Among the countless refuse truck body manufacturers around the globe, it seems that features touted the most revolve around versatility in product usage and energy source.

Pak-Mor Limited manufactures an array of refuse collection vehicles for various mobile waste and recycling collection applications. “Our product mix of rear loaders, front loaders, and commercial side loaders ensures our ability to meet the specific needs of each customer. We pride ourselves in being a family-oriented business, focused on private haulers and smaller municipalities in need of rugged, low maintenance equipment that’s easy to use,” stated Ben Hund, director of product management.

He added, “In recent years we’ve noticed an increase in demand for the smaller, rear load body configurations. For example, our RBS series rear loader – we call it the Bandit – is available in 6, 8, and 10-yard body configurations with several options. Light and maneuverable, the Bandit is perfect for missed stops, gated communities, or tight alleys where larger machines won’t fit.”

“As our industry matures and adds environmentally-savvy features into more products, fuel systems may still be bulky, complex, and far from perfect, but they continue to improve now that everyone is thinking green. It’s an exciting and challenging time to manufacture refuse collection bodies,” Hund said.

McNeilus manufactures a full line of refuse bodies, including rear, front, and side load, both manual and automated. Jeffry Swertfeger, director of marketing and communications, said, “Specifically, our rear loaders have set the bar for toughness, value and no-holds-barred productivity for over 20 years. From our smaller M5 11-yard, rear load body, up to our 32-yard XC Rear Loader, our customers appreciate the simplicity, durability and productivity that McNeilus rear load bodies offer – whether for small, one-truck fleets, the nation’s largest refuse haulers or large municipal fleets.”

McNeilus has sold front loaders since 1992 via their Atlantic and Pacific product line. The Atlantic Series Front Loader® is designed for tough, commercial markets where payload and productivity are king. With AR450 body construction and 10,000 lb. rated arms, combined with the Mailhot® Excalibre® packing cylinders, the product’s reliability and productivity are popular with customers, Swertfeger stated.

He said the Pacific Series Front Loader® was designed to tackle the West Coast’s need for a maximum payload, lightweight front loader, appropriate for commercial and residential waste that reduces overall gross vehicle weight rating. The Pacific Series debuted in 1999, but today’s fleet requirements demand a lower-profile front loader that accommodates CNG tanks and residential can options. As a result, McNeilus offers the Pacific Series Lo-Pro Front Loader. The Lo-Pro is designed to handle top-of-body CNG tank installations and can be configured as an Automated Front Loader, combined with the Curotto Can Slammin’ Eagle system.

For automated collection, McNeilus offers products like the AutoReach® Automated Side Loader. It is the only automated product with an arm that articulates both left and right, in addition to reaching out to grab cans. Since entering the market in 1996, the AutoReach has been part of automated fleets throughout the country.

The ZR Series Side Loaders accommodate customers who need a zero-radius arm, allowing them to handle tight streets, narrow alley ways, and congested routes. “Our engineers developed a collection system that meets these needs while also providing a simple-to-maintain control system. The system removes over 800 feet of wire from the cab, while providing customers with a simple-to-operate, responsive product. As with our other products, the ZR is available in a 24 to 31-yard size and can easily be configured for CNG systems. We also offer a robust line of manual and semi-automated products – the McNeilus M and MA Series Side Loaders,” said Swertfeger.

Swertfeger claimed that McNeilus is a leader in alternative fuel vehicles and was the first refuse body manufacturer to develop a completely integrated CNG installation. The system was completely tested and installed at the McNeilus manufacturing facility and they sell hundreds of CNG-powered refuse bodies each year, throughout the country. Swertfeger stated, “With the volatility of diesel fuel prices and the need to reduce American dependence on foreign oil, we understand the significance of domestically-produced CNG, its positive environmental impact and its impact on lowering fuel expenditures for fleets and municipalities.”

Gaetan Bolduc is national sales manager at Labrie Environmental Group, a manufacturer of refuse truck bodies. Bolduc explained the features of the company’s Automizer Right Hand™ side loader: “It has the highest level of engineering, the smoothest arm and the highest productivity in the industry. The product is ideal for fully automated residential refuse and recycling collection and the Hardox 450 hopper increases the life of the vehicle while lowering maintenance costs and increasing durability. CNG and co-mingle design options, diverse body specifications and over 20 features are offered.”

The company’s Leach™ Rear Loaders are built for the toughest industry situations and offer a wide variety of rugged bodies to chose from (14-32 cubic yards) for residential, commercial and demolition applications. Large 3.0 and 3.5 cubic-yard hoppers enable the continuous filling of material even during the packing cycle. The Leach is the only truck with a unique single piece floor trough design, which creates a sump channel that can hold 300 gallons of leachate. A CNG-ready installation option with choice of behind the cab, roof or chassis mounting is available. An ergonomic design provides a loading sill height at 5” below the chassis frame, for increased efficiency and safety. Bolduc noted that the Leach Diamond Plate Packer design delivers increased compaction power.

Bolduc said, “Our Wittke™ Front Loaders feature increased payload, fast cycle time, efficiency and lower body weight over similar products in the industry. The Wittke Startlight and Superduty models attained the ‘Hardox in my body’ certification in 2007. A minimum of 5 percent higher legal payload is attainable with a Wittke front loader, due to the product’s lower body tare weight by design and high compaction ratio. The innovative Digiload™ weighing system, exclusive to Labrie, has strategically-installed sensors that detect the actual weight of materials in the waste bin or wheeled cart while it is in motion and loading. Wittke CNG products are the lightest in the industry, enabling maximum payload. We are the single-source solution for CNG body rooftop installation, with over 15 standard features, including a rear harness access panel.”

The Labrie Expert™ side loader offers optimal versatility and efficiency as a manual, semi-automated or automated side loader with a drop frame. The design enables operators to perform manual collection with ease due to the low sill height, semi-automated collection with cart tippers on street side or curbside or automated collection with the Helping-Hand™ arm. A dual Helping-Hand option offers automated collection from both sides of the vehicle, which is well-suited for collection in a one-way street or an alley. CNG options include body rooftop or behind the cab mounting, built to handle up to five CNG tanks.

Heil Environmental is an industry leader in specialized truck body manufacturing and product support. They market their new DuraPack 4060 Split-Body Rear Loader as the ideal vehicle for customers who manually collect multiple commodities on a single route. The loader reduces the need for multiple truck routes. It also has the compaction power to handle bulky ferrous waste like used appliances and sheet metal scraps, and the sealing ability to handle wet waste like organics or food scraps. Heil’s multi-compartment rear loader features smooth curved sides and a fully welded, interlaced sub-frame which has become an industry benchmark in durability and longevity. The DuraPack includes reliable, fully-sealed electrical controls for operating both tailgates from either side and is available with a range of options to accommodate specific customer applications.