TRT’s Quality Transport Solutions

5 minute read from Roads & Infrastructure.

Tidd Ross Todd has developed its range of transport solutions over multiple decades. Jeremy Carden, Trailer Sales, explains what sets these products apart from the rest.

Tidd Ross Todd (TRT) has specialised in the development and distribution of both cranes and crane trailers for more than five decades. 

Throughout this time, the company has experienced rapid expansion. One of the company’s biggest milestones was its expansion to Australia from its home in New Zealand.

As Jeremy Carden, Trailer Sales – TRT recalls, this expansion started from humble beginnings.

“My family, including my father Bruce Carden who is the Managing Director of TRT, lived over in Brisbane for around two and a half years to push the product,” he says.

“Back then we had just a PO Box and an email address, but we still managed to push a lot of trailers into Queensland and then in a broader sense, into the whole eastern seaboard. A lot of our Castor Steer House trailers started turning up throughout NSW and Victoria.”

In 2016, TRT purchased a site in Queensland, which is now its Australian branch, with a lot of OEM products from New Zealand and overseas going through Brisbane. This site is also responsible for the distribution of Manitowoc, Grove, Kobelco Cranes, and TRT’s very own TIDD PC28-2 Pick and Carry Crane, the only production line motor vehicle being manufactured over in New Zealand. 

TRT offers an extensive lineup of trailers, including platforms, rows of eight, axle wideners, deck wideners, quads, dollys, house trailers, forklift trailers, crane trailers, and construction tippers. 

Renowned for its commitment to innovation and engineering excellence, TRT’s solutions are engineered to maximise the productivity of assets, ensuring they operate at their fullest potential day after day.

TRT has supplied Borger Cranes & Rigging with over 80 diverse Crane Support Trailers and hundreds of Crane Outrigger Pads.

This includes TRT’s Patented ESS trailers.

“They’re tailored to our customers. We don’t just do general flat decks or general freight. We’re in the specialised market in terms of our house trailers, platform trailers, and other specialised gear,” Carden says.

This ethos has forged a reputation for TRT as being high-quality and highly engineered products for the road transport and construction industries across Australia, New Zealand, and the Asia-Pacific.

One example of TRT’s innovation is the safety features and capabilities of its equipment. Despite the size of each unit, TRT has worked to ensure that fleet managers can maximise the safety of their operators.

“What we’ve tried to do is differentiate ourselves when it comes to our range of trailers. For the safety aspect, we’re using double-acting suspension in all of our hydraulic loaders. This is a much more stable and safer system for tire changes, site manoeuvring, loading and unloading.” Carden says.

“Its all about peace of mind for the owner and operators. Over the years there have been several tragic deaths in the industry caused by single-acting ramps falling on people. Double-acting cylinders are the only way to go.”

Carden adds that another point of difference for TRT is the load-carrying capabilities of its crane trailers. 

“The crane trailers are probably our highest-selling products. They’re very specialised in the way that we construct them. They’re incredibly lightweight,” he says.

“In some aspects, they’re the hardest working trailer that we manufacture.”

Jeremy adds that this is due to the trailer's capacity to carry a payload that is up to eight times its own tare weight, designed efficiently to stow, secure, and transport crane components on-site. 

“The ‘taxi crane’ market is highly competitive, and our range of crane trailers gives our customers a big advantage,” Carden says.

Since 2009 TRT has supplied Borger Cranes and Rigging with a diverse range of crane support trailers and hundreds of crane outrigger pads.

Borger Crane Hire and Rigging Services has been in the business since 1980, providing a safe economical crane hiring and rigging service throughout the Sydney metropolitan area, and has now expanded operations throughout Queensland and over into South Australia.

Its service extends from local builders and general taxi-crane hire, to working closely with John Holland Group on major infrastructure projects. Borger Cranes Transport Manager, Rob Beukers says the concept of purpose-built trailers is what initially attracted Borger Cranes to TRT’s products and services. 

“The ability to customise designs specific to our needs for each of our Cranes is ideal in our industry,” he says. 

In total, Borger Cranes have over 80 purpose built manufactured TRT trailers including equipment trailers, CW slab/Wing weight slab trailers, and B-doubles.

There are also another 15 trailers on order over the next eight months.

“What differentiates TRT’s Trailers from other machinery is the quality of their equipment along with their ability to custom build designs specific to our requirements,” Beukers says.

“Our TRT Trailers have been purpose-built to support our extensive fleet of cranes. The trailers are built specifically for the counterweights on each of our cranes. Similarly, the pads are also used on each one of our cranes. Both the trailers and the pads have both performed exceptionally well.

“The products we have received from TRT have always been of superior quality and have always met our requirements. The support from their staff has always been willing and helpful, adding to the quality experience.”

Heavy haulage 

Another key area of strength for TRT has been the company’s success in the heavy haulage space. The company’s established Electronic Steering System (ESS) represents the enterprises’ progress in further pushing the envelope.

“This is not a new concept; it’s proven technology that has been used in the construction and design of mobile and all-terrain cranes and Self-Propelled Modular Transporters since the 1990s,” says Carden. 

The system offers redundancies and backups for each of its key features. The trailer’s computer system aims to detect the offset angle created as the truck turns either left or right. 

These angle changes are picked up by encoders, simple mechanical cogs connected to the slew ring mounted to the trailers skid plate.

These signals are sent to transducers which are housed within the steering ram of each axle leg. The signal tells the transducer where the hydraulic cylinder needs to displace the oil to achieve the correct angle demanded by the truck. This happens simultaneously, resulting in near-perfect steering geometry as the truck completes on-site manoeuvring.

“Some people look at it and think ‘from a steering systems perspective it’s not going to be any good with our harsh conditions’. But that’s a misconception because the product is still 95 per cent mechanical. It’s simply communication and signals. It’s a really effective system,” Carden says.

This system enables operators to have flexibility and actively shift the trailers pivot point from the comfort of the truck cab, allowing them to manoeuvre the machine around corners and obstructions with ease.

Each system is programmed according to the size and specifications of each trailer. Once the operator has calibrated the load, the system then sends a signal to each axle, assisting with the movement of the trailer. 

Beyond reducing risks, operators can also reduce tyre scrub while also increasing the efficiency of the trailer movements. 

“I’d say that we’re still at the top end in the technology side of things,” Carden says. 

Carden says the designs of TRT’s heavy-haulage trailers, as well as the wider product range, are supported by the company’s experienced design team.

“We have nine designers that are permanently employed up in the design office. They’re not a revenue gathering resource, they’re a service provider. In that office alone there’s over 150 years of experience.”

Customer support 

Jeremy adds that even despite on-going shipping and freight issues, TRT is still well equipped to support its customers due to its network of support staff.

TRT’s heavy haulage products are designed to withstand tough applications.

“Our warehouse in Brisbane has continuously expanded, growing in size over time. They’re keeping a lot more stock on the shelves these days,” he says. “We have our product support agents in each state who are on top of things when it comes to our range of products.”

TRT can also bring in specialised and rare parts from its warehouses in Australia or New Zealand.

“We believe in giving our customers the best,” Carden says.

One such customer that has received products and support from TRT is Holz Heavy Haulage based in New South Wales.  

Director of the Australian heavy haulage specialist Maree Holz says the company’s initial interest in TRT equipment was sparked after seeing the quality, design, suspension, and pivot bearings of TRT’s designs. 

“TRT products and equipment are a clear stand out for us and our heavy haulage business. Their products are of high quality, are reliable and allow us to manoeuvre with ease Australia-wide,” Holz says.

“We transport earth moving equipment daily, using TRT trailers without complications. All trailers have performed well leaving us nothing but satisfied with TRT’s products.”

Holz Heavy Haulage now has two TRT 2×8 dollies, two 5×8 floats, three 3×8 floats, one 4×4 steerable deck widener and have recently ordered two more, with an expected delivery for next year. Holz says the commitment of TRT to its customers stands out, particularly for a family orientated organisation such as Holz Heavy Haulage.

“Being a small family run business ourselves, we love their reliability, service and their passion for their family-based business. We have always found TRT to be very accommodating and we have loved working alongside this company since 2011,” she says. 

“They are very approachable and any minor issues have always been quickly resolved without any fuss. We can’t thank them enough for their customer service and providing such high-quality products.” 

If you're interested in a quote or would like to chat with someone regarding our TRT Trailers, you can contact Jeremy Carden at +64273540329 or email jeremyc@trt.co.nz.