Van der Sluis Transport: Powerful cleaning solution in complete truck-wash plant

The trucks of Van Der Sluis Transport from Staphorst have been running for three generations to provide transport and crane services. The distinctive red-and-yellow trucks are a familiar sight on the roads, both at home and abroad. They always look spotless, because every Saturday, four employees thoroughly clean the fleet in the modern car wash. Waterkracht provided the perfect cleaning solution for this state-of-the-art facility.

The collaboration

• Possibility of hot water washing with efficient heating method
• Close cooperation with Kenta Industrial Tools & Service
• Customised solution with powerful high-pressure pumps and efficient C-rail system

When building new premises, Van der Sluis was given the opportunity to set up a new wash bay:

• The trucks, equipped with loader cranes and complex components, require thorough manual cleaning (washing with a gantry washer is therefore not an option).
• Van der Sluis wanted to clean their vehicles with hot water, but faced the challenge of achieving this without using gas.
• The wash bay provides space for four employees to work simultaneously without getting in each other's way.
• The installation is in line with the company's sustainability goals, with optimal use of water and energy.

We delivered a customised solution tailored to Van Der Sluis Transport's requirements and installed by Kenta Industrial Tools & Service.

We first mapped out the exact cleaning needs, such as the size of the room, the frequency of washing and the required capacity of the pumping equipment. Based on this, we developed a customised cleaning installation to match the specific requirements:

• The high-pressure pumps enable four employees to work at the same time, with two people per pump (2 HD spraying and 2 foaming, or a combination).
  
  
• The heating method using flow-through diesel burners heats the water to a minimum of 70 °C. In this new-build situation, this proved to be the most efficient solution compared to electric heating.
  
  
• The installed C-rail system ensures that the high-pressure hoses move smoothly along the carwash, without hindering employees. This eliminates hoses lying on the ground and spray lances are always within reach, contributing to a safe working environment for both employees and equipment.
  
  
• For added convenience, the pumps are equipped with remote controls and a timer, to avoid unnecessary energy consumption when the plant is not in use. Employees operate the pumps on site, instead of in the separate technical room. The timer automatically switches off the system after a pre-set time, preventing the system from running unintentionally.
  
  

Collaboration with contractor & Kenta

At an early stage of the new construction process, we worked closely with the contractor to make important preparations. As the wash bay has sandwich panel walls, it is not possible to mount the C-rail system directly to these walls. Therefore, the contractor had a facility installed in the steel structure of the hall. We placed a beam in the steel structure at the right height, to which a galvanised H-beam was attached in the washing bay. This allowed Kenta to easily mount the C-rail system in a later construction phase.

In part thanks to Waterkracht's solution, Van Der Sluis Transport now cleans two trucks simultaneously in the car wash. While the first truck is foamed in to loosen stubborn dirt, the employees immediately move on to the next truck. Once the foam has soaked in sufficiently, they thoroughly rinse the first truck with the powerful high-pressure spray.

The C-rail system ensures that all cleaning equipment is always within easy reach - ideal for a 30-metre car wash! In addition, the smart lighting on the C-rail contributes to optimal visibility during cleaning.

Our modular solution simplifies the cleaning process, saves time and reduces energy consumption.