Bucket-mounted garbage trucks: efficient and convenient miniaturized sanitation collection equipment

I. Core Definition of a Hoist-Loading Garbage Truck A hoist-loading garbage truck (commonly known as a "swing-arm garbage truck" or "hook-lift garbage truck") is a small, specialized sanitation vehicle whose core operating process revolves around "lifting, dumping, and resetting standard garbage bins." Its core components include a vehicle chassis, a hoisting system, a dumping mechanism, and an electronic control system. The rated load capacity ranges from 1 to 8 tons, primarily compatible with 240L and 660L standard garbage bins (also compatible with 120L smaller garbage bins). Its core value lies in its "small size and flexibility + high frequency and efficiency + convenient operation." Through a hydraulically driven hoisting arm, it automatically lifts, dumps, unloads, and resets the garbage bins (single bin operation time ≤ 60 seconds), eliminating the need for manual garbage handling. It meets the sanitation operation requirements of "front-end fixed-point collection and short-distance centralized transfer," and is a key piece of equipment connecting the household waste generation point with the community's centralized collection point. II. Development History The industrialization of bucket-type garbage trucks began in the 1980s. European and American countries, addressing the pain points of garbage collection in urban residential areas and small commercial districts, introduced the first generation of mechanically driven bucket-type garbage trucks, solving the problems of "high labor intensity, low efficiency, and environmental pollution" associated with traditional manual garbage collection. In the 1990s, the miniaturization of hydraulic technology propelled industry progress, with the boom system upgrading from mechanical transmission to electro-hydraulic drive, significantly improving operational stability and ease of use. Simultaneously, Japanese and South Korean companies developed micro-truck-class small models suitable for narrow streets and alleys. China achieved a breakthrough in domestic production in the early 21st century (e.g., Hubei Chengli and Foton Motor's first 2-ton bucket-type garbage truck). With the advancement of urbanization and the increasing demand for refined community sanitation, the industry entered a period of rapid development, with companies such as Zoomlion, Fulongma, and JAC Motors gradually achieving large-scale production. In recent years, driven by the "garbage sorting + green sanitation" strategy, enterprises have made breakthroughs in core technologies such as electric chassis, intelligent bin recognition, and classification collection adaptation. Their products are widely used in urban and rural communities, scenic spots and other scenarios. China has become the world's largest producer and consumer, and exports to more than 20 countries in Southeast Asia, South America and other regions. III. Core Features Analysis

(I) Core Functional Features

The core advantage of the bucket-type garbage truck lies in its "miniaturized and efficient collection": In terms of operational efficiency, the electric hydraulic boom can achieve fully automated "one-click lifting - dumping - resetting" processes, with a single bucket operation time of only 30~60 seconds. The average daily collection volume per person is 5~8 times higher than that of manual labor, and it is compatible with 240L/660L standard garbage bins without the need to modify existing garbage collection facilities; In terms of flexible adaptation, the vehicle has a short wheelbase (2.8~3.8 meters) and a small turning radius (≤5.5 meters), which can easily enter and exit areas that are difficult for large sanitation vehicles to reach, such as entrances to residential buildings and narrow streets in urban villages; In terms of environmental protection and cleanliness, it is equipped with an anti-drip device (leachate flows back to the truck body when dumping), a sealed cover and sealing strip for the truck body, so that there is no scattering or odor diffusion during garbage transfer, and the operating noise is ≤75dB, making it suitable for high-frequency operation scenarios in residential areas. (II) Structural and Performance Characteristics The vehicle adopts a compact design of "light truck/micro truck chassis + crane lifting system + sealed cargo box". The chassis is mostly selected from micro truck or light truck dedicated chassis (such as Foton Xiangling, Dongfeng Xiaokang, JAC Shuailing), with a load capacity of 1~8 tons and a maximum speed of 85km/h, meeting the needs of short-distance urban transportation. The crane system is made of Q355 grade high-strength alloy steel, formed by CNC bending and welding, with a rated lifting force of 3~4 times the weight of the garbage bin, ensuring a smooth and shaky lifting process. The cargo box is welded from cold-rolled steel plates, with the inner wall treated with anti-corrosion spraying. Some high-end products use aluminum alloy to achieve lightweighting (weight reduction of 10%~15%), with a cargo box volume of 3~12 cubic meters, adapting to different collection frequency requirements. The safety protection system is complete, equipped with crane anti-detachment device, overload alarm, emergency stop button, etc., with an operational safety factor ≥1.5. (III) Scene Adaptability Characteristics Diverse scenarios can be adapted through tonnage and configuration differences: Micro-vehicles (1-3 tons) are suitable for narrow areas such as residential building corridors, urban villages, and township streets, and can be equipped with 240L small garbage bins to achieve "door-to-door" collection; Small vehicles (4-6 tons) are suitable for urban secondary roads, schools, hospitals, scenic spots, and other scenarios, and can be equipped with 660L standard garbage bins, balancing collection efficiency and flexibility; In terms of special-purpose models, the classified garbage bin truck is equipped with a double compartment or partitioned compartment to facilitate the separate collection of dry and wet waste; Electric models are suitable for zero-emission scenarios such as urban core areas and residential areas; Off-road garbage bin trucks (four-wheel drive chassis) are suitable for operation on unpaved rural roads, with strong environmental adaptability. IV. Mainstream Production Processes

(I) Core Production Process (Mainstream Process)
The production of bucket-type garbage trucks is based on "compact integration + precision manufacturing." Key processes include:
1) Chassis selection and modification: Selecting a micro-truck/light truck chassis according to load capacity requirements, reinforcing the frame, installing the hydraulic oil tank, and adapting the power take-off (powered by the engine or electric motor);
2) Manufacturing of the boom lifting system: High-strength steel plates are CNC cut and bent, then robotically welded (weld pass rate ≥99.6%), assembling hydraulic cylinders, pins, hooks, and other components, followed by rust prevention treatment;
3) Production of the truck body: Plates are CNC stamped and bent, welded, then pickled and phosphated, sprayed with anti-corrosion coating, and fitted with sealing caps, anti-drip devices, and drain outlets;
4) Assembly and debugging of the entire machine: Fixing the boom system to the chassis, connecting the hydraulic pipelines and the electrical control system, conducting lifting load tests (120% rated load), cyclic operation tests (≥800 times), and driving performance tests, and finally passing the tests. Products meet GB/T 19001 standards and are certified specifically for sanitation equipment. This process is suitable for miniaturized production, with a production cycle of approximately 10-20 days for standard models. (II) Technological Upgrade Directions With the increasing sophistication of sanitation services and the upgrading of environmental protection requirements, the industry is accelerating technological innovation: First, lightweight manufacturing, using high-strength aluminum alloys and high-strength steel to produce the truck body and crane arm, reducing the overall vehicle weight by 8%~12% and reducing fuel/electricity consumption by 6%~10%; Second, intelligent upgrading, integrating garbage bin identification and positioning, operation counting and statistics, remote dispatching, and fault warning systems, with some high-end models achieving wireless remote control operation (operation distance ≤50 meters), adapting to complex collection environments; Third, new energy transformation, developing pure electric (range 80~180km) and hybrid (oil-electric) chassis models, with pure electric models equipped with lithium batteries and fast charging technology (fully charged in 1.5~3 hours), adapting to short-distance, high-frequency operations in urban communities; Fourth, environmental protection process upgrades, adopting water-based paint spraying and welding fume purification systems, reducing pollutant emissions during production by more than 55%, and adding antibacterial and deodorizing coatings to the inner walls of the truck body to improve environmental protection. (III) Core Component Manufacturing Processes Key component technologies become core competitiveness: 1) Crane Lifting System: The crane boom adopts an integrated bending forming process, increasing strength by 25% compared to spliced ​​structures. The hydraulic multi-way valve adopts a miniaturized precision design, adapting to small chassis installation space. The valve core mating clearance is ≤0.01mm, ensuring precise operation; 2) Tilting Mechanism: Equipped with a rotary tilting device, the tilting angle can reach 45°~60°, ensuring complete unloading of garbage. A buffer and shock absorption structure is also set to reduce operating noise; 3) Electronic Control System: A miniaturized dedicated controller (ECU) is developed, integrating operational safety interlock functions (such as prohibiting driving during lifting), with a response time ≤0.3 seconds, supporting manual/remote dual-mode operation. V. Core Application Areas (I) Urban and Rural Community Sanitation Collection (Traditional Core Area) More than 80% of the world's bucket-type garbage trucks are used for front-end garbage collection in urban and rural communities, making them core equipment for refined sanitation operations. In urban residential communities, mini/small garbage trucks operate along fixed routes, collecting standard garbage bins at building entrances and garbage sorting stations to achieve "daily collection and disposal," meeting the high-frequency collection needs of densely populated residential areas. In urban villages and rural streets, leveraging their flexibility and mobility, they shuttle through narrow streets and alleys to collect household waste from shops and farmers along the streets, promoting the improvement of the rural living environment. In the renovation of old residential areas, there is no need to add new garbage collection facilities; they can be directly adapted to existing standard garbage bins, reducing the cost of sanitation renovation. (II) Waste Collection in Special Areas (Important Application Scenarios) In scenic areas and parks, small bucket trucks paired with landscaped trash cans achieve concealed waste collection, balancing environmental protection and aesthetics, while low-noise operation avoids affecting the visitor experience; in schools, hospitals, and office buildings, electric bucket trucks are suitable for indoor and outdoor waste collection, and their zero-emission and low-noise characteristics meet the requirements for operation in enclosed areas; in industrial parks and industrial zones, small bucket trucks collect office waste and light industrial waste from workshops and office buildings, flexibly adapting to the decentralized collection point layout of the park; in front-end waste sorting collection scenarios, specialized bucket trucks (double-compartment/divided compartments) collect dry waste and wet waste separately, and are equipped with sorting trash cans to achieve a closed loop of "collection-transfer" sorting. (III) Emergency and Special Applications (Growth Drivers) In the field of emergency rescue, it is used for the front-end collection of small-scale garbage and medical waste after disasters such as earthquakes and epidemics. It is equipped with small sealed garbage bins to quickly clean up garbage in residential areas and temporary resettlement sites and prevent the spread of pollution. In the field of large-scale event support (such as community events and small exhibitions), it temporarily deploys bucket trucks and mobile garbage bins to achieve real-time garbage collection and ensure site cleanliness. In the military field, it is used for the collection of domestic waste in military camps and outposts. The miniature vehicle model is suitable for operation in small camp areas. In the scenarios of cold chain parks and food processing plants, special anti-corrosion bucket trucks collect kitchen waste and food waste. The anti-leakage and antibacterial design avoids secondary pollution. VI. Market Development Trends (I) Steady Growth in Demand, Significant Upgrades in Miniaturization and Intelligence In 2024, China's production capacity of bucket-type garbage trucks was about 80,000 units, accounting for 85% of the global market. The market size exceeded RMB 12 billion, and the average annual compound growth rate is expected to remain at 8.0%~9.5% over the next five years. Among them, the demand for new energy (pure electric, hybrid), intelligent, and special-purpose vehicles will grow the fastest, increasing from 28% in 2024 to over 50% in 2029. Currently, the import dependence of core components for high-end vehicles (such as miniature high-pressure hydraulic valves and high-density lithium batteries) is about 15%, mainly relying on imports from Germany and Japan. The promotion of garbage classification policies, the refinement of urban and rural sanitation, and the renovation of old residential areas are the core driving forces of demand. (II) Concentrated production capacity and regional specialization development Global production capacity of bucket-type garbage trucks is mainly concentrated in China (Zoomlion, Foton Motor, Chengli Automobile, Foton Motor), Japan (Isuzu), South Korea (Hyundai), and other countries. Domestic production capacity is mainly distributed in industrial clusters such as Suizhou, Hubei (the capital of special-purpose vehicles), Jining, Shandong, Foshan, Guangdong, and Hefei, Anhui. Industry concentration continues to increase, with the top ten companies accounting for 59.6% of the total production capacity. Leading companies are building competitive barriers through the integration of the "small chassis - core components - vehicle integration" industrial chain, while small and medium-sized enterprises are focusing on micro-vehicles or niche special-purpose fields (such as electric vehicles for scenic spots). (III) Technological innovation drives green and convenient development as the core direction. The "dual-carbon" strategy and the demand for refined sanitation services are driving industry transformation, with new energy and intelligence becoming core competitiveness. Policies require that the penetration rate of new energy sanitation vehicles in first-tier cities reach 45% by 2025, forcing companies to increase the R&D of pure electric and hybrid vehicles. In terms of intelligence, AI garbage bin overflow recognition, wireless remote control operation, and community route optimization and scheduling technologies are gradually becoming popular, and it is expected that the proportion of intelligent products will exceed 40% by 2027. In the medium and long term, miniaturization and lightweighting, unmanned operation, specialization of classification, and low noise throughout the process will reshape the industry landscape. (IV) Price Fluctuations and Strategic Layout The price of bucket-type garbage trucks is affected by multiple factors: upstream raw materials (high-strength steel plates saw an average price increase of 12% in 2024, and lithium batteries increased by 8%), micro/light truck chassis (accounting for 30%~35% of costs), and micro hydraulic components—price fluctuations directly impact production costs; downstream urban and rural sanitation procurement budgets, the pace of garbage classification promotion, and the progress of old residential area renovation influence demand; environmental policies (National VI emission standards), new energy subsidy policies, and special vehicle access standards affect the supply structure. Due to its irreplaceable role in the front-end collection stage of sanitation, bucket-type garbage trucks have become a core sub-segment of the sanitation equipment industry. Companies are strengthening the R&D of core components such as micro hydraulic systems and miniaturized lithium batteries (e.g., Fulongma's independently developed micro hydraulic valves), new energy technology layout, and expansion into lower-tier markets. Simultaneously, they are developing integrated solutions of "vehicles + garbage bins + community sanitation operations" to enhance their bargaining power in the industry chain.