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At Entrack, we go to great lengths to ensure our customers make money. Wrong advice can cost thousands of kroner per day
Entrack didn't become Norway's largest centre for new and used construction equipment parts by accident. It's been achieved through decades of hard work, a sky-high level of knowledge and a fierce commitment to the industries in which it operates.
You might think that success is measured by selling as much as possible, at all times. At best, this is a truth with modifications at Entrack. Herbjørn C. Haug, product manager for steel products, says they almost think «the opposite».
- It's simply not profitable for us if our customers tear up their plough steel over and over again and have to buy new ones. That's not our intention, because we are completely dependent on our customer group making money. It doesn't pay for us if they're struggling financially - it only creates problems for us. That's why our goal is for our customers to make money. Both the customer and the supplier should be able to eat dinner," he says clearly.
WARNING: The story continues below the picture.
Giving clear advice
Haug emphasises that his thinking is not just about pure wear products such as plough steel, but across the entire range of products Entrack offers. He is therefore heavily involved in the development of new, wear-resistant products and, not least, in improving customer expertise.
- The most common mistake customers make is choosing the wrong product. "When it comes to ploughing, we have a clear idea that on black roads, hard metal and slush cutters provide the best economy, while when it comes to white road strategy, you can often use one steel universally, instead of juggling between two or three," he says.
Immediately, Haug dives into the enormous bank of expertise he carries around with him. It's no exaggeration to say that he has an above-average interest in technology. If there's one thing he's keen on when it comes to ploughing, both on black and white roads, it's that the products Entrack offers should be the best on the market.
- Optimal mix
He points to Nordviq's products as an example of both quality and innovation.
- "With Nordviq 500 plus, a range of cutting road steels, we believe we have found an optimal alloy that gives us the best properties in terms of wear resistance. It has a superb mix of hardness, toughness and frictional heat resistance," he begins.
The different metals selected for the products are definitely not chosen at random. Haug has been involved in the development of the Nordviq range herself.
- When it comes to our carbide inserts, it's very important to say that all of them have newly mined tungsten carbide. Tungsten carbide is not tungsten carbide. In our solution, it is crystallised as a snow crystal. Since tungsten carbide's binder is cobalt, the freshly mined tungsten carbide pieces will sit very hard against the cobalt, and thus be very durable. If you have recycled tungsten carbide, all the crystal arms are ground off in the recycling process and they have a poorer bond with the cobalt, which in turn means that the wear resistance is poorer. "That's why we dare to claim that we have the highest quality on the market," says Haug.
WARNING: The story continues below the picture.
Mistakes are costly
If the customer chooses the wrong steel, or drives too fast, large sums of money can be lost. Haug tells a story from the local ploughing community.
- The right steel and the right use determine whether you make a profit or not.
Herbjørn C. Haug, Entrack AS
- Choosing the wrong steel can cost you thousands of kroner a day. A set of tungsten carbide for a plough costs between 9 and 12,000 kroner, depending on the width of the plough. "I have a friend who was ploughing near here. His driver had overslept one morning and was therefore in a hurry. When they checked the GPS afterwards, he was doing 80 kilometres per hour. He wore out a set of carbide tyres on a five-mile lap. Therein lies the difference between correct and incorrect use. "It's crucial to use the products correctly, because the margins in the industry are no greater than that. The right steel and the right use determine whether you make a profit or not," says Haug.
For the record, he adds how it can be done.
- If you drive correctly, you can drive one season on the same steel. But the driver must have a good feeling and interest in what he is doing. If you're going to sit in a plough truck or a construction machine, you have to have a heart for your job. If you don't, the machine owner won't make any money. That's absolutely crucial," he emphasises.
The laws of physics apply
It should be «ABC for ploughing enthusiasts», but for the record, Haug gives a crash course in physics.
- The strategies that work on white roads can be forgotten on black roads, because there are big differences in heat generation. Classic mistakes that are made are the wrong product on the plough and too high a speed. You have an intersection between plus/minus 35 to 37 kilometres where the wear curve goes almost straight up. Then you have the aspect of how much water there is in the snow. If it's snowing at 12-15 degrees and you're driving for 40 kilometres, there's so little water in the snow that you have almost no cooling. After all, it's the friction that creates the heat. 40 kilometres of light snow results in much higher wear and tear than 40 kilometres per hour with 12 centimetres of slush, because the water cools the whole way. If there's 12 to 15 centimetres of slush, you might be able to drive 42 kilometres per hour and get the same wear and tear as you would at 32 kilometres per hour with dry snow," says Haug.
Nevertheless, the «laws of physics» are constantly being violated. Even against their better judgement, in some cases.
- On the E6 around here, they drive at 50-60 kilometres. It's sheer mistreatment of wear steel, but then you have to add that they have to drive that fast or the traffic stops. And since they have to, I can even make an exception to the rule that it's not profitable for us if our customers tear up the steel too quickly," Haug grins.
See more info about Entrack's proprietary carbide Vektor below the picture.
Unique vector
Entrack's new product, Vektor, is a hard metal for white goods vehicles that can largely replace the usual smooth and perforated steels. The unique thing about Vektor is that it has tungsten carbide soldered into each tooth, so it has an extremely long service life compared to ordinary steels.
It has a toothed profile on one side, while it is dense on the back, so even if it tears, it won't leave debris behind the plough or grader. The product has been tested over a long period of time with good results and the first batch will arrive in November/December. If the results are as good as Haug and Entrack believe, they will go full steam ahead from next season.
The technology is brand new from Entrack.
- There is very little tungsten carbide in this tooth, which means that it is nowhere near as expensive as a normal tungsten carbide tooth.
The product is developed with users in mind.
- "People don't want to change steel so often, and I understand that. If you've been under a plough and your fists get cold from hitting wedges, you don't want to do it again. That's why we've tried to find an ice ripper for white roads that has a longer service life than the alternatives," says Herbjørn Haug at Entrack.
Click here to see our range of ploughing equipment!