Sureweld: Australia's trailblazing manufacturer that keeps the country moving

Australia's landscape is vast and rugged. As a nation thriving on development and progression, Australians demand portable, durable, efficient, and innovative solutions. Enter Sureweld, the country's leading aluminium loading ramps and plant trailers manufacturer and a company synonymous with quality and resilience.

Focused on keeping Australian commercial contractors moving, Sureweld has grown exponentially since it was founded in 1976. Its ramps and trailers are 100 per cent Australian-made, using locally extruded aluminium sourced from Capral and manufactured in Wangaratta, in northern Victoria.

Sureweld sales manager Gareth Hansen joined his father, Sureweld managing director Carl Hansen, in the business when he left school. He has advanced from dispatch and welding to driving sales and supply relationships.

"We manufacture the strongest and lightest weight ramps on the Australian market, on a strength-to-weight ratio," Gareth says.

This isn't just a claim. The company has consistently outperformed its competitors. "We have a ramp with a six-tonne capacity that weighs a little over 50 kilograms; others on the market weigh 70 to 80 kilograms," Gareth points out, emphasising the immense value their products provide to operators who handle them in and out of the back of trucks all day.

The company's standard loading ramp range caters for machines from 450 kilograms to 11.5 tonnes, and the business can custom-build to suit machines up to 25 tonnes.

After establishing its credentials in the ramp market, Sureweld noted the burgeoning demand for lighter-weight trailers to suit Australia's braking requirements. In addition, while plant and machinery were getting heavier, towing vehicles were getting lighter, with less towing capacity.

"We started with a trailer to suit machinery weighing up to 1.7 tonnes and now have models that can carry up to 4.1 tonnes," Gareth reflects on the company's journey.

What sets Sureweld apart from its competitors? It's a blend of their ethos, the team, advanced machinery, and design innovations. "We invented the aluminium loading ramp and aluminium plant trailer in Australia," Gareth proudly emphasises.

But the edge doesn't stop there. Sureweld's investment in top-tier machinery like robotics, CNC water jet cutters, brake presses, and guillotines ensures precision and consistency. Hansen asserts, "Automation offers a better finish on our products and helps with the consistency of our products going out to customers. All of our products are good."

However, Gareth stresses that automation does not reduce staff numbers but attracts a different skill set. The 30-strong Sureweld team includes the in-house engineers who design and build prototypes that go into the field for months, even years, to test for any fatigue issues. Fabricators, a trailer fit-off team, and sales and dispatch personnel contribute to Sureweld's exceptional quality standards.

The high quality of Sureweld products is also a testament to their partnership with Capral. "With aluminium, you can craft it to the correct size you need for strength-to-weight ratios. With steel, you are limited by what the steel mills produce. Working with Capral in aluminium, we can create the perfect extrusion," Gareth explains. Over the years, this collaboration has evolved, bringing about innovations in product design and material usage. "Our engineers have been able to go to Capral and work out what is efficient to extrude," Hansen mentions, reflecting on the synergetic relationship.

Sureweld has also worked with Capral on the grade and temper of aluminium it uses. "We use a high marine grade, the highest you can get in Australia. The grade and temper we are using now have taken several years to master, and its weldability and structural integrity are the best Australia offers," Gareth says.

Looking to the future, Sureweld has grand plans. Their motto, "keep Australians moving, using our trailers and ramps," drives them to expand and innovate continually. Hansen shares, "It gives you a buzz when you go to the opposite side of the country, and you see a Climaxx by Sureweld ramp or a Rollmax by Sureweld trailer. It gives you a buzz to know that your product is well received and is slowly venturing into overseas markets."

Sureweld is more than just a manufacturing company. It symbolises Australian ingenuity, resilience, and commitment to quality. With a legacy of excellence, partnerships built on mutual respect and innovation, and a vision for the future, Sureweld is poised to keep Australia, and perhaps the world, moving and working for decades to come.

For a deeper understanding of how aluminium is increasingly supplanting other materials in the transportation and allied sectors, delve into AL Circle's exclusive report titled, "Future of Aluminium in Transportation Sector - an industry analysis with forecasts to 2027”. This report offers comprehensive insights into the expanding use of aluminium in various applications within the transportation sector and provides valuable forecasts for the years ahead.