Based in Narrangba, Queensland, BFP Engineering has been operating for over 25 years as an OEM vehicle manufacturer, with its experience in the bitumen industry surpassing well over 40 years.
BFP Engineering began manufacturing anything to do with bitumen cartage or bitumen spraying in 1994, and it still carries out these operations today. The only difference is major advancements in technology have aligned reputable companies like JOST to the final product.
“We’ve been using JOST equipment since 2015,” says BFP Engineering General Manager, Peter Smith. “We supply and fit JOST’s Rockinger tow couplings to the back of all of our bitumen spray vehicles. Also, our dog trailers have got the JOST ball race turntables and bolt-on tow eyes fitted to them.”
Peter says the reliability of JOST’s equipment was a major factor which contributed to his original dealings and the availability of the product has certainly played in favour of BFP Engineering.
“They’re easier for servicing and they’re easier to get parts for as well,” he says. “If it does need repair or anything, they’re easier to service and the parts are usually pretty easy to get through JOST. Their components are of very high quality and they come with excellent backup, too. If we do have a problem, we can talk to the people that make them and they will do something about it.”
By adapting to changes and techniques in the bitumen industry over the years, BFP Engineering has been able to remain relevant and at the top of its game. This has been seen most recently with pelletised rubber in the form of old car tyres being approved for use in asphalt mix.
“We’re seeing a lot more wear and tear on equipment because of the additives they’re putting in the bitumen,” Peter says. “With the weight of rubber compared to bitumen, it does tend to settle in tanks, especially on long haul operations. So, we have had to slightly change the way we are doing things. And we’re still going through changes now, but there needs to be a lot more research and development done on it. We’ve made some changes, but how effective they are will be seen in the next couple of years.”
BFP has also been heavily involved with new developments in the Dangerous Goods (DG) industry for many years due to demand from its client base. And, by constantly reviewing DG and Australian Design Rules (ADR) regulations, it has kept its vehicles up to date with the transport industry’s evolving standards.
JOST has also played a major part in BFP’s latest innovations, by supplying a reliable product with benefits for everyone involved in the transaction of a bitumen sprayer. 
“It’s just a good product, it is reasonably priced, and their technical backup is unmatched,” Peter says. “The people we deal with are there for us, and if I get a question from one of our customers it’s dealt with straight away. There’s instant response on any problems, not that we’ve had any. We’ve had a couple of questions about things, and they’ve been answered straight away.
“They also look after us for pricing because we’re an OEM manufacturer, and we pass that on to our customers so it helps them out as well.”
Because of JOST’s commitment and care for aftersales service, Peter says BFP’s customers are delighted to have JOST products fitted to their combinations.
“The customers are very happy with them,” he says. “We’ve had several people that have wanted to use different types of towing equipment in different sizes, and JOST have always helped us out with suggestions and they steer us in the right path. So, they’re pretty good with our queries as well.
“At the end of the day, JOST is excellent with their product knowledge, and we can rely on them for any new or different types of equipment.”
Fast fact: JOST stocks a wide variety of towing couplings under the Rockinger range. With extreme versatility, high-quality and reliability demonstrated in every application, the JOST product is a real game changer every application.
This article was published in Trailer Magazine March 2023 edition. Trailer Magazine is Australia’s leading B2B publication dedicated to trailers, truck bodies and ancillary equipment. For the latest editorial and news about road transport in Australia, see Trailer Magazine.
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JOST Australia offers a comprehensive suite of solutions that encompasses fifth wheel couplings, landing gear, king pins, and other quality transportation components, as well as ongoing after sale service, training, and maintenance. Contact us today if you would like to optimise your transportation operations.