MAXIMISING SERVICE VEHICLE UPTIME AND AVAILABILITY

HOW SHERMAC BUILDS CUSTOMER FEEDBACK INTO OUR DESIGNS 

Shermac has been providing customised, engineered-for-purpose service vehicles to the resource sector for two decades. While customisation is critical as vehicle design must reflect the specific operational needs for the unique environment of the customer, it is also an opportunity for continual design improvements that increase vehicle reliability, productivity and uptime, and minimise risk for customers. 

Shermac Production Manager, Steve Ray commented, ‘Shermac has been in business since 2002 and many buyers have been in and around service vehicles longer than we’ve been in business. They’ve worked their way through the ranks from servicing equipment to senior management roles. They’ve done the job, seen what works and what doesn’t work, and they bring insights from many years of experience. As customisation is part of our DNA, we actively seek input from our customers about what can be done differently and better’   

An example of this is how Shermac addressed a customers’ concern about potential cross-contamination of fluids. A service vehicle might contain as many as eight different storage tanks with each compartment containing a different fluid. The customer was very concerned that undetected cross-contamination between, for example, coolant and engine oil would have a serious impact with huge potential repercussions if it were to occur.    

In response to these concerns, Shermac re-engineered vehicle layout to separate oil-based and water-based fluids and separated individual tanks so that any leak was immediately apparent and cross-contamination could not occur.  

Every service person would experience grease viscosity to be a problem. By designing our service truck modules so that the grease tank is adjacent to the hydraulic oil tank module, it is an effective solution to warm the grease, making it easier to transfer into the unit being serviced. It also helps cool the hydraulic oil. 

Service vehicles operate in tough off-road environments where the potential exists for the vehicle to become bogged in poor conditions. Working with customers, Shermac designed recovery systems that make it easy and safe to tow the vehicle and these have now become now standard features of Shermac vehicles. 

In another example, a standard service vehicle will require a stand-alone delivery system for each of the fluids on-board. Each delivery system will include a filter assembly to ensure the product being transferred complies with particular filtration levels, defined by ISO 4406. To assist in filter maintenance, each filter includes a pop-up alert to advise the operator when a filter change or clean is necessary. 

These examples illustrate Shermac’s commitment to incorporating customer-led design and engineering into the build of service vehicles to ensure ease of maintenance that maximises vehicle uptime and availability with predictable lifetime cost.

Mining companies can ill afford unplanned downtime. The costs are eye-watering – around $180,000 per incident, according to industry experts. As an example, a dump truck out of action results in 17 percent reduction in mine output per hour. A custom support vehicle, such as Shermac’s purpose-built service trucks, would enable the dump truck to remain in service for longer, thus optimising productivity and uptime. 

Productivity of core production assets is heavily influenced by the processes and resources that are deployed to optimise their uptime. These resources include an array of service vehicles that are the backbone of routine maintenance and service needs of critical production assets. Downtime on a service vehicle can increase the downtime of a mining vehicle or production asset. 

Shermac has been providing customised, engineered-for-purpose service vehicles to the resource sector for two decades. Customisation is critical as vehicle design must reflect the specific operational needs for the unique environment of the customer. A common example would be a vehicle customised to carry a larger than normal volume of fuel, coolants and lubricants. It can sufficiently service all the mining vehicles working at a particular location. One-size definitely does not fit all.  

Customisation requires an understanding of the specific challenges faced by any customer, a deep-seated intellectual curiosity to look for ways to solve problems and do things better, and concept-to-delivery engineering and manufacturing capabilities.  

CUSTOM SUPPORT VEHICLES CUSTOMISED FOR OUTPUT AND AVAILABILITY 

In an upcoming series of blogs, we will shine a light on how Shermac’s unprecedented industry experience is reflected in everything that we do. This supports our goal to be the lowest risk supplier of service vehicles to the mining industry with the lowest lifetime cost of ownership. 

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be exploring a number of critical themes:  

• How Shermac incorporates smart design and engineering into the build of service vehicles to ensure ease of maintenance that maximises vehicle uptime and availability with predictable lifetime cost.
• Some of Shermac’s initiatives and innovations in systematically looking at all tasks that an operator might be expected to perform and using smart design to ensure that safety is engineered in, and hazards are engineered out.
• Operators in the mining industry get the job done over and over again. We explore how spending site time and walking-the-walk with operators and understanding workflow has resulted in meaningful improvements in task productivity and efficiency.
• Some of the initiatives and innovations that have been introduced by Shermac to minimise downtime of production assets.

Follow us on LinkedIn to ensure you don’t miss out on this mining industry series.

By: Stephen Ray, Production Manager at Shermac

As Australia’s leading provider of customised vehicles servicing mining, civil and construction, Shermac know what keeps buying managers awake at night. 

Late delivery, products not matching specifications, vehicles not complying with state transport laws and on-site failures post-delivery are every purchasing manager’s worst nightmare.  

Shermac have listened to their customers and refined their comprehensive design and manufacturing processes to ensure the challenges faced by most purchasing managers are solved before they become a problem.

From service trucks and trailers, to diesel trailers, water carts, tilt trays, drill support trucks, plant trailers, boilermaker’s vehicles, mobile workshops, and fuel and crane trucks, Shermac deliver exactly what customers need, when they need it.

Late delivery 

Shermac are aware that failure to deliver a vehicle on time causes havoc for their customers, especially when additional work needs to be carried out by the dealer before it goes on-site. Not fitting within their schedules has a knock-on impact which affects training, inducting and ultimately production.

Delivery deadlines are reverse engineered by working out the total build time early in the production process, so the delivery date can be agreed by all departments involved with the design and build.

Each week a Shermac customer receives an update by email, including photographs where possible, to show in real time where the product is in the process. A production job board is checked daily to ensure progress toward the deadline is on track.

An extensive checklist aimed at early problem solving enables Shermac to minimise the time wasted on having to rectify mistakes. This 50-point checklist improves operational efficiency by solving nascent production problems, preventing errors and reducing the amount of reworking required, all of which cause delays. It provides an additional check on workmanship such as bolt-tightening and other standard but critical tasks.

However, in the unlikely event that a problem emerges – perhaps because of the late arrival of a component – Shermac always communicate this to customers in a timely fashion. The company believes it is better to be upfront than let the customer know the vehicle will be late the day before delivery is due.

Products not being exactly what they ordered 

Customised vehicle buyers often complain that what they ordered isn’t what is eventually delivered.

Unlike some suppliers, the Shermac business model is to build what the customer wants and will solve their problem, not what the supplier might happen to have in stock.

For example, fuel delivery rates. If a customer wants a fuel pump that will fill a tank in eight minutes, it’s not acceptable to provide a pump that takes 15 minutes to do the job.

Shermac solve this problem by working closely with the customer during the design process, an additional point of difference in the industry.

They explain that each category of product has a master model, a standard design that is customised by manipulating the model to suit the job. The customer reviews the model before the componentry is ordered so they know what to expect and Shermac know what to build.

The initial proposal worked through with a customer becomes the checklist at the end of the job to ensure that what is delivered is exactly what was ordered.

Non-compliance with state transport laws  

As every purchasing manager knows, transportation laws differ depending on state and whether the vehicle is intended for use on public or mining roads.

Shermac’s extensive experience with customising vehicles used in multiple situations, ensures that issues affecting rear signage, rear overhang, length, weight and height are all taken into consideration in the proposal phase of the process. For example, if a vehicle will be used on WA roads, it will be no wider than the regulation 2500mm and the rear indicator lights will be the requisite 1200mm above the ground.

Weight limits are observed to ensure maximum volumes without overloading and incurring hefty fines. Mine-site roads are subject to different rules, including strict loading limits, so Shermac work with customers to ensure the parameters such as weights and loads are observed while providing everything they want on their vehicle within allowable limits. 

The processes that enable Shermac to guarantee compliance with local rules includes producing weight reports, understanding weight distribution on different vehicles for stability, and configuration so weight is loaded correctly over the axles.

Post-delivery on-site failures  

Many of Shermac’s customers report that a particular problem is the difficulty of fixing vehicles when they are being used in remote areas. Understandably, they are unhappy if a product reaches the site and something goes wrong because it can be a big deal to fix.

They want their vehicles to be fit for purpose – whether that is for months or years – and not to cause headaches. They warrant workmanship for three years and provide product support by making parts available, and guaranteeing componentry matches what’s on-site.  

Shermac pride themselves on understanding and focusing on customers’ pain points and working closely with them throughout the customisation process to ensure the finished vehicle is delivered on time, is fit for purpose, complies with relevant laws and won’t break down when it is least convenient. 

Ready for a consultation? 

Our team can create a customised vehicle to suit different budgets and requirements by assessing your needs and creating a custom vehicle solution. Call our knowledgeable and experienced team on 1300 799 943 with your inquiry.

By: Michael Ray, CEO at Shermac

In many buying situations, the customer knows exactly what they want and chooses their desired product off the shelf, out of a catalogue or from among the standard items the company produces.

That is not the way it works at Shermac.

Shermac is an Australian vehicle customisation company, based in Western Australia and we’ve been manufacturing customised equipment for mining vehicles for nearly two decades. The plant employs a team of designers, fabricators, painters and assemblers.

We mainly supply mining conglomerates – BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group – but also customise equipment for OEM dealers (e.g. Caterpillar, Komatsu etc.) around the country.

The process of customisation begins months before the vehicle is scheduled to start work on a site when a fleet manager determines an existing vehicle is approaching the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced.

The customer comes to us with a concept in mind and the team asks a range of questions designed to uncover how the vehicle is going to be used. Questions such as the optimal servicing intervals for minimising downtime, what servicing products will be needed and whether they will be easily available. Only once all these and other queries have been satisfactorily answered, will we come up with a concept that meets the client’s objectives and does the job that needs to be done. A common example of this would be a vehicle customised to carry a larger than normal volume of fuel, coolants and lubricants to sufficiently service all the mining vehicles working at a particular location.

Shermac products are complex and often a linchpin of the production process. It needs to be reliable and a full complement of spare parts readily available. A further consideration is the environment with the spillage of hydrocarbons, oil, diesel, fuel coolants and other toxic products not acceptable practice.

Another part of the discovery process is for us to understand what each person involved in the purchase needs. For instance, the truck operator – who often treats their vehicle like family – wants to be sure there is storage available for their specific needs. The plant manager on-site is responsible for keeping the fleet at optimum performance, so will make decisions based on mechanical considerations such as oil change intervals, grease points etc. The commercial buying manager wants to reduce risk and to know that money is being spent wisely.

Once we feel that we have a full understanding of what the company is trying to achieve, our design engineers come up with a graphical representation of what the customised product will look like and its dimensions.

When all the stakeholders have had an input and the design is finalised, a purchase order is received from the customer and, if needed, finance arranged. Around 50% of the vehicles that we customise are on finance plans with Shermac paid on delivery of the vehicle. High levels of trust exist between Shermac and our customers and so we don’t require deposits.

With the purchase order safely in hand, the design is finalised and turned from a graphic representation to a finished design so the manufacturing process can begin. Shop drawings are made that include the details for parts needed to be brought in. This includes any steel needed, which arrives cut to shape, and is then bent, folded and joined to create the necessary product. It is tested for leakages and double-checked for quality control.

Once it passes quality tests, the product’s surface is prepared for finishing, which involves sandblasting, painting and assembly. Mounted electronic components are fitted and the product itself is affixed to the chassis.

Generally, durability of the product coating takes precedence over aesthetics, and high-quality industrial paint system is used. However, where the vehicle we build is the representation of our customer to their customer, then aesthetic values carry more weight, and alternative coatings such as powder coating may be used.

After finishing is completed, the vehicle is tested again for functionality. Fluid systems are wet-tested to ensure they’re working as designed and are run close to optimum settings for four hours to resolve any bugs.

Once every aspect of the product has been rigorously tested and retested, the vehicle is ready for delivery. If the product is truck mounted, it would go back to the truck dealer for them to carry out their final pre-delivery process. It is then either driven or carried to the work site. As a service to clients, we help arrange these final stages of the process to speed up deployment.

Our team works hard to understand the systems used on sites where the vehicles will be operating and to work with that system to help eliminate human error. For instance, to avoid fuels and liquids being transferred into the wrong tank or reservoir, connections are colour-coded. In another case, an oil change for a digger was taking 12 hours every two weeks. We devised a solution that slashed the oil change to just 45 minutes. This out-of-box thinking saved the customer both time and money.

We encourage clients to be clear on what they want to achieve so we can recommend the best solution from the outset. For instance, if the high number of trips required for refuelling is causing problems, we will use our knowledge and experience to come up with a solution that might not otherwise have been thought of.  

This type of creative thinking is why we are nationally recognised vehicle customisation consultants and advisors with a reputation for integrity and quality.

1. LOWER TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP

Shermac specialist vehicles have a lower cost of ownership over their lifespan. Because they are built using only high-quality components that last longer than cheaper parts our customers report experiencing fewer breakdowns, resulting in less downtime for their vehicles.

2. EXCLUSIVITY

Shermac vehicles aren’t found on every street corner. They are most likely to be purchased by companies that understand the benefits of quality vehicles, supplied by a reputable company which delivers on its promises. We don’t aim to sell the most products; we sell the best products for the job our customers require them to do.  We deliver the ideal solution for individual requirements, not an off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all (but suits no-one) product. This means our lead times are longer than non-customised products which is why we recommend customers talk with us early in their decision-making process.

3. RELIABILITY

At Shermac, we pride ourselves on our reliability. We stand by the reliability of our products, the components we use to build them and our ability to service what we sell, no matter where in Australia you may happen to be. Also, we give you realistic timelines for delivery rather than make promises we know we won’t be able to keep. We undertake to keep you fully informed every step of the way.

4. QUALITY

Our customers tell us that the high quality of our products gives them significant advantage over their competitors, which saves both time and money. They have to replace their vehicles less often, spend less on servicing over a vehicle’s lifespan, experience fewer breakdowns and consequently have less downtime. This both reduces costs and improves margins and is reflected in their bottom line.

5. STANDARD FEATURES

Shermac vehicles come with standard features that others can only dream of! These include higher fuel delivery flow rates that reduce refuelling times and increase productivity rates.

6. NATIONWIDE SUPPORT

Even in locations where Shermac has no physical presence we provide full support for the products we sell. We have a strong network of agents which gives us local support plus we can have a fully qualified, experienced serviceman on your site within 48 hours.

7. CUSTOMISATION

No matter what the intended use of your vehicle or how unusual the customisation request you make, Shermac can supply what you need. We offer a wide range of truck brands and sizes, tank sizes and configurations, and flow rates that can solve any problem.

8. COST SAVINGS

A customised vehicle from Shermac can result in enormous cost savings through increased productivity. For example, when a vehicle costs $60,000 an hour to run, if refuelling time is reduced by half an hour a day, the annual saving is more than $10 million a year per machine. This extra production time means that a vehicle pays for itself in only two to three weeks.

9. REPUTATION

Shermac is a well-recognised brand with extensive industry experience, making us the lowest risk supplier of specialised support and service trucks in Australia.

10. SAFETY

We provide many extra safety features that come standard on our machinery rather than being optional extras. We believe strongly in providing safe working environments and including safety features is one way we can help our customers achieve this.

11. PRICE

When quality, total cost of ownership, reliability, cost savings, support, standard safety features and customisation are all taken into account, Shermac products are well priced. They are not the cheapest on the market, but we believe strongly in providing superior products built using quality components, that are crafted with true workmanship and include safety features which improve working environments.

As an operator, you need to be ready when unexpected situations come up, and solve challenges creatively, quickly and efficiently. You don’t have time to work with substandard vehicles that can’t withstand the harsh environment, including the extreme heat, cold, dust and other conditions you and your equipment are exposed to on a daily basis. You use these vehicles, so Shermac understands you know what you need to be successful.

Shermac is the solution to your business challenges. We design, manufacture, supply, and support innovative products and provide reliable, responsive services that help you carry out your responsibilities as an operator. You use it and know what you need, we listen and build it. We provide a wide range of specialised support vehicles that enable the mining, civil and commercial industries to get the job done, over and over again.

Shermac is an Australian-owned and operated business that custom-build water cartage and support vehicles for sectors from a purpose-built design and manufacturing facility in Dalwallinu, Western Australia. You want intelligent design that ensures productivity and efficiency. That’s why Shermac is a low-risk solution: We get it right the first time.

Other companies offer standard equipment, but you are confronted daily with unique situations where standard equipment doesn’t solve problems. You deal with dangerous situations and a harsh environment: it’s hot, it’s dry and safety is paramount. Shermac builds reliable equipment especially made for your specific preferences and needs. There’s nothing “standard” about it. Safety is engineered in; hazards are engineered out.

You have to travel long distances to reach a workshop for repairs and service in Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. We understand you need a customised, flexible, innovative design that gets the job done, over and over again. We provide knowledgeable field support and maintenance as well as spare parts in our mobile workshops. We go where you go.

We pride ourselves in always being responsive to our customers. Go to our website at www.shermac.com.au to get your preliminary questions answered, and then get your specific questions answered by contacting Shermac by phone or email. We welcome your questions, and our customers are our top priority.

Learn more about our customised solutions today: We customise service trucks and trailers; mobile workshops; fuel trucks and trailers; water carts; crane trucks; boilermakers; and other products such as trailers, tipper trucks and tilt trays.

Be sure to contact us about spare parts; our knowledgeable customer service will detail what parts we carry and what we have in-stock. Trust Shermac to provide end-to-end support from design, sourcing, manufacture, hand-over and ongoing support and maintenance. We focus on our customers’ needs and find solutions for the challenges you experience on a daily basis.

Your crew services, repairs and maintains heavy equipment outside of a workshop, and to ensure minimum downtime and maximum productivity, you rely on equipment that can do its job day-in and day-out. Customised equipment is everybody’s first choice, and it’s especially important for companies who encounter unique situations on a daily basis.

Shermac provides industrial quality products for the toughest environments. In fact, we design, manufacture, supply and support a wide range of specialised support vehicles for your particular needs, preferences, circumstances, and environment. When we say we customise and support vehicles for the mining, civil and commercial sectors, we mean it. Trust Shermac to focus on you, our customers, and on the best solution for your unique challenges.

Long distances are a given in Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, and Shermac understands productivity is crucial. As a maintenance supervisor, you know meticulous engineering is connected to productivity, because you can’t afford — the time or money — to have a vehicle break down on a regular basis. Shermac quality build means minimum downtime and maximum productivity. As a flexible, responsive, reliable company, our service includes supplying spare parts and field support and maintenance. We provide the support and after-sales service you’d expect from an industry leader.

This is the process: Whether you choose your own body or tray or we help you with that part of the process, we then design and build the perfect combination of innovative elements for your situation and environment you need on a daily basis, including service trucks and trailers; fuel trucks and trailers; water carts; and other products such as trailers, tipper trucks and tilt trays. Shermac provides predictable performance and predictable costs.

Get your questions answered quickly and completely today. Go to our website at www.shermac.com.au to get your preliminary questions answered. Contact us via phone or email to get your questions answered so you can make innovative recommendations to your supervisors.

Shermac is an Australian-owned and operated business that custom-build water cartage and support vehicles from a purpose-built design and manufacturing facility in Dalwallinu, Western Australia. That’s what Shermac is all about: Our customers are our top priority. We are focused on you and responsive to your business challenges. Be sure to contact us about spare parts; our knowledgeable customer service will detail what parts we carry and what we have in-stock. Shermac provides end-to-end support from design, sourcing, manufacture, hand-over and ongoing support and maintenance.

What’s important to you as a buying manager is important to Shermac: You need customized equipment for your service vehicles. You want creative, flexible products to reflect your particular needs, preferences and circumstances.

Other companies offer standard equipment and layouts, but your crew needs unique business solutions.  Your crew has to deal with a harsh environment: It’s hot, it’s dry, and safety is paramount. Standard equipment doesn’t address your specifications. Shermac equipment is customised to your environment and application; Shermac builds innovative equipment especially made for your specific preferences and needs. There’s nothing “standard” about it. It’s customised to do the job that you need to be done.

When your company makes a purchase, it’s a significant purchase. You and your crew want a customized truck that lasts for years. Shermac designs and builds customized, fit-for-purpose equipment that’s delivered on-time, as-specified and ready to work. Shermac’s meticulous engineering and manufacture ensures optimum productivity and a predictable lifetime cost of ownership. Every product reflects our industry experience making us the lowest-risk supplier of specialised support and service vehicles in Australia.

You need to service, repair, and maintain heavy equipment, so Shermac’s customized service trucks, water cartage trucks, crane trucks, fuel trucks, boilermaker’s vehicles, diesel trailers, service trailers and other quality mining vehicles that provide repair, service and maintenance outside of a workshop is what you’re looking for.

Shermac understands productivity is crucial. Travelling long distances is the norm in Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, and productivity goes down when your crew has to travel long distances to reach a workshop for repairs and service. Shermac’s mobile workshops provide reliable, responsive, and flexible field support and maintenance as well as crucial spare parts. Shermac goes where you go, and gets you and your crew back to work as soon as possible.

Shermac is an Australian-owned and operated business that custom-build water cartage and support vehicles for the mining, civil and commercial sectors from a purpose-built design and manufacturing facility in Western Australia. Trust Shermac to get your questions answered quickly and completely by phone or email. We are customer-focused and solution-focused. Our customers are our top priority.

Our focus on the small details lets you focus on the big picture. Be sure to contact us about spare parts; our knowledgeable customer service will detail what parts we carry and what we have in-stock. Shermac provides end-to-end support from design, sourcing, manufacture, hand-over and ongoing support and maintenance.

Contact us via phone (1300 799 943) or email ([email protected]) to get the questions answered that help you discuss solutions with your supervisors. We have the creative business solutions to help your business succeed.

Whether you need to store water, fuel, or any other chemical, it is important to know which type of tank best suits your needs. Tanks come made in a multitude of materials, in this article we compare steel, fibreglass, and polyethylene, each with their own benefits and weaknesses. At Shermac, we primarily use steel tanks for all of our vehicles.

Deciding which tank is appropriate for your needs can be an overwhelming and confusing task. Reliability, budget, maintenance, and sturdiness are all factors that come into play when deciding the material of a tank.

Below is a quick guide to some of the advantages and disadvantages between steel, poly, and fibreglass tanks.

STEEL TANKS

Steel tanks are highly durable and reliable. The strong surface makes them difficult to puncture or damage, with steel being easy to manipulate into any shape or size. This is a key factor as to why Shermac use steel tanks. Not only will they survive in the harsh conditions experienced on site, they will withstand increases in temperature and perform better than poly and fibreglass against fire.

At Shermac we manufacture all of our steel tanks onsite, blasting and painting them using a quality two-pack paint system internally and externally, with corrosion protection systems available for operation in corrosive site conditions.

Steel tanks, however, are much heavier than polyethylene and fibreglass tanks, increasing transport and installation costs. Over time, galvanised steel will rust and corrode if not properly maintained. If used for water storage, zinc may eventually leak into the water leaving a metallic taste.

POLYETHYLENE TANKS

Polyethylene tanks are generally one of two types; fabricated or moulded.

Fabricated polyethylene tanks are mostly manufactured from flat sheets of high density polyethylene (HDPE). The construction methodology of fabricated tanks is similar to steel tanks, with the sheets being welded together with the use of specialised equipment to form a base, sides, and roof, to the required dimensions.

Generally, fabricated poly tanks require more baffles than a stainless steel or aluminium tank, which can cause issues with larger holding tanks. Another downside is the fact that the manufacturing process is very specialised. This has an effect on their availability and increases their price.

Moulded polyethylene tanks are rotationally moulded from low density polyethylene (LDPE), resulting in a single piece construction, which reduces any weaknesses that may occur in the seams, while at the same time decreasing any risk of leaks.

Both LDPE and HDPE tanks are generally lighter in weight than steel, with polyethylene able to sustain a reasonable hit without deforming or rupturing.

Cons associated with moulded LDPE tanks are the fact that they suffer from discolouration when used for diesel storage and tend to fatigue quicker than steel when used in high duty cycle situations.

Customisation of LDPE tanks can also be quite expensive. Custom moulds need to be manufactured, which can be quite time consuming for manufacturers who may be unwilling to do so as there might not be sufficient enough market for them to recoup this cost.

Another disadvantage to using LDPE is the limited baffle options available for moulded tanks. This poses a problem with liquid surge in larger cartage tanks, affecting both the durability of the tank and the carrying vehicle safety. Moulded LDPE tanks, similar to fibreglass tanks, are also prone to algal growth due to allowing more light penetration than HDPE or steel.

While poly tanks are recyclable at the end of their lifecycle, they pose a higher risk of failure in a fire (you can penetrate a PE tank with a cigarette lighter), or extreme temperatures.

Some of the advantages of using HDPE and LDPE poly tanks include the fact they are resistant to most chemicals and corrosion. Their single piece constructs provide strength and durability, giving the tanks the ability to withstand harsh conditions.

FIBREGLASS STORAGE TANKS

While less popular and harder to find than poly and steel tanks, fibreglass tanks offer greater heat protection and are resistant to rust and chemical corrosion. They are available in multiple sizes and are able to be placed above or below ground.

With the manufacturing process for fibreglass tanks being more time consuming, this results in a higher price than an equivalent tank constructed from steel or poly.

When used for water storage, fibreglass tanks are prone to algal growth due to allowing more light penetration that steel or HDPE poly tanks. The brittle construct of these types of tanks also makes them less appealing than steel or poly as they are prone to crack easily.

Shermac are here to help!

When consulting with our clients, it is important that all advantages and disadvantages of tank design and material are discussed. All of our products are rigorously tested to ensure they perform at the peak of their ability.

For more information about the type of tank that will best suit your needs, call us today on 1300 799 943, we are here to help.

For 15 years now, Shermac has been designing and engineering a range of support trailers and vehicles for the mining, civil, and commercial sectors.

We understand that equipment downtime negatively impacts production time which leads to a decrease in profit.

Our product range includes Service Trucks, Service Trailers, Diesel Trailers, Water Carts, Tilt Trays, Drill Support Trucks, Plant Trailers, Tipper Trucks, Boilermakers Vehicles, and Mobile Workshops.

By supplying purpose built support vehicles that are efficient, effective, safe, and easy to use for mining, civil, and commercial work sites, we are able to help our clients businesses become more productive.

At Shermac, our ultimate goal is to provide more production time for your equipment. Our experience in the mining, civil, and commercial sectors has given us intimate knowledge on the practical demands placed on service trucks. With this knowledge, we know how to engineer the correct solution to meet your practical and operational requirements.

For more information on how Shermac can help your business become more productive, view our product range and contact us today on 1300 799 943 for a consultation.