At the Mid-America Trucking Show this year our mutual friend Warren Aitken (an extraordinary photographer) introduced us to his mates (friends) from Queensland, Australia – Justin Clein, Dave Burraston and Stuart Denniss. They were in Kentucky to officially launch the release of Justin’s new chain binder, that I predict will be the next new binder you purchase.
When Justin Clein was chaining down a big load about 25 years ago, he got hit in the forehead with a binder, and after 20 stitches, he got to thinking. This was said jokingly, but when we talked about the product he has developed and all the thought that was put into its safety, it’s no joke. Justin has been around trucks since he was two years old. His dad owned trucks, and the seed was planted for what Justin wanted to do. Years of hard work took him into heavy hauling and, in Australia, it’s really really heavy hauling!
As with most things we have today, necessity is the mother of invention. In heavy haul, the equipment you work with can be very dangerous. The binders commonly used today are not the best design. Spinning the handle in the middle of the binder to get the ends unscrewed so you can hook them to the chains can be really tricky – especially if you have short arms. Then, ratcheting them tight can be equally tricky, depending on the room you have to work with and the load you are securing. Making sure that huge pieces of freight are securely tied down to the trailer is critical. These binders can loosen up as you go down the road, thus requiring you to check them often.
Justin has always been a huge Mack Bulldog fan, and his pride and joy is his beautiful 1987 Mack Superliner. Mack has always had a reputation for being rugged and dependable, especially in tough terrains and extra demanding environments, and they have a history of emphasizing rigorous testing and quality control to ensure their trucks perform and last under the most brutal conditions. Justin used their winning playbook when he was designing a chain binder that would be safer for the driver, as well as the load it is securing, and making storage easier, too. The design that he has knocks it out of the park on all three counts.
Founding his company Universal Restraint Systems (URS) to deliver the most innovative solutions that eliminate risk and enhance reliability, Justin’s 30 years of hands-on experience in transport and earthmoving showed him firsthand the shortcomings of traditional load restraint systems. He was driven by the need for stronger, safer, more efficient solutions. His company was created to set a new benchmark in cargo security, and his products are engineered for real world performance in tough conditions. What I see is that they have succeeded and set that mark very high!
Choosing to officially release his binders in the US because we have the highest volume of drivers who would be using them, Justin knows that flatbeds, step decks and heavy haul trailers can all benefit in many ways by making the switch from traditional binders they are using now to the Bulldog Binder. They are working on going global, and not only to sell products, but provide local support teams to deliver personalized services and expertise tailored to specific market needs, as well. Offering practical training for the correct use in real world applications, this will empower their clients to implement safe and effective load securement practices.
After MATS, they let us put these binders to the test when our friends Raiko Graveran and Dominguez were loading up the two trucks that were in Dominguez Iron Work’s booth outside the North Wing entrance. The bobtail went up on a step deck and Raiko used two traditional binders and two Bulldog Binders. The process of chaining down was so much faster with the new binders. Dominguez couldn’t have been happier with the result, chaining down their truck “Miami Vice” that showcases some of the custom parts they make, in their shop in Miami, Florida.
With the handle in-line with the cylinder, the chance of hitting the back of the truck was taken away, and when they were finished, it was a clean look that was secure – and would stay that way for the entire trip back to Florida. The unique internal locking mechanism gives you the ability to “Lock to Load” providing added security, and for even more security, you can snap a padlock through the handle. This provides an extra layer of protection from anyone tampering with the load.
The ends are solid metal and both the teeth and mechanism operating the tightening is inside the cylinder instead of at each end, out in the open, where it could get dirty and rusty. The direct line ratchet motion of the handle provides increased torque load and prevents your chains from twisting while tensioning. This is the key safety feature that will prevent the chains from becoming loose. The 5/16th ratchet is rated to hold 8,000 pounds, while the 3/8th ratchet is rated to hold 12,000 pounds.
Turning creative ideas into usable, groundbreaking, and practical products, Justin and his team are relentless in the pursuit of exceptional quality in design, manufacture and service. Making sure there are no shortcuts taken or inferior products created in the manufacturing process, URS has three key words that drive their vision – plan, execute and persist. That vision is to one day be the trusted global leader in cargo securement solutions. There was even talk that one day there might be a factory here in the US, because they know the weight that “Made in the USA” carries.
For the men and women out here doing the work that requires chaining their loads to all sorts of trailers, this will make a dangerous job safer and easier. Experience is the best teacher, they say, and in this case, I believe experience made the best inventor. It’s taken years to get it developed so that it will work as promised, but I think the time put into making the Bulldog Binder right has paid off, and it will eventually become the standard in cargo securement.
Everyone at URS is working hard to get distributors here in the US and hopefully the binders will be available in the near future. Meanwhile, check out www.universalretraintsystems.com and learn more about the binders and when they will be available for purchase – and to check out some of their other great upcoming new products.
In our opinion, the Bulldog Binder will change the way cargo is secured from here on out, and that is awesome. We were so happy to have met these gentlemen at MATS, and if you get the chance to meet them, we are sure you will be impressed with them and their product, too. We feel confident saying that this will be your next binder!
EDITOR’S NOTE: Big thanks to Warren Aitken for providing all the amazing photos for this feature.