Truma

Truma’s expertise in heating, air-conditioning and cooling systems, and a user-focused approach, has made it a market-leader in the international caravan industry. It has applied this same approach for its first Cooler, a portable compressor fridge/freezer that’s been developed with Truma’s partner in Australia and tested to handle extreme conditions and temperatures

In the short time since its launch in 2020, the Truma Cooler has already won prestigious awards and achieved strong sales success; now Truma is looking for more distributors for the Cooler in North America, Europe and the rest of the world. Aboutcamp BtoB spoke to Jan-Peter Albers, Product Manager at Truma to find out more

Slide Out about its first fridge and the new markets and customers the Cooler is designed for.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Truma has witnessed a lot of new customers entering the market who are seeking outdoor adventurers like camping and other outdoor activities. This made 2020 the perfect year to launch Truma’s first portable Cooler. To meet the needs of every customer, anywhere in the world, Truma looks at the complete user journey to ensure all needs are met and anyone using its products gets the perfect outcome and results every time. Truma started developing the Cooler in 2018 with its division in Australia so it could be designed to handle the extreme temperature ranges and conditions in the Australian Outback; but Truma didn’t just test the Cooler’s cooling efficiency, it also had to consider battery performance and the durability and usability of the design for any leisure activity. As a result, with a cooling performance down to -8F or -22C, Truma has already heard of some customers using its Cooler to transport COVID-19 vaccines that have to be kept at a certain low temperature. This extreme testing regime means the Cooler’s design is highly durable and can be used for any adventure or leisure activity anywhere in the world. It operates on 12v, 24v, 110v and 230v, so is suitable for worldwide use, and is available in a range of sizes from 30 to 104 litres. “For the Truma Cooler compressor fridge and freezer, this user-focused approach has already paid off with great sales achieved since its launch and some highly-respected awards, including the Reddot Design Award 2021 and the European Innovation Award 2021,” says Jan-Peter Albers.

Before buying a product like the Truma Cooler, customers usually prefer the convenience of doing their own research online before visiting a retailer, especially during periods when there are covid restrictions in force. To help customers during this research pro-

cess, Truma has a Cooler Edutainment campaign in place which educates and answers questions in an entertainment format. This product knowledge is available online and can also be viewed on a mobile phone so that customers or the sales representative in the shop can see the Cooler in action. In addition, there is an interactive app to help customers get to know to the cooler. This includes Edutainment videos, a demonstration mode, Feedback interfaces and usage data shared with Truma.

As customers usually want to actually see the product before purchasing it, Truma recognizes the need for suitable Point-of-Sale material to support the perfect user experience at the retailer. The user’s journey doesn’t end with the sale though. In addition to interactions with the customer via the App, Truma provides excellent customer service and is there to help end users as well as the dealers, who can forward the enquiries directly to Truma to deal with.

Truma takes its social, environmental and technological responsibility seriously. “We can’t bear to see any products being thrown away,” says Jan-Peter Albers. Truma donates its so-called ‘class B merchandise’ which can’t be sold to end users or employees to good causes. One such project is a co-operation with a local graffiti artist called Christian Hundertmark (C100). Christian brings slightly used fridges, which are designed to last for many years, back up to speed, before being donated to youth centres and sports clubs.

The Truma Cooler has been a real success for its retail partners as they are able to offer a durable, safe and efficient product together with a complementary user experience. “Truma would now like to extend its retailer network across the world, particularly in the United States and the rest of Europe (outside Germany) – so why not join it on the exciting journey to provide innovative and durable cooling solutions to outdoor loving people!” says Jan-Peter Albers.

The Truma Cooler is designed to be durable and easy to use for all activities. It can be charged on 12v, 24v, 240v or 110v and provide dual-zone cooling, or even freezing, if items such as food need to be kept cold. For easy access, the lids and interior baskets are removable, and there’s the added convenience of an integrated bottle opener on both sides, plus USB ports to charge devices while outdoors, and even Bluetooth connectivity. The carrying handles fold flush with the side of the Cooler and it is easy to clean out thanks to a drain in the bottom. A digital display means the inside temperature(s) can be controlled precisely, and an LED light means you can see what’s inside even after dark. For maximum durability, it has reinforced corners and long-lasting stainless steel hinges, but if additional protection is required, Truma offers an insulated cover as an accessory, complete with side pockets for items such as cutlery. The Cooler has a high energy efficiency rating and can chill the interior down to -8F (-22C). In addition to a range of Truma Coolers available to see at the Caravan Salon Düsseldorf this year, the Truma stand will also have its combi heaters, air conditioners, movers, gas system products, and, for the first time, its new iNet X-System.

The new iNet X-System enables the user to digitally control the vehicle’s appliances (via a control panel or an app) to create a ‘smart’ RV experience.

Above: optional insulated cover Below, from the left: digital display, USB ports, bottle opener, handels

Top left: Maurizio Sandei, CEO of the Sandei Group, and Matteo Confalonieri, CEO of Decor In during the Atelier Italian Revolution event. Top right: a moment of the conference in which Nat Schiavello, Managing Director of NCE Pty Ltd, was connected from Australia.

At the end of June, some leading companies in the wood supply chain for the RV market had the idea of organizing a convention for their customers to present the latest news and strengthen their relationships through a face-to-face meeting, an opportunity that the business lacked in the last year and a half during the global pandemic

The Sandei Group, which represents four companies (Industrie Compensati Colorno, Maller, Sandei and Xuzhou Hongwei Wood) and Decor In srl invited a hundred guests to its facilities for a two-day study on technologies, materials, processes and products. Aboutcamp BtoB also attended and can only applaud this initiative as it had the merit of bringing together professionals and technicians from some of the most important companies in the world who produce Recreational Vehicles and the woodworking chain. It was a courageous conference that brought together not competitors but colleagues, and also allowed valuable exchanges of views on the market and some phenomena that everyone is experiencing. The event, which alternated moments of in-depth analysis with other more convivial ones, allowed participants to get to the heart of these corporate realities. This included the Sandei Group which, having acquired Maller a few years ago, now intends to reaffirm itself in first place on the worldwide RV market; and Decor In, an important company in the production of quality printed and impregnated decorative papers, and already a leader in the RV sector, that has now decided to also present itself directly to B2B customers. It was an important opportunity to get to know not only the companies in this sector, but also the people who work there. We met close-knit teams who work in a sincere and enthusiastic way. We are sure that the important value of their respect for each other is also reflected in their relationships between customers and suppliers. Despite being the first event of its kind, its direction and purpose was impeccable: Atelier Italian Revolution was a very high profile event, where nothing was left to chance. Although it is the first event of this nature in Europe, without a doubt, given the success achieved, it will not be the last.

The welcome kit for participants. Below: the dinner menu.

The showroom set up in the conference room for the participants