All Godwin Group manufacturing brands are making a switch from SSAB 450 Hardox abrasion-resistant steel, to Hardox 500 Tuf abrasion-resistant steel as their primary AR steel offering, the truck equipment manufacturer reported.
Effective immediately, all product offerings and options formerly containing AR steel will see the upgrade. This includes everything from whole dump body models to HD series snowplows and all cutting edges.
The switch is being rolled out as a “substantial value-added upgrade” to Godwin product lines with no additional costs being passed on to customers, the company noted. Hardox 500 Tuf is often used in heavy duty equipment like excavator buckets and crushers due to its superior strength and abrasion resistance. This is a wear resistant improvement of up to 40% over 450 Hardox steel which has become popular in the dump body industry.
The company also pointed out that while many dump body manufacturers use AR400 as their standard AR offering, 500 Tuf has up to double the wear resistance.
"It is our intention to continue to raise the bar in our industry,” Godwin Group President Pat Godwin Jr. said. “With trucks becoming harder to get and at higher prices, it is more important than ever that we continue our practice of offering high value equipment that is going to last."
In some instances, the switch to Hardox 500 Tuf can make dump bodies more profitable, the manufacturer added. Due to its higher strength, slightly thinner steel can be used in dump body construction to further increase payload without sacrificing durability.
Customers can expect to start seeing a transition from Hardox 450 to Hardox 500 Tuf in all Godwin Group Marketing and specification materials over the next year.
Godwin Group brands include Godwin Manufacturing, Good Roads, Galion, R/S Godwin, Williamsen-Godwin, and Champion Hoist.
