Inpak Vehicles Inc., an SME from Drummondville, has developed a refuse collection body based on a totally novel design, using state-of-the-art technologies and offering operators substantial economic and environmental savings. The Détritube™ (pronouced ˜D3tube) is a cylindrinc body made of a high strenght aluminum alloy that weights 30% less, can hold 30% more matter, and allows more than 20% reduction in operating costs compared with a conventional refuse collection packer.

Inpak Vehicles called upon the expertise of ITAQ to develop the kinematics of the robotic arm used to collect residential waste (recycling, putrescible waste, and trash). The company was able to take advantage of the technological intensification program of the Québec Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade (MDEIE).

"From the beginning, ITAQ provided us with excellent support in preparing an application for a $50,000 grant for the first development phase of the robotic arm," stated M. Nadeau, President of Inpak Vehicles.

"The SniperXL10™ is the first automated side-loading arm designed out of aluminum. The cylindrical shape of our refuse collection body allows us to increase the loading area, which lead to the design of the SniperXL10™ ," explains Jean Fortin, Vice President of research and development at Inpak Vehicles.

"The desired movement is obtained from the actuation of a single plunger cylinder, which simplifies the controls and reduces the potential for breakage and the need for repairs," adds Gérard Bouffard, a mechanical engineer at ITAQ and collaborator on the design of the arm. A patent application was filed for the articulated arm in April 2010.

The Détritube is the product of great synergy between the development-design-production teams and solid, experienced partners such as the Aluminum Research and Development Centre of Québec, Alcoa Innovation, and ITAQ. The improved version of the initially requested product was delivered in record time, less than one year for the final prototype. The first unit is currently in operation at Cascades Récupérations in Drummondville in a technological display program offered by the MDEIE, while a second unit is being loaned to potential customers for tests under actual conditions.

To date, ten full-time jobs have been created, and as it is experiencing lightning growth, the SME plans to hire thirty more people after the production launch. The first commercial units will be delivered in April 2012.

About Inpak Vehicles, Inc.

Our mission: Delivering the future, Today!

The team at Inpak Vehicles inc. includes professionnals from the refuse management industry with several decades of experience in manufacturing, maintenance, sales, operations and service of refuse management vehicles.

Global innovative leader , focused on introducing more efficient refuse collection bodies in order to optimize our customer’s operations, for a greener world.

For more information:

contact@inpakvehicles.com
www.inpakvehicles.com
Tel.: 1-819-850-0096

Véronique Lamy, ITAQ
Tel.: 1-877-491-4827