Customer case

Dionbilt’s lightweight trailers drive high performance with Strenx® redesign

September 08, 2021

5 min read

A long lightweight trailer chassis made with Strenx® 100 standing on snowy ground

Case details

Country

United States

Company

Dionbilt Manufacturing, LLC

Industry

Trailers and body builders

Brand program

My Inner Strenx<sup>®</sup>

Dionbilt Trailers in Washington, US, developed a winning formula for making lightweight trailers with the Strenx® 100 grade high-strength structural steel. Moving up from T-1 steel made the trailers easier to produce, lighter and more attractive.

“When a potential customer doesn’t want to buy a chassis without this sign, then you know the program is working. It makes me happy that Dionbilt is being recognized by our customers for our frames that are My Inner Strenx® certified.”
Branden Dion, owner of Dionbilt
Close-up photo of a white trailer chassis beam with My Inner Strenx sign

Dedication to high quality certified by My Inner Strenx®

Dionbilt demonstrates commitment to high quality in trailer design and has been a member of My Inner Strenx® – SSAB’s quality program for selected OEMs – since 2016. Each of Dinobilt’s certified trailers features the My Inner Strenx® sign of quality that customers can trace as proof of their performance.

See what My Inner Strenx® can do for your business

Strenx® 100 speeds through the workshop

Dionbilt is a long-time user of SSAB’s high-strength structural steel grades. “There is a great difference compared with the T-1 (A514) material we used before,” says Dion. “We’re impressed by the steel’s consistency, flatness and surface quality. Bending Strenx® is so much easier than with T-1. It behaves the same for every bend. T-1 varies a lot and needs more setup and checking to get the bends right. Naturally, the change to Strenx® has saved a lot of time.”

Get the full picture of Strenx® 100 properties and dimensions

Strenx® makes for smooth, good-looking trailers

The flat, clean and smooth surface of Strenx® in its natural state improves welding speeds and allows welders to more easily complete passes. The common issue of welding spatter is minimized. Spatter is the sparks of tiny pieces of molten metal that fly from the weld and land on all surrounding surfaces. The spatter needs to be removed post-weld to get a clean steel surface.

With Strenx®, Dionbilt can weld without using anti-spatter spray, saving time both before welding and after when preparing the parts for painting. The smoother the surface, the better the paint job. A trailer with a flat and glossy appearance is a sign of quality and it stays clean much longer, while a rougher surface picks up more dirt from the roads.

LEARN more ABOUT STRENX® STEEL in trailers
View from the rear of a trailer combination made by Dionbilt

Customer benefits in short

- 200 kg (400 lb) lighter trailer

- Higher strength makes for thinner beams

- Predictable bending properties

- Faster production time

- My Inner Strenx® supports sales

Strenx® performance steel

Strenx® performance steel can make your products stronger, lighter, safer, more competitive and more sustainable. We call it performance steel, because it adds performance beyond ordinary structural steel.

Find out what upgrading to Strenx® can do for your products and your business