PRESENTATION
Dear Client, When deciding on the acquisition of a new tanker, there are a number of complex factors to be taken into consideration. For this reason, we are providing this simple, direct and straight-forward description of the many solutions we have to offer. Here you will find the answer to the question: WHY Cobo If you have decided to incorporate new tankers into your fleet, these pages explain why Cobo is the best choice in the market to meet your transportation needs. This comprehensive catalogue gives you a hard copy of all the details and information provided by our sales team during sales calls or visits to our facilities. It includes our advances in R&D+iT and the latest improvements we have made to increase the profitability of your business and enhance the quality of the service. We provide technical specifications, images and detailed explanations for you to know our products, the benefits Cobo has to offer and what sets us apart from the competition. Our tankers are synonymous with Quality, Trust and Profitability. All of our solutions are designed and manufactured to offer your company: • Lower Operating Costs • Greater Profitability • Greater Safety • Higher residual value for the vehicle • Enhanced corporate image. Finally, Cobo is always open to its clients and we invite you to visit our facilities for a first-hand look at where and how our tankers are manufactured. We believe such visits are beneficial to both parties, providing a great opportunity for us to continue creating a great product. Yours faithfully,
Federico Cobo San Miguel Managing Director
Fernando Gomis Galán Managing Director 1
At COBO, we put something of ourselves in each of the tankers we manufacture. We value the long term commitment of our personnel and work to further their training and professional growth The company is proud to have up to three generations of the same family working together, united in their commitment and dedicated to the continuous improvement of the quality of our products. The principal goal of company management and the entire team at COBO is to develop and implement the most modern production systems and to manufacture a reliable, safe and unique product that sets the standard for our competitors.
EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM
OUR TEAM
TRUST IN THE MARKET COBO was founded in 1955, building tankers for transporting petroleum from the oil fields of Lora, in Burgos, Spain. In those days the company also began to manufacture insulated aluminium tankers for transporting liquid asphalt, replacing traditional transport methods in drums. This innovation was a significant advance for the sector at that time. Today, 60 years later, thanks to the hard work and professionalism of our team, Cobo is one of the most well established and experienced European companies in the sector, earning the respect and recognition of Clients and Suppliers around the world. Cobo is the leading manufacturer of tankers for the transport of petroleum products, bituminous substances and other material. We are also a pioneer in international trading commencing the export of our tankers during the 1980’s. In the early 1990’s Cobo exported vehicles to Argentina and contributed to the technical and administrative development of the sector in the country. We have been a leader in neighbouring Portugal for more than 25 years and have established a strong position in such demanding markets as the United Kingdom and Ireland in the last 20 years. We have continued to expand into other countries of the European Union, Algeria and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates) as well as Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, New Caledonia, etc. Another achievement for the company has been our introduction into the Russian Federation, gaining a greater presence year by year in the principal fleets across the country. After more than three decades, COBO has firmly established itself on five continents. This has been achieved through the hard work and dedication of our team and inspires us to continue in the same vein. Cobo currently has one of the most advanced facilities in the world for the manufacture of tanker trailers & trucks. The success of this new plant is based on the key concepts of organisation, efficiency and the rationalisation of processes, R&D+iT, health and safety and a firm commitment to environmental responsibility. 2
Thanks to our continuous development, COBO is at the forefront of European and global technology in the sector. This dedication has been recognised and rewarded with the trust and loyalty of our clients across five continents. One of the virtues of the company has always been our ability to listen and work hand in hand with clients in manufacturing for the various markets where we operate, always offering unique solutions of the highest quality.
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COBO has assembled a highly skilled Engineering department, the majority having over twenty years of experience with the company, providing exceptional professionalism and added value to their work. Both the engineering teams dedicated to both product design and the manufacturing process are and have always been exclusive to the company. The Engineering department employs the most advanced systems for design and structural calculation, permitting the simulation and testing of all designs prior to manufacture. These tools are continuously updated. COBO is at the forefront of engineering technology and in continuous development, improving processes on a daily basis, providing high quality technical solutions and meeting the demands of the markets where we operate.
ENGINEERING AND THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN
EXTRUDED ALUMINIUM PROFILES One of the most significant characteristics of our tankers is the intensive use of extruded aluminium profiles in critical structural areas. All profiles are designed by our Engineering department and tested under the most exacting conditions. These designs are protected under the corresponding International Patents (PTC).
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This is a profile designed by COBO and manufactured using special aluminium alloys, achieving great structural durability, ensuring maximum safety in the most critical areas of the vehicle. In this way, an integral structural design provides support to the 5th wheel of the vehicle.
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MULTI-FUNCTIONAL TOP PROFILE This profile serves the following functions:
• Innovative design providing the mechanical strength of steel with the lightweight characteristics of aluminium. • Elimination of all welds, eliminating the corresponding habitual stress factors. • Bolted joints between the barrel and the chassis and between the chassis and the axle assembly. This eliminates stress factors and allows the vehicle to be easily disassembled. This is an important design feature in terms of maintenance & repairs and possible replacement of the axle assembly or the barrel.
• Provides the tanker greater structural strength. • Acts as a top valance to collect possible spillage. • Protects the elements on the top of the tanker in the event of overturning. • Gas overflow collector during loading and unloading. • Integrates the collapsible safety railings and lifelines.
CHASSIS EXTENSION
• Rear impact protection. • Front electrical and air coupling. • Top handrail/safety railing. • Lateral hose carriers. • Sideguards, etc.
This support beam extends the chassis to the landing legs and the manufacture of the vehicle is completed on this support.
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CHASSIS The end of 2013 saw the development of the sixth and latest generation of our chassis profiles. The principal characteristics and advantages of this chassis profile are:
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KINGPIN OR 5th WHEEL
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OTHER PROFILES Our vehicles also incorporate other profiles which serve as follows: 4
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This innovative manufacturing system is a reflection of the company’s firm dedication to R&D+iT. Vehicles are manufactured according to a modular system, that is, conceived as a set of parts: tanks, barrel, chassis, etc. • Tank • Chassis • Axles assembly These parts are manufactured independently and then bolted together. This process allows tankers to be manufactured in our facilities and assembled elsewhere.
CKD-SKD MANUFACTURING SYSTEM
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN
The CKD-SKD system also permits: • The elimination of welded joints, which minimises the structural stress caused by the welds themselves. • Reduction of maintenance & repair costs of the tankers. Bolting the components together eliminates the need for welding when replacing any damaged part and hence eliminates the need for cleaning and de-gassing the tanker. Repairs & maintance can be done quickly, greatly reducing vehicle down-time. • Given the simplicity of the system, clients can make many repairs themselves in their own facilities with only a few tools, thus significantly reducing repair & maintenance costs. • There are some maintenance tasks that can be performed without unloading the tanker, with the corresponding savings. • Replacement parts and supports bolted to the profile have been standardised. This reduces the number of parts that need to be stocked and makes it easier to obtain parts quickly when necessary. • The chassis profile serves as an interface between the axles assembly and the tankers. As the unit is bolted together, the axles assembly of a tankers can be replaced quickly or vice versa. Additionally, the axles assembly can be kept and the tank changed, even when both are for the transport of different products. • All ancillary equipment on the sides of the tankers is bolted onto the unit: storage box & tool box supports, hose trays, valve box, sideguards, landing legs, rear storage box, etc. • All fittings are standard and symmetrical, designed for all types of tankers and can be installed on either side of the unit. This reduces the stock of parts and makes it easier to obtain parts quickly when necessary.
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Currently, COBO delivers many of its vehicles not fully assembled to its international markets, not fully assembled in this way, with local partners being responsible to complete the assembly of the tanks in their facilities. The development of this Utility Module CKDSKD is protected under the corresponding International Patent (PTC).
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AERODYNAMIC DESING FEATURES
COBO has incorporated into its tankers a large rear storage unit. This unit is bolted to the chassis, making it easy to assembly/disassemble. The storage unit serves three functions:
Fuel consumption is one of the most significant costs that logistics operators currently face. At COBO we are continuously working to improve our units, making them more aerodynamic and fuel efficient. We have designed a new streamlined front top valance, reducing wind resistance. This new design does not mean the tanker is any wider, creating an optimum lateral airflow to eliminate wind turbulence produced by the previous design. With this advance we have achieved an estimated improvement of the aerodynamic coefficient of 10% over previous designs, resulting in an overall aerodynamic improvement of the vehicle of 2%.
• Storage: Large enough to store auxiliary tanker equipment such as tool boxes, anti-spillage kits, wrenches, wheel blocks, fittings, replacement parts and other materials. • Safety: This is a deformable element integrated into the tanker structure providing additional impact protection. • Tanker trailer carriage: Includes rear lights and reflective devices, safety placards and ADR signage and to store ladders, etc.
New aerodynamic design and lower centre of gravity. Less wind resistance reducing fuel consumption.
LOW CENTRE OF GRAVITY Cobo tankers are designed and engineered to have the lowest centre of gravity of any tankers on the market, providing greater stability and safety during daily use.
With a higher centre of gravity and without the new aerodynamic design the unit had more wind resistance and therefore higher fuel consumption.
REAR STORAGE UNIT
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN BEFORE
AERODYNAMIC AND LOW CENTRE OF GRAVITY
DOWN PIPES
Welded pipes and flanges
For all of its units, COBO incorporates technology whereby the downpipes are manufactured without using welded joints, elbows or flanges. The advantages of this innovative system are:
AFTER
Pipes and flange joints without welding
• Total elimination of stress factors and fatigue characteristic of welded seams. • Reduced unloading time given the elimination of interior slag build-up typical in welds. • Easy assembly and disassembly of hose couplings for maintenance/repair and inspections.
Welded elbows on pipes.
For this innovative solution a newly designed tools have been developed with all the elements necessary for the hose couplings. The development of this Utility Module for the manufacture of non-welded hose couplings is protected under the corresponding International Patent (PTC).
Flanges welded to pipes.
Inner welding slags.
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Pipes made on one piece with no welding joints, no welded elbows, and a smooth finish inside improving load/offload flow.
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During the 1990’s, COBO worked in partnership with the Swedish company ESAB International, a global leader in welding equipment, to develop an innovative process allowing for a welded seam on one side of two butted aluminium plates without preparing the edges, something never previously achieved by any company. This technology was subsequently adopted by all other manufacturers in the sector. As part of our effort to continuously improve the quality of our welding processes, COBO is currently working with the Photon Engineering Group at the University of Cantabria to develop a weld quality monitoring system using optical technology to analyse the light generated during the welding process. All longitudinal welds of our units are executed with an automated system using a latest generation welding table. During the welding process, all parameters necessary to achieve a perfect seam are guaranteed by our manufacturing procedure. Pioneering welding process developed in partnership with the Swedish company ESAB in 1990.
MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENTS
LONGITUDINAL WELDING
TRANSVERSE WELDING
At the turn of this century, COBO conducted a long-term R&D+iT project in partnership with the Spanish company SOLDEGUI, which led to the development of a process to guarantee perfect tranverse welding in our tankers. Until that time, welding was done semi-automatically. This procedure required welding to lengths of up to 7.5 metres, with innumerable pauses and with all the associated difficulties associated with this process. Thanks to the newly developed technology, COBO is currently able to weld any section (elliptical, oval, TV-shaped, etc.) in a single uninterrupted process. As a result of this new technology, all our welding seams are visible, without the need for grinding or touch-ups. A good weld is never covered up; it is displayed. The development of this Utility Module is protected under the corresponding International Patent (PTC).
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As in all of the production phases, COBO has a highly experienced team of professionals for painting the surface of our units. This task consists of applying a double coating of a hi/solids polyurethane acrylic at a minimum thickness of 120 microns. We have two booths where the paint is applied using a system of electrostatic paint guns loaded with an electrical charge the opposite of the material being painted, producing an attraction effect that ensures complete coverage of the entire surface. The result is a perfect and long-lasting paint finish giving the best image of the fleet. A final coat of varnish may also be applied at the request of the client. The tankers are also available without painting. To meet the demands of our international clients we have produced a significant number of tankers with a polished aluminium finish. The quality of this mirror-like finish has put COBO at the forefront of global market for these types of tankers.
MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENTS
PAINTING PROCESS MANUFACTURE PRESS MACHINE OF DISH ENDS
This interior lining, a global innovation, is one of our company’s latest technological advances in R&D+iT and another example of our continuous search for improvements in our manufacturing processes. This new manufacturing procedure renders the current method, hydroforming+beading, completely obsolete. Working in partnership with the Spanish company IANUS, COBO has developed a procedure for the construction of interior and exterior linings, which combine forming with hydroforming. Through this process, and in a single operation, linings are produced with the following characteristics: • Perfect dish end flange finish. • Homogeneous displacement of tensions. • Improved hardening through cold working. • Highly repetitive and exact perimeter. • Without geometrical differences, permitting more precise control over the manufacturing process. • Surface flatness to facilitate assembly and welding. • Clean, polished and glossy interior and exterior finish. • Versatility in the use of materials: aluminium, carbon steel, stainless steel and other non-ferrous alloys such as copper, bronze, tin, etc. • Versatility in all section: circular, elliptical, oval, triangular, pentagonal, etc. The development of this Utility Module for interior linings is protected under the corresponding International Patent (PTC).
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Thanks to an agreement reached in 1989 with the Italian company TECNOMETAL, we have developed our own line of BLVR equipment under the COBO brand. These units are factory installed in our tankers although clients may choose to have those of other manufacturers installed. By offering our own line of units, COBO is able to supply parts and post-sales services directly to the client. All of our equipment is protected under the corresponding International Patent (PTC).
COMPARTMENTS BLVR EQUIPMENT
JOINT ENGINEERING PROJECTS AXLE ASSEMBLIES SEALING SYSTEM Just as COBO works with its clients to improve its tankers, the company also benefits from the inestimable help of its suppliers with the latest technology and a dedication to quality. COBO works in partnership with its suppliers in the development of its products. We are pioneers in the joint development of new solutions with other manufacturers. In addition to the technological advantages offered, joint engineering projects between COBO and our suppliers of axles and suspensions permits a differentiation of responsibilities in post-sales services. With the aim of standing out from our competitors, COBO has worked with BPW and SAF in the development of axle assemblies for our tankers. Thanks to this joint engineering project, our axle assemblies incorporate solutions and advantages when compared to our competitors. COBO was a pioneer in the development of this technology which has subsequently been adopted by our competitors through these manufacturers. All axle wheel assemblies are received directly from the manufacturer with: • TOP/”COFFIN” PLATES welded directly onto the hanger brackets of the axle assembly. These plates are bolted directly to our chassis, providing an exact fit that combines speed of assembly with total safety when in operation.
In line with COBO’s policy of engineering partnerships, we have worked with the Spanish company LOCATEL to develop our own tanker sealing and positioning system, for installation in tankers transporting hazardous substances. This new system has been used for over five years by many fleets transporting hazardous substances and is the preferred seal system of the major petrochemical companies. This equipment can be installed in our tankers at the request of the client although clients may choose to have other systems available on the market installed. As this system was developed by COBO, the company is able to supply parts and post-sales services directly to the client. The development of this Utility Module of the tanker sealing system is protected under the corresponding International Patent (PTC).
• TRANSVERSE STIFFENERS/CROSS MEMBERS which attaches support beams from both sides of the suspension. This prevents the lateral loads of the axle assembly from damaging the suspension and its anchors to the chassis. • RIDE HEIGHTS that are reduced to the minimum. Thus, our axle assemblies, along with other engineering features, permit Cobo to offer vehicles with the lowest centre of gravity on the market. • The KTL PROTECTION ensures that our axle assemblies, even under the most adverse operating conditions, remain inalterable and resist oxidation at all times.
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Today there is a global trend among logistics operators to reduce the environmental impact of their units in terms of design, manufacture and use during their entire life cycle. In the design and manufacture of our tankers, COBO is very aware of all aspects related to reducing the carbon footprint of our vehicles. Our Engineering department considers all fundamental aspects in the design of our products, including tare weight, aerodynamics and height as well as the importance of keeping maintenance & repair costs to a minimum during the life of the vehicle.
ENVIRONMENT
CARBON FOOTPRINT For the manufacture of our products, raw materials (aluminium, axles and suspensions, equipment, painting, tyres, etc.) with the lowest possible carbon footprint are selected. Additionally, during the manufacturing process itself, work procedures are designed to minimise the carbon footprint, seeking optimum energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of the entire process. Some 95% of the material used in the manufacturing process is aluminium and 99.9% of all waste material is recycled. Any hazardous waste produced during the painting process, as well as filters, absorbent materials and hydrocarbon contaminated water, are treated using distillation systems and other appropriate waste management systems. During the useful life of our tankers, we can quantify how aspects such as aerodynamics and tare weight can impact the carbon footprint of the vehicle:
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AERODYNAMICS
TARE WEIGHT
In terms of aerodynamics, thanks to the modifications in sections of the tanker and a new design for the front and upper part of the tank, we have achieved an estimated improvement of the aerodynamic coefficient of 10% over previous designs, resulting in an overall aerodynamic improvement of the vehicle of 2%.
Clearly, the lighter the tanker vehicle the more product that can be transported in each trip at the same cost. This also means greater fuel efficiency when vehicles are travelling empty and thus also reducing CO2 emissions. According to our calculations, the combined impact of both improved aerodynamics and a tare weight reduction of 400kg, will permit the transport of an additional 150 tonnes of product annually, saving over 2,000 litres of fuel and reducing CO2 emissions by 8000kg annually compared to other tankers.
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COBO has an internal Quality and Post-sales Services department dedicated to ensuring the maximum performance and quality of service for the client. Our dedication to quality has remained a permanent and constant commitment over many years. The integral quality system encompasses the entire production process from engineering, manufacture and post-sales services, as well as training and specialisation programs for our personnel. External controls have also been established through BUREAU VERITAS. For over three decades this company has conducted regulatory inspections of our tankers by means of a resident inspection service implemented within our facilities.
COBO facilities include modern concrete bunker where radiographic testing is conducted on our tankers. This system is equipped with the most advanced technology and equipment available. The bunker is certified by the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council. Radiographic testing is completely integrated within the production process as a whole, avoiding stoppages or down-time during testing.
QUALITY
RADIOGRAPHY BUNKER
METROLOGY WELD MONITORING
COBO has developed welding procedures for the different aluminium alloys, stainless steel and carbon steel used in the construction of tankers. These procedures are fully certified according to the European EN-15614 Standard as well as the ASME IX Code for other markets. Our welders and operators are fully qualified and certified under these standards and periodic controls are conducted to ensure full compliance. COBO is dedicated to the continuous improvement of our systems. This is demonstrated by the quality monitoring system for welding, established in partnership with the Photon Engineering Group at the University of Cantabria. The system, using the latest in optical technologies, is able to detect, in real time and by means of a highly sensitive spectrograph, the presence of any defects in the welding process which may affect the mechanical properties of the tanker. Additionally, COBO has the instrumentation necessary to measure the process in real time and register the principal parameters in the welding process, such as current and tension, shielding gas flow, welding speed and filler wire speed, fusion temperature, etc.
COBO has developed a metrological system for installation in tanker vehicles which fully complies with the EU Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) and ATEX standards for work in explosive atmosphere Zones 1 and 2. These systems consist of an electronic head unit which offers simple control of all variables and parameters for product supply, storing the data and including the latest generation of software compatible with any sales management program.
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A COBO brand tanker, property of the company Atlantic Cargo, was involved in a serious accident in 2009. After a severe impact the vehicle overturned and rolled over several times. Despite the force of the impact, our tanker remained completely sealed, without spilling a drop of the highly flammable product being transported. This was a crucial factor in avoiding any loss of life in the accident.
TOTAL QUALITY
QUALITY MAINTENANCE AND POST-SALES SERVICE
COBO, both directly and through its regional offices, assures maintenance and post-sales services for its vehicles around the world, rapidly with absolute guarantees and provided directly to the client. Our vehicles are designed and manufactured to have the lowest maintenance costs on the market, resulting in greater profitability for our clients. Our tankers are designed to keep maintenance to a minimum, with very limited vehicle down-time and with very reduced costs.
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