Vehicle & transport engineering supplier: low-loader decks, frames & chassis steelwork
As a supplier to vehicle engineering we manufacture low-loader decks, frames, booms, special bodies, transport racks and chassis steelwork in high-strength fine-grain and wear-resistant steel — welded and machined to DIN EN 1090-2 EXC3 in Lorch near Stuttgart.
Welded decks, frames and booms for commercial and special-purpose vehicles — to drawing, as a supplied part.
High-strength fine-grain structural steel up to S1100 and wear-resistant grades — low weight, long service life.
Heavy, long components — safely handled by the crane system with 25 t.
Hydraulic press brakes for long, thick-walled bent parts in high-strength plate.
Load-bearing welded structures to the highest execution class certified in practice.
63 years of contract manufacturing to drawing at the Lorch site near Stuttgart.
Supplier to vehicle and transport engineering
As a supplier to vehicle engineering we manufacture load-bearing steel components for commercial and special-purpose vehicles — from the frame and the low-loader deck to complete chassis steelwork. In service these components are under constant alternating load: torsion on uneven road surfaces, point loads during loading and unloading, abrasion from bulk material. They are therefore designed for fatigue strength, dimensional accuracy and low dead weight — manufactured to your drawing.
High-strength fine-grain structural steel up to S1100 is the central lightweight argument here: higher yield strengths allow thinner sections at the same load capacity — the structure becomes lighter and the vehicle's payload increases. The prerequisite is well-controlled welding technology, because fine-grain steels require controlled heat input and qualified welding procedures.
As a welding company certified to EN ISO 3834-2 we manufacture frames, decks and bodies completely under one roof in Lorch: cutting, press braking, welding, machining, blasting and painting. That shortens lead times and secures seamless material traceability to EN 10204 — from the plate to the ready-to-install assembly.
Typical components for vehicle engineering
We manufacture to drawing and customer specification — welded, machined and, on request, with the surface finished:
- Low-loader decks & transport frames — torsionally stiff, welded decks and heavy transport frames in high-strength fine-grain steel
- Frames & longitudinal members — load-bearing frame structures for commercial and special-purpose vehicles, prepared for attachment and final assembly
- Booms & special bodies — welded booms and bodies for special-purpose vehicles and construction machinery
- Chassis steelwork — the welded, machined steel structure as the basis for the vehicle body — not the road-ready chassis
- Transport racks — racks to drawing for transporting and handling heavy components and assemblies
- Tipper bodies & wear parts — hard-wearing tipper bodies and wear parts in wear-resistant steel
Further components to drawing on request — from the flame-cut single part to the ready-to-install, painted assembly.
Materials for vehicle engineering
For frames, decks and bodies we process high-strength fine-grain structural steel up to S1100 and structural steel S235/S355, plus wear-resistant grades such as Hardox 400/500 and XAR — every item with a 3.1 mill certificate to EN 10204, from our own stock and cut to size.
The choice of material follows the load: fine-grain steel where dead weight counts; wear-resistant steel where bulk material and abrasion act; structural steel where cost-effectiveness decides. Over 40 material grades are held in our own stock — that shortens procurement times and keeps every heat assigned to the component.
Process chain: from the plate to the ready-to-install assembly
Every stage in our own plant in Lorch — that keeps lead times short and responsibility in one place:
- Cutting
- Oxy-fuel cutting on a 20 × 3.5 m working area up to 200 mm material thickness — plus plasma and saw cutting for thinner plates and sections.
- Forming
- Hydraulic press braking up to 1,000 t press force as well as round bending and rolling — accurately fitting bent parts, including in high-strength plate.
- Welding
- Welding to DIN EN 1090-2 EXC3 by certified welders — long, uniform seams on frames and decks are produced economically by the submerged arc process.
- Straightening & stress relief
- Flame straightening and vibration stress relief keep the structure dimensionally accurate and low in distortion — the prerequisite for the machining that follows.
- Machining & surface
- CNC large-part machining for mating faces, hole patterns and connection dimensions — followed by in-house shot blasting and industrial painting.
The result is a ready-to-install assembly from a single source — documented from the heat to the final inspection.
Certified quality for load-bearing vehicle components
Load-bearing, dynamically loaded welded structures for vehicles are manufactured to DIN EN 1090-2 in execution class EXC3 — the highest class certified in practice — and to EN ISO 3834-2 with comprehensive welding quality requirements. Every material heat remains fully traceable through the 3.1 mill certificate to EN 10204.
Non-destructive testing in-house
Weld seams on frames, decks and booms are under alternating load — defects have to be found before the component is installed.
- Visual testing (VT), dye penetrant testing (PT) and magnetic particle testing (MT) are carried out by our own inspectors with Level 2 qualification to DIN EN ISO 9712 directly in production.
- Ultrasonic testing (UT) is carried out at our plant on a project basis by certified inspection personnel of our cooperation partner. Supplementary destructive tests — such as tensile tests — are arranged where required through accredited partner laboratories.
We define the scope of testing and the depth of documentation with you for each component — from the weld seam record to complete documentation of the assembly.
Why Bock as your supplier in vehicle engineering
- Systematic lightweight design
- High-strength fine-grain structural steel up to S1100 reduces the dead weight of the structure and increases the payload — processed with qualified welding procedures to EN ISO 3834-2.
- Heavy and long
- Components up to 50 t part weight and 26 m in length — safely handled by the crane system with 25 t.
- Certified and traceable
- DIN EN 1090-2 EXC3, EN ISO 3834-2 and a 3.1 mill certificate to EN 10204 — every heat stays assigned to the component.
- All from a single source
- Oxy-fuel cutting, press braking, welding, CNC machining, blasting and painting in the same plant — short lead times, one contact.
- Experience since 1963
- Family-run contract manufacturing in Lorch: 63 years of experience, over 100 specialists and 14,000 m² of production space.
Frequently asked questions — vehicle & transport engineering
Does Bock manufacture frames, low-loader decks and bodies to drawing as a vehicle engineering supplier?
Yes. We manufacture frames, low-loader decks, booms, special bodies, transport racks and chassis steelwork to your drawing and in the specified material — welded to DIN EN 1090-2 EXC3 and, on request, machined, blasted and painted.
Does Bock build complete, road-ready chassis?
No. We are a supplier for chassis steelwork and deliver the welded, machined steel structure to drawing. Axles, driveline, electrics and type approval remain with the vehicle manufacturer.
Which materials are used in vehicle engineering?
Predominantly high-strength fine-grain structural steel up to S1100 and structural steel S235/S355, plus wear-resistant grades for tipper bodies and abrasion surfaces — with a 3.1 mill certificate to EN 10204 from our own stock. We match the choice of material to the load and the dead weight of the structure.
Up to what size and weight does Bock manufacture components for vehicle engineering?
Up to 50 t part weight and 26 m component length — lifted by the crane system with 25 t. This means complete low-loader decks and long frames can be manufactured and machined in one piece.
How are load-bearing weld seams on frames and decks tested and documented?
By non-destructive testing in-house — VT, PT and MT with our own Level 2 inspectors to DIN EN ISO 9712, UT at our plant by our cooperation partner — and by the manufacturing documentation to DIN EN 1090-2 EXC3. Material heats remain traceable through the 3.1 mill certificate to EN 10204.
Which regions does Bock supply as a vehicle engineering supplier?
Manufacturing takes place exclusively at the Lorch site in the Stuttgart region. We supply vehicle and bodywork manufacturers throughout Germany as well as in Austria and Switzerland.
Enquire about components for vehicle & transport engineering
Send us your drawings — we check material, feasibility and schedule and prepare a no-obligation quote for your supplied parts.
Certified to DIN EN 1090-2 EXC3 · 3.1 mill certificate to EN 10204.