Specialised livestock and bulk transport equipment manufacturer, Byrne Trailers, has come a long way since founding its operations at Peak Hill, New South Wales, in 1974. Over a decade later it branched out to Wagga Wagga, and then in 1993 it made the push interstate – establishing a service and manufacturing depot in Queensland.

The mid 1990s were a pivotal time for Byrne Trailers, where it not only focused on company growth, but also invested in innovative moving floor technology to enhance trailer payload delivery, also enabling more efficient maintenance of the cargo space.
David Byrne, General Manager at Byrne Trailers, has been immersed in the family business for over two decades, focusing on supplying fleets in the agricultural sector with tailored heavy vehicle equipment.

“Over the years, Byrne Trailers has worked closely with international trailer builders throughout Europe and the US,” David says. “With access to some of the best engineers involved in the development and construction of moving floor systems, our in-house team can apply this extensive research and knowledge to our understanding of Australian operating conditions.”

In 1995, Byrne Trailers fully realised the performance benefits associated with the Keith Walking Floor suite of ‘Walking Floor’ products, and so it invested in state-of-the-art gear and fitted its first B-double walkthrough walking floor combination, which David says is the first of its kind in Australia.

US-based materials handling solution provider, Keith Walking Floor, has a global network of dealers that distribute the company’s signature unloading products, and has been in business since 1973. The horizontal unloading action of a Keith Walking Floor system subverts the challenges associated with load shift or tipping a trailer in inclement weather.

The most recent Keith V-Floor is designed for heavy-duty use, with the option of floor slats that are made from Hi-Wear steel.

“The Keith V-Floor unloading system is intended for heavy loads, with its unique sub-deck, bearing and slat configuration to absorb load impact,” according to the manufacturer, Keith Walking Floor.

“The rugged V-Floor slat is matched with the Keith V-Drive, which is the latest advancement of the Running Floor II drive technology. The double-rod arrangement of the V-Drive hydraulic system divides the unloading forces between both ends of the drive frame, distributing force and allowing for faster unloading times.”

By the late 1990s, Byrne Trailers broadened its scope and produced moving-floor-spec’d trailers for customers in the waste management sector. In 2000, Byrne Trailers produced its first aluminium ‘leak proof’ Walking Floor trailer.

In line with industry developments, David says that the trailer builder’s focus has evolved so that it takes a more holistic approach when designing new trailers, specifiying Keith Walking Floor – adding BPW Transpec’s Cargo Floor range as an option.

“In the past three years, Byrne Trailers has taken a more middle-of-the-road approach with its trailing equipment design,” David says – explaining that the priority for fleets at the moment is all about optimising the usage of heavy vehicle assets and ensuring excellent value.

According to Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA), Byrne has also been credited with designing and commercialising a number of revolutionary trailers including the 4×2 convertible livestock trailer and the double deck cattle trailer alongside its moving floor innovations.

“Byrne Trailers is about to launch a new trailer design in April – a full aluminium build for medium and light duties that will be suitable for most sectors, with the choice of a Keith Walking Floor or Cargo Floor system. These trailers can also be built to custom specifications.”

David says that Byrne Trailers generally designs heavy vehicle equipment to complement other innovations such as pre-compaction chambers for waste. “Light tare weight is a critical factor of Byrne Trailer trailing equipment builds. With lighter, more efficient, use of cargo space there is capacity for more payload.”

Fast Fact
The Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) announced a national partnership with specialised livestock and bulk transport equipment manufacturer, Byrne Trailers, in July last year.
(ALRTA) represents road transport companies, based in the small communities of regional and rural Australia, particularly working in agricultural and livestock transport.
New South Wales and Queensland based company, Byrne Trailers, has a livestock transport specialty that aligns closely with the ALRTA’s focus, as the demands and responsibilities of caring for live cargoes mean livestock carters have unique loading entitlements, fatigue rules and registration arrangements in many parts of Australia.