A new truck cleaning system, based in the Port Hedland Linfox operation, is claimed to be an Australian first. Replacing a traditional truck washing set up, which required five hours work for three people to handle a B-double tanker, the new system designed and built by Karcher, specifically for this job, cleans the truck down in 15 minutes.
The new system uses two cooling arches, delivering 350 litres/minute, as well as 350 litres/minute underbody washer and wheel spinners. The truck wash recycles over 85 per cent of the water used in the process, improving efficiency in an area where water supply is at a premium, and waste water disposal an issue.
Not only does this new system speed up the cleaning process, it also gets the trucks cleaner, according to Linfox. It replaces a tough hand cleaning job in the process. Cleaning trucks is a hard job at any time, but trying to clean off trucks caked in mud and red dust from working in the iron ore fields is tougher still.