Quality and user-friendliness are key to Saltnex. When winter rages, the municipalities must be able to prevent treacherous conditions on the roads - and the machines securing this need to be in top working order. They need to be easy to operate, because often additional staff are required. The machines also need to work reliably. That is why Hans Curt Nexgaard, project manager at Saltnex, was in no doubt about who should be the actuator supplier.
"I have worked with LINAK previously and been very satisfied with their quality. I know that the environment can be really tough, which is why they were the preferred supplier for the machines that need actuators fitted. I also considered a hydraulic solution, but in my opinion, such solutions are much too difficult to operate and too heavy an investment. An electric actuator fits our needs much better."
An nontraditional solution
Saltnex has a wide product range, and stands out for focusing primarily on spreading brine rather than dry matter. According to Nexgaard, the advantage of brine is that you use up to 77 % less salt, thereby minimizing the negative impact on the environment. You also avoid large clumps of salt on the roads. Saltnex also produces a dry spreader, where a LINAK actuator is used to adjust the spreading width.
"Our products are sold mainly to machine distributors. We currently have distributors in Denmark, Switzerland and Germany. Sweden is in the pipeline as the next big project - here they also have a major need for preventing treacherous conditions," Hans Curt Nexgaard adds.
New business area developing
Saltnex ApS was founded by Hans Curt Nexgaard in 2016 and is fully owned by the Randers Maskinfabrik Group. Three employees are currently assigned to Saltnex. The original product portfolio of salt spreaders was expanded with a new business area after just one year. Nexgaard spotted the potential of a machine capable of spreading brine on artificial turf pitches:
"I got an inquiry from a customer who was looking for a way to prevent ice forming on artificial turf pitches during the winter. By using normal dry spreaders to salt the pitches, there's a risk of the artificial turf getting blocked and turning into an ice rink instead. By using brine, the pitches are protected, which is why we have developed a machine specifically for artificial turf. I see great potential in this new product, particularly as many new artificial turf pitches are being built in Denmark every year."
Saltnex uses LINAK on the machine for artificial turf pitches. Here two actuators are responsible for raising and lowering the spreader's bars so that they remain up during transport, or enough to be able to salt right up to the edge of the goal by lifting one of the wings.
When both wings are down, an entire five meters of dispersing width is achieved. This allows for fast salting of the pitch so that the driver can get back in the warm.
"It's no secret that our products operate in some of the most extreme environments. The combination of cold, salt, and water is tough on most metal products. The salt and the mist they create corrode the metal. Fortunately, LINAK products are extremely durable - if they can tolerate this environment, they can tolerate anything," concludes Nexgaard.
LA25 on Saltnex salt spreader Read more about Saltnex at www.saltnex.dk/en.
For specifications or information about other actuator solutions for industrial machinery, please contact your local LINAK office.
