Will this still be performing years from now?

 

That philosophy influences everything we build – including the aluminium we choose.

While there are a number of aluminium grades available for vehicle bodies, not all alloys are designed for the same applications. Each has its own strengths depending on where it’s used. For commercial fleet vehicles operating every day in demanding New Zealand conditions, we believe 5052 aluminium delivers the durability and long-term performance our customers expect.

Engineered for the Long Haul

Fleet vehicles experience far more than simply carrying weight.

Every day they are exposed to vibration, road shock, repeated loading, and thousands of operating hours. Over time, those constant stress cycles can fatigue any material, making the choice of alloy critical.

That’s one of the reasons we manufacture our service bodies using 5052 aluminium.

With a higher magnesium content than many general-purpose aluminium grades, 5052 offers excellent strength while delivering outstanding fatigue resistance – one of the most important characteristics for components that experience continual movement and vibration throughout their service life.

It’s also one of the reasons this alloy is widely used in demanding marine and structural applications where long-term durability matters.

Strength Through Smart Design

Choosing the right material is only part of the equation.

5052 also offers excellent ductility, allowing it to be folded into complex structural shapes without compromising its integrity.

At Camco, every panel is formed using precision radius tooling developed specifically for this alloy. Rather than relying on heavier construction or excessive reinforcement, we engineer strength directly into the panel through carefully designed folded sections, hemmed edges, box folds and structural ribbing.

These features work together to create a body that is both lightweight and exceptionally rigid.

Built for Everyday Work

The result is a service body designed to handle the realities of fleet life:

• Excellent long-term resistance to vibration and fatigue
• Strong, lightweight structural panels
• Precision-engineered folded sections that add strength without unnecessary weight
• Durable performance across years of demanding daily use

While material selection is often hidden beneath the finished product, it’s one of the most important decisions we make.

Because quality isn’t just about how a vehicle looks when it’s delivered – it’s about how confidently it performs throughout its working life.

If you’d like to learn more about how our engineering approach contributes to long-term fleet reliability, we’d be happy to show you how our panel design, folded construction and material selection all work together to build a stronger service body.