Italy’s Mantella nominated for the Swedish Steel Prize

Italy-based Mantella by creating an innovative new truck trailer chassis with outstanding performance has been nominated for the Swedish Steel Prize 2018.

The Swedish Steel Prize is awarded annually to recognise the most innovative design utilising high-performance steel, said a statement.

Mantella is one of the four finalists for this year’s prize, which will be awarded during a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 24, it said.

The award ceremony is part of a three-day event where hundreds of international participants will take part in seminars and site visits at SSAB, it added.
 
Mantella is nominated for its Stratosphere 3.0 rear tipping semi-trailer that offers customers a chassis with the same weight as an aluminium frame, but with superior mechanical properties. It has excellent wear resistance, a greater fatigue life, and a weight reduction of approximately 30 per cent when compared to previous trailer chassis, said a statement.
 
Gregorio Mantella, plant director at Mantella, said: “We have created the strongest, lightest, most efficient and most beautiful tipping semi-trailer available on the world market. In the sense of our mission as a company, we have achieved very interesting results.”

The chassis is made entirely of high-strength steel with formed Z-beams instead of the classic



welded I profile. Eliminating the welded beams gives vital improvements in fatigue resistance as well as production efficiency, it said.

It also provides an increase in load capacity, while maintaining a low weight. Additionally, the body of the Stratosphere 3.0 is made from wear-resistant steel, guaranteeing excellent durability over time, it added.
 
Mantella continued: “In 2015, we started studying the possibilities of using even higher grades of high-strength, performance steel for semi-trailer frames, with excellent results in terms of weight and durability.”

“Strength and lightness are distinctive features of our vehicles. Our partnership with SSAB has allowed us to offer vehicles with a sleek, high-performance, lightweight and durable design, without forgetting about their appearance,” he added.
 
The Swedish Steel Prize jury’s motivation for selecting Mantella as a finalist for the recognition is: Mantella has made a unique design and an innovative solution for a trailer and body that represents an entirely new generation. It was made possible by fully utilising the advantages of high-strength and wear-resistant steel, combined with skilled design work and smart production methods. This new, lightweight trailer has improved stability, low operational costs as well as high transport efficiency, it stated.