers were looking for customised equipment options, these were not available in the equipment manufacturers marketplace.

National Sales Manager Robert Ray said, ‘While our business has been based on customisation, over the past twenty years, perhaps inevitably, certain proven and popular designs have emerged particularly around our core of service vehicles and water carts.’

‘In all our proven designs, the key design elements such as tank size, dispensing systems and vehicle configurations have the flexibility to be changed to meet the specific needs of clients’

We might get an enquiry from someone who says, “I was looking at your Mineserve 1500 and, while I like the look of it, I need additional diesel fuel capacity. Can that be done?”. Our response is typically, no problem, let me send you through some details of a unit we previously configured like that…’

‘We want our clients to know that these configuration options are usually things that we’ve done before and are quick and easy to implement but still offer clients the benefit of proven design with operational flexibility.’

‘This doesn’t mean that we’ve lost sight of our roots and we’re delighted to focus the full resources of the Shermac organisation on developing customised solutions for clients with specialised or unique requirements.’

‘With everything we build, we actively minimise design and engineering risk, delivery risk and performance risk. This means that customers get equipment that is entirely fit-for-purpose and ready to do the job it is expected to do, and they get it on-time and on-budget. We stand behind our products throughout their operational lives and are so confident in their quality that we offer an industry-leading three-year warranty.’

With a deep understanding of operating in remote areas of Australia, the Shermac team can relate to the tough conditions that customers deal with every day, and the company has unprecedented experience in fit-for-purpose and lowest cost of ownership service vehicles for mining, civil and commercial environments.  

Ready to find out more? Talk to our expert team to find out how our service vehicles can maximise utilisation and productivity and minimise business risk. Call our team on 1300 799 943 or email [email protected] with your inquiry.