Walking Floor Trailers or moving floor trailers are a specialist type of trailer that is equipped with a powered floor system that allows for easier loading and unloading of bulk goods.
CM’s Walking Floor Trailer Guide ‘walks’ you through the different types and manufacturers of these particular trailers, and what to look out for if you’re in the market.
View a selection of used moving floor trailers on the Commercial Motor classified section
The first Walking Floor Trailer can trace its roots back to 1950 when Keith Manufacturing set up in Oregon, USA as a supplier for the agricultural industry developing trailers as a means of unloading grain and maize. In 1973 the first official Walking Floor Trailer was produced as a means of unloading produce from a trailer with greater control and precision than the existing tilt trailers.
Although in common use, much like the use of the synonym for Hoover, the term Walking Floor Trailer is actually a brand name owned by Keith, but is often used interchangeably when refering to other types of moving floor trailer. The Walking Floor name was trademarked by Keith in 1973.
These trailers differ from conventional trailers by their ‘moving’ floor. Instead of a solid and stationary base, the walking floor trailers consisted of a series of slats that move in a particular sequence to ‘walk’ the load, either in or out of the trailer.
By the time they were gaining traction in other sectors in the late 1970s, Knapen Trailers of the Netherlands had started manufacturing its own versions in Europe and began exporting to the UK shortly after.
In addition to agriculture, Walking Floor Trailers and other moving floor trailers are popular in the waste management, recycling, forestry and biomass sectors, and also used to some degree in the construction, manufacturing and logistics.
Today, moving floor trailers comprise only a small section of total HGV trailer sales with only around 500 to 600 units sold per year in the UK – all of which are either manufactured in the US or on mainland Europe.
With moving floor trailers diversifying into different sectors, a number of subtypes have developed over the years although the main three types are agricultural, biomass, construction and waste, and palletised goods.
Biomass moving floor trailers are built for handling general bulk, mulch and biomass pellets and generally consist of aluminium or steel slats with a flat or slightly ribbed surface for greater traction. Agricultural versions are very similar but often include dust-tight seals and increased air flow to meet food regulation standards.
The versions used for construction and waste are built with reinforced steel slats and more heavy-duty materials to reduce wear, and the palletised goods models have a flatter surface and often feature additional access doors nearer the bulkhead for increased access.
While there are currently no manufacturers in the UK (all UK models are produced on mainland Europe or in the US), moving floor trailers are widely available through distributors. Here are a few of the biggest names:
· STAS (pictured). Based in Belgium, STAS specialises in agricultural and biomass models and has offices in Blackburn to serve UK customers.
· Kraker. Established in 1989, Netherlands-based Kraker offers a broad range of trailers backed by a 5-year warranty.
· Legras. Legras is a family-owned business dating back to 1919, and manufactures agricultural trailers.
· Knapen. Knapen is the Europe’s first manufacturer of this type of trailer, and are still one of the sector’s leaders.
