Global Trailer November 2019

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INNOVATION

BUSINESS

NEWS

BPW Hungary Factory Tour Solutrans 2019 Sneak Peek VDL Weweler’s Axle Lift Devices WABCO Trailer Intelligence

TII Group on Global Activity Market Report: Netherlands CIE CEO Interview JOST Talks Tow Hitches

NUFAM 2019 In Review Supply Chain Announcements Trailer, Equipment Specialist News Industry Events and Technology Updates

Visualization coming into Reality Modular and Digital design

CIMC Vehicle’s modular and digital design beyond the existing design language allows customers to be unprecedentedly autonomous. Customers can be free to choose the configuration and appearance according to their needs and preferences.

www.cimcvehiclesgroup.com

COVER STORY

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22

ECONOMY OF SCALE

The future of heavy load mobility is shining bright for TII Group. A focus on product quality and innovation to manage complex transportation tasks is key to the manufacturer’s international fame.

IN THIS ISSUE BUSINESS 28 MARKET REPORT

Environmental action and transport efficiencies are driving the Netherlands’ freight priorities.

Is this an example that other emerging countries should adopt moving forward?

33 EVENT PREVIEW: SOLUTRANS

Solutrans 201 is shaping up to be the largest European gathering of electric heavy goods and urban vehicles from 3.5 to 44 tonnes.

50 INDUSTRY VOICE

Vice President Trailer Systems, Christiaan Verschueren, speaks about how WABCO’s new Global Intelligent Braking Platform is a cornerstone of the Trailer Intelligence mobilisation and paves the way to the ACE-ready trailer.

55 PROFILE

Frank Sonzala, President and CEO of CIMC Intermodal Equipment, is leading the North American trailer market with an optimistic attitude, backed by quality, innovative developments in skel manufacturing and production infrastructure.

60 EVENT REVIEW: NUFAM 2019

Events such as NUFAM facilitate an information exchange where manufacturers of trailing equipment and associated componentry share their work with consumers and other innovators.

68 FACTORY TOUR

Precision farming demands robust, efficient equipment. BPW’s engineers in Hungary, pooling

almost a quarter of a century of localised innovation, are set to revolutionise the world.

FEATURES 38 CHEREAU

French OEM, Chereau, teases its hydrogen refrigerated semi-trailer and other developments in the leadup to Solutrans 2019.

“THE BUSINESS IS ‘GLOBALLY ACTIVE’ AND HAS SERVICE AND SALES OFFICES THROUGHOUT EUROPE, CHINA, RUSSIA, NORTH AMERICA – EVERYWHERE. TII GROUP’S RANGE OF VEHICLES ARE OPERATED IN MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE …”

Dr Gerald Karch TII Group

42 KNORR-BREMSE

Knorr-Bremse is systematically engaging with the trends of the commercial vehicle industry: traffic safety, emission reduction and e-mobility, connectivity and automated drivingm, and will be among the exhibitors at this year’s Solutrans trade event.

44 BUILT TO TASK

Equipment specialist, SAF-Holland, provides lightweight truck and trailer components to boost profitability for fleets by enabling additional payload gains.

REGULARS

75 PREVIEW

04 EDITOR’S NOTE

76 EVENTS

06 NEWS

78 MEGATRENDS

46 VDL WEWELER

Inventive axle lift devices are par for the course with this Netherlands-based supplier of axle and suspension systems.

48 ASPÖCK SYSTEMS

Learn more about how this lighting solution specialist is adding value to the trailer manufacturing industry.

58 JOST

Dieter Raab unpacks 33 years of tow hitch knowledge and expertise.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

PUBLISHER

John Murphy john.murphy@primecreative.com.au

MANAGING EDITOR

Luke Applebee luke.applebee@primecreative.com.au

DESIGN PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

ART DIRECTOR Blake Storey

KERNEL PANIC

DESIGN Jo De Bono, Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty

INTERNATIONAL SALES

IN A FICTITIOUS AND DYSTOPIAN Detroit, Omni Consumer Products (OCP) unveiled the future of law enforcement: ED-209. While the peacekeeping walker drone was programmed for ‘urban pacification’, OCP negotiated contracts for it to be deployed in military applications.

When ED-209 was put to the test in the field it wasn’t brute strength that initially defeated it. Instead, a skilled hacker exploited unsecured serial ports on the robots’s right leg, effectively taking full control.

Paul Verhoeven’s cyberpunk classic, RoboCop, and more recent examples of popular culture like Mr Robot, explores the very real threat of unauthorised access to data centres and computerised systems – beyond the point of paranoia.

And for good reason.

In the road transport realm, for instance, smart trailers package ‘integrated functionality’ to achieve improved efficiency and safety for vehicle operators however the advent of these advanced technologies introduces new challenges for manufacturers and fleet operators, namely cybersecurity.

A telematics unit fitted to a smart trailer typically ‘speaks’ with the prime mover and other connected components to share and process information via Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to perform a number of functions. The Chereau NEXT, for example, can be

4 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 4 9

programmed to automatically open the rear door, switch the lights on and pause the refrigeration unit when the driver stands by the tail lift.

The wealth of information that can potentially be presented to the vehicle operator via heads-up displays is also staggering. For a reefer, it is, at least in theory, possible to confirm precise temperature readings of storage zones in real time and read tyre pressure monitoring system data. In time, the number and variety of these functions will increase. So, too, will the number of endpoints that unauthorised users will have to play with.

Unprotected connections to the smart trailer network via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB or diagnostic port have the potential to serve as a backdoor entry point. In the automotive industry, for example, a vehicle was hijacked via the MP3 parser of the radio, the Bluetooth stack and the telematics unit.

These security exploits are front-ofmind for smart trailer manufacturers, cybersecurity experts involved in developing frameworks for vehicular networks classified under intelligent transport systems. Fortunately, our reality is brighter than OCP’s Detroit.

For a better tomorrow, I’d buy that for a dollar.

Ashley Blachford ashley.blachford@primecreative.com.au

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER

Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au

CONTRIBUTORS Tim de Jong

HEAD OFFICE

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ARTICLES

All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

COPYRIGHT

Global Trailer is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. All material in Global Trailer is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.

The opinions expressed in Global Trailer are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

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“On roads across the globe: JOST keeps us rolling!”

Trusting the market leader.

Truck and trailer manufacturers around the globe trust in JOST’s comprehensive range of components.

Customer-orientated solutions, innovative products and a worldwide supply of spare parts make JOST the number 1. www.jost-world.com

NEWS INTERNATIONAL ASIA VIETNAM Global supply chain business, CEVA Logistics, officially opened its new facility in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, doubling the size of its local operation, last month.

The new facility, strategically located close to the two cargo terminals of the country’s busiest airport Tan Son Nhat International – and a short drive from the container port of Cat Lai – will reportedly enable CEVA to further develop its services in Vietnam.

CEVA has a long-established presence in Vietnam at Ho Chi Minh City and in the capital city of Hanoi serving one of the most dynamic and fast-growing markets in east Asia.

In line with the country’s economic growth over the last two years, CEVA’s own business has grown rapidly in both freight management and contract logistics and with increasing customer demand across the board making the move to newer, larger premises essential.

The World Bank predicts that Vietnamese economic growth will continue to be around the 6.5 per cent per annum mark in coming years, particularly as a result of the free trade agreements which Vietnam signed with the European Union and the US in 2016. The agreements include abolishing certain customs duties and creating easier market access. This makes Vietnam an even more attractive production country for many companies.

“With CEVA’s demonstrated competencies in air, ocean and ground already well established, our flexible business model has also enabled us to move quickly to tap into Vietnam’s new opportunities for growth,” said CEVA CEO, Nicolas Sartini. “Thanks to our dedicated 6 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 4 9

staff, our long experience, and now our expanded footprint, we are ready to help our customers grow their operations in Vietnam and beyond.”

CHINA China-based e-commerce and technology conglomerate, Alibaba Group, released its financial results for the quarter ended June 30 2019 earlier this month.

Alibaba Group CEO, Daniel Zhang, said the business had a great quarter and expanded its user base to 764 million annual active consumers.

“We will continue to expand our customer base, increase operating efficiency and deliver robust growth,” he said. “With strong cash flow from our core commerce business, we will continue to invest in technology and bring digital transformation to millions of businesses globally.”

Alibaba Group Chief Financial Officer, Maggie Wu, confirmed it was a strong quarter to start the fiscal year “with revenue growing 42 per cent and adjusted EBITDA growing 34 per cent year-over-year”.

The conglomerate reported a revenue of $16.741 million USD (€15.099 million) for the quarter ended 30 June 2019.

Income from operations was $3.551 million USD (€3.202 million), an increase of 204 per cent year-overyear.

The Cainiao Network which is part of Alibaba’s core commerce developed robust import fulfilment solutions from Tmall Global (a consumer engagement and distribution platform for brands in China) utilising a combination of bonded warehouses in China and direct shipment from foreign countries.

In June 2019, Cainiao Network’s import fulfilment solutions served more

than 97 per cent of Tmall Global’s packages. During the 6.18 Mid-Year Shopping Festival, Cainiao’s bonded warehouse facilitated the shipment of tens of millions of packages imported

by Tmall Global, representing yearover-year growth of over 60 per cent.

Cainiao Network continued to focus on providing consumers with comprehensive last-mile solutions, including neighbourhood and campus pick-up stations and self-pickup lockers. Consumers also reportedly benefitted from Cainiao’s Guoguo app, which offers on-demand pickup and delivery services that allow consumers to send packages from the comfort of their homes, thereby facilitating returns.

AUSTRIA LED innovator for the heavy vehicle sector, Aspöck Systems, has upgraded its headquarters in Peuerbach, Austria.

The manufacturer has added a new administration building to its HQ complex which is reported to have taken under a year to complete.

“A passage connects the administration building with the existing office building and extends over three levels,” Aspöck Systems said in a statement. “With the best possible equipment of a light-flooded fitness room, the employees find the necessary balance to their daily work more easily and their health is even more promoted. Only with a healthy base we grow well into the future.”

In related news, Aspöck Systems has also enhanced its ECOLED II with an interchangeable lense that can be used for the left and right lamp and applies to the entire tail light when turned 180 degrees.

“It features a large light area, uniform light pattern plus sequential light in

NEWS

EUROPE transport solutions in Lyon. In addition to a selection of the proven Aspöck product range, the new ECOLED II rear lamp will also be in the limelight on the exhibition stand.

Aspöck France will be exhibiting at Hall 3.0, exhibition stand G115 during the Solutrans event which is being held 19-23 November at Eurexpo.

GERMANY German OEM, Schmitz Cargobull, has reflected on its financial performance for the period 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019.

Despite weaker economic growth in the final quarter of 2018, Schmitz

Cargobull produced a record number of approx. 63,500 vehicles in the 2018/19 business year with around 6,500 employees.

Sales rose by 5.3 per cent to approximately €2.29 billion with a profit before tax (PBT) of 3.9 per cent.

“A glance at the figures of the 2018/19 business year shows that the last business year of 2018/19 was a solid year for Schmitz Cargobull,” said Andreas Schmitz, CEO of Schmitz Cargobull on the occasion of the Supervisory Board Meeting on 24 September 2019.

Due to the overall economic and political development no further

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a dynamic indicator,” said Aspöck Systems.

“The indicator is monitored in accordance with ISO 13207.

“The end outline marker arm of the ECOLED II has a defined breaking point to ensure cost-efficient repair in case of damage and so that only the mounting bracket has to be replaced. Resistant to pressure, water, bases and acids, the rugged tail light features a low installation height and is available in a voltage range from 12 to 24 volts.”

Later this year, Aspöck France will be representing the Aspöck Group at the international show for road and urban

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EUROPE growth is expected in the current 2019/20 business year according to the OEM. “However, we believe that the Central and Eastern Europe regions and Spain will remain relatively stable while a reduction is expected in other countries,” said Andreas Schmitz.

“We are keeping all flexibility options open and assume that we will be able to implement the necessary savings without any cuts within our core team.”

In the last business year, Schmitz Cargobull continued to maintain its proven strategy of continually expanding its product portfolio and offering customers transport solutions, together with a comprehensive range of services, with which they are able to achieve an optimum total cost of ownership (TCO).

At the beginning of 2019, production was resumed of container chassis in order to additionally serve the market for the transport of sea containers.

A technological highlight, the S.KO COOL SMART box semitrailer, was presented at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018: the enhanced S.KO COOL refrigerated trailer, the new S.CU cooling unit and the integrated digital temperature recorder that is included in the standard “TrailerConnect” telematics system provides a perfect complete refrigerated logistics package for transport companies.

The subject of sustainability is given an increasingly high priority at freight carriers and shippers, in particular in terms of CO2 emissions. Schmitz Cargobull has also continued to work on solutions for this. The result are low-weight trailers and the EcoDuo concept: This vehicle combination consists of two standard curtainsider semi-trailers connected via a dolly and 8 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 4 9

coupled to a tractor unit. Other long HGV concepts make use of differing lengths of the load carriers, meaning they cannot be combined for flexible use, requiring fleets to invest additional money in their infrastructure. When compared to conventional tractor units and other long HGV concepts, the EcoDuo enables a 25 per cent saving in CO2 in long-distance transport.

In addition to investments in ongoing product development, investments were also made in the organisation. This continued its ongoing development as planned – from individual plants which act autonomously and independently to a network of production locations in which synergies can be achieved as a unit. In order to move this process ahead and to further expand capacities, €51.4 million was invested in tangible assets.

During the Annual General Meeting on 24 September, the Supervisory Board of Schmitz Cargobull extended the contract with Roland Klement, Chief Technology Officer, by a further three years until 31 May 2023.

“Through its powers of technical innovation and reliability, Schmitz Cargobull has become the European market leader and sets standards for the industry,” said newly appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Dirk Hoffmann. “We will consistently continue to pursue this path and place our faith in the key area of research and development in continuity and consistency.”

GERMANY Equipment specialist, SAF-Holland, has announced a change to its Board of Directors.

Dr Martin Kleinschmitt, member of the Board of Directors of SAF-Holland

since March 2013 and the Vice Chairman of the Board since April 2017, assumes in his capacity as Vice Chairman of the supervisory body the tasks of Martina Merz who resigned from her position as Chairwoman for personal reasons.

Merz will remain a member of the company’s Board of Directors.

Dr Kleinschmitt is both a banker and a lawyer. He studied law at the University of Berlin and then earned his doctorate at the Free University of Berlin. Between 1991 and 2000, he held various management positions at Herlitz and Herlitz Falkenhöh, most recently as Chief Financial Officer and Human Resources Officer of Herlitz.

Since 2001 he has been a partner in the international law firm Noerr LLP and is a member of the Executive Board of Noerr Consulting, where he works as a consultant and interim manager in the areas of corporate finance and restructuring.

GERMANY Former SAF-Holland CEO Detlef Borghardt has joined TIP Trailer Services’ Supervisory Board.

The appointment was effective 13 September 2019.

As a member of the Supervisory Board of Cube Transportation Europe Coöperatief UA – TIP’s senior holding company – Borghardt will advise TIP’s Board of Directors on behalf of I Squared Capital.

“I am more than enthusiastic about being part of the team,” said Borghardt. “The company’s and its management’s highly ambitious requirements for services, products, quality and safety are perfectly aligned with my own core values and beliefs, and my extensive experience in this industry should support TIP’s

NEWS

EUROPE growth and success as much as possible worldwide.”

Borghardt is a senior executive and former CEO of SAF-Holland, a leading supplier of chassis-related systems and components, primarily for trailers and semi-trailers, but also for trucks and buses. He has nearly 30 years of experience in the global commercial vehicle and auto parts industry.

“Detlef Borghardt is a true leader and a veteran of the transportation industry, and at TIP, our goal is to strengthen our leadership position in the transportation and logistics industry by continually improving and diversifying our way of doing business,” said TIP

Trailer Services President and CEO, Bob Fast.

“Because of his extensive experience and knowledge of our industry, I am confident that Detlef Borghardt will make a great contribution to the future of TIP,” he said.

GERMANY Leading manufacturer of vehicle connection systems, modules and components for trucks and trailers, JOST, is initiating a generational change.

Lars Brorsen is handing over the position of JOST CEO to Chief Sales Officer Joachim Dürr effective

1 October 2019.

Brorsen steps down from his position as CEO effective 30 September 2019. Since the end of 1999, he has been the face of JOST Werke. Under his leadership, the German company has developed into an internationally recognised group. Global sales have more than quadrupled during this period and the number of employees has more than doubled. He has expanded and enhanced JOST’s product portfolio with strong brands such as TRIDEC, ROCKINGER, Edbro and most recently the JOST Axle Systems. Under his leadership, JOST Werke AG was listed on the

www.aspoeck.com

EUROPE Frankfurt Stock Exchange in 2017 and made the leap into the SDAX index soon after.

At 67 years of age, Brorsen hands over the baton of Chairman of the Executive Board to his fellow Board member Joachim Dürr.

“We have prepared this step with calm and prudence,” said Brorsen. “With Joachim Dürr, we have been able to win a competent successor who will keep the spirit of the company alive and will continue JOST’s success story. It has been a great honor for me to have served JOST over the past decades.”

Dürr was appointed Chief Sales Officer (CSO) of JOST Werke as of 1 January 2019. The graduate mechanical engineer has many years of international sales, product and leadership experience in the commercial vehicle industry. On 1 October 2019, he will assume the function of CEO of JOST Werke AG. Simultaneously, the company’s Executive Board will be reduced again to three members. In accordance with the term of his Executive Board contract, Brorsen will continue to assist JOST on an advisory basis until 31 December 2019.

“The Supervisory Board thanks Lars Brorsen for his outstanding work over the past 20 years,” said JOST Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Manfred Wennemer.

“We and JOST owe him a great deal and we wish him all the best for the coming years.

“With Joachim Dürr, we were able to recruit a very experienced manager at the beginning of 2019, with whom JOST will be very successful in the future,” he said.

Dürr is looking forward to his new position.

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“JOST and its employees worldwide stand for absolute customer orientation, today and in the future,” said Dürr. “The commercial vehicle industry will continue to grow in the medium term and in the process undergo major changes – this offers a wide range of opportunities for JOST. I am delighted to develop the company on this basis, generating sustainable and long-term value for our customers, employees and shareholders.”

GERMANY The Federal Office for Goods Transport (BAG) in Germany expects a steady increase in freight traffic to continue until 2021 despite a predicted slowdown in economic growth.

This year, BAG predicts a 0.9 per cent rise in freight volumes and 1.2 per cent growth in transport services.

Freight volumes are projected by BAG to grow in 2020 (+1.7 per cent) and 2021 (+1.3 per cent).

Average increases in road haulage and intermodal traffic are due to be offset by moderate developments of cargo volumes in other segments such as inland shipping, air freight and rail freight.

The forecast report was prepared jointly by Intraplan Consult GmbH and the Federal Office for Freight Traffic.

GERMANY German OEM, Kässbohrer, has bolstered Autamarocchi’s fleet with 100 K.SCC X+ coil transporters.

The Italian intermodal container specialist reportedly operates more than 300 Kässbohrer vehicles.

Kässbohrer recently hosted a delivery ceremony at its Adapazari facility.

Attendees included Autamarocchi President, Oscar Zabai, Autamarocchi

Vice General Manager, Ervino Harej, Autamarocchi BU Director Container Tansport Europe, Roberto Vidoni, Kässbohrer President, Çetin Nuhoğlu, and Head of Key Account Management, Mehmet Önen.

“As Autamarocchi, we have a strong partnership with Kässbohrer for 10 years built on trust,” said Zabai.

“During that time, we experienced first-hand the robustness of Kässbohrer vehicles. Our focus is intermodal transportation and we are looking for reliability and efficiency for our operations. Kässbohrer K.SCC X+ is suitable for both huckepack and ferry transportation and meet the challenges of complex intermodal loading and unloading operations with its robust, strong chassis,” he said.

Zabai told Kässbohrer he is impressed with the Adapazari production facility and values the OEM’s after-sales network.

Nuhoğlu spoke at the delivery ceremony, stating that it is Kässbohrer’s main priority to meet the versatile needs of its customers.

“We listen and further develop each one of our widest product range to deliver vehicles that will add value to their business,” he said. “We highly value our 10-year strong partnership with Autamarocchi, which is one of Italy’s top transporter companies. I have no doubt that our partnership will continue to grow.” Önen said it has been a pleasure working with Autamarocchi for 10 years.

The K.SCC X+ coil transporter is reported to be suitable for e-fg-i wagon types and suitable for tunnels P400. The vehicle is also equipped with 2 x 4 units of ferry rings in compliance with Standard EN 29367-2.

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EUROPE “Our coil transporter offers secure transportation during operations through load security certification in compliance with Standard EN 12642 Code XL – VDI 2700 including Beverage Transport Certification, 4 x 2 units of pillar pockets inside of the coilwell,” Kässbohrer said in a statement.

GERMANY After 16 successful years, Alfons Veer will resign as Chairman of the Management Board of Bernard Krone Holding SE & Co KG at the end of 2019.

Veer’s decision to retire is reportedly due to his age (65). He will join the Supervisory Board of the Krone Group on 1 January 2020.

Veer will be succeeded as CEO by Dr David Frink (46) who has been Chief Financial Officer of the Krone Group since the beginning of 2018.

From 1 October 2019, Dr Frink will also be responsible for the agricultural machinery division.

New to the Krone management team is Dr Stefan Binnewies (48), who will join the Executive Board of Krone Holding as Chief Operating Officer (COO) on 1 October 2019. He is responsible for the Commercial Vehicles division in the holding company and, among other things, the Group divisions Strategic Purchasing, Investments, Human Resources and Legal Affairs.

Dr Binnewies previously worked for Jungheinrich AG for nine years, most recently as Managing Director of Jungheinrich Logistiksysteme.

Ole Klose (53) is also a new member of Krone Holding; as of 1 October 2019, he will be a member of the Executive Board (with power of attorney) with responsibility for Treasury, Taxes, Sales Financing, Insurance and Equity Investments.

12 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 4 9

Klose previously worked for the Bankhaus Lampe Group for 16 years, most recently as Managing Director of Lampe Investment Management.

“We are very pleased that we have been able to gain two established executives, Dr Binnewies and mister Klose, whose know-how will be very valuable, particularly with regard to the increasing internationalisation and further expansion of the company,” said Bernard Krone, Managing Partner of Krone Holding. “We very much welcome the fact that mister Veer will continue to contribute his many years of expertise to the Supervisory Board of the Krone Group in the future.”

GERMANY Global transport and logistics company, Kuehne + Nagel, aims for all of its less-than-container-load (LCL) shipments to be C02 neutral from 2020 onwards.

This is part of the company’s plan to proactively address the carbon footprint of its airlines, shipping lines and haulage companies.

Kuehne + Nagel’s ‘Net Zero Carbon’ program is reported to leverage three fields of action: detection, reduction and compensation of CO2. The company has started its own nature projects in Myanmar and New Zealand and has invested in various nature-based CO2 compensation projects, where carbon is being taken from the atmosphere. The emission credits obtained are in accordance with the highest international standards.

Over the past years, Kuehne + Nagel has considerably reduced its own CO2 footprint and will continue to pursue its efforts. Ongoing training programs maintain and expand the environmental awareness

of employees. For example, video conferencing increasingly replaces business trips. Direct Kuehne + Nagel CO2 emissions (GHG Scope 1 and 2) that cannot be avoided will be fully compensated as of 2020.

“As one of the leading logistics companies worldwide, we acknowledge the responsibility we have for the environment, for our ecosystem and essentially for the people,” said Kuehne + Nagel International CEO, Dr. Detlef Trefzger.

“Today’s announcement is based on a package of measures to fight CO2 emissions and provide sustainable and innovative supply chain solutions – hand in hand with our suppliers and customers. We thus support the aim of the Paris agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C,” he said.

GERMANY The Supervisory Board of KnorrBremse has unanimously appointed Bernd Eulitz as CEO of the German braking technology company.

Eulitz will assume his role as CEO on 1 November 2019 and will also be responsible for the human resources function as Labor Director.

“With Mr Eulitz, we have won a very experienced strategist with significant international and industrial expertise for the CEO position at Knorr-Bremse AG,” said Prof. Dr Klaus Mangold, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Knorr-Bremse. \ “As member of the managing board of Linde AG, he has decisively shaped the development of the company over the last five years.

“In addition, he has significantly expanded the business internationally through foresight, strong leadership and a team spirit. I am convinced that, together with the existing Executive

NEWS

EUROPE Board team at Knorr-Bremse, Mr. Eulitz will lead the company with strategic foresight through the dynamic market environment,” he said.

“I look forward to help shape the future of Knorr-Bremse,” said Eulitz.

“The company is very successful and enjoys an exceptional reputation.

“The company’s IPO one year ago was very successful, and the company still managed to maintain its core essence as a family business.

This combination of capital-market orientation and entrepreneurial identity is very attractive and holds great potential for the company’s future development,” he said.

In his last role, Eulitz was a member of the managing board of Linde Group, a DAX- and S&P 500 listed company. As Executive Vice President, he was responsible for the business in the Americas. In 2015, Eulitz became member of the managing board at Linde AG, where he was responsible for the Gases Division in the European, Middle Eastern and African markets. From 2010 to 2014, Eulitz was in charge of South and East Asia. Before switching to Linde, Eulitz worked in various positions at Air Liquide and A.T. Kearney. Eulitz has a degree in process engineering (TH Karlsruhe, Germany).

GERMANY DHL Freight is trialling a ‘Terminal of the Future’ in Langenhagen to reinforce its position as a road transport and innovation leader.

The courier company is investing in its existing European network of 200 terminals following the opening of a new freight hub in the Airport Business Park in Langenhagen that will trial innovative technologies at the state-of-the-art transshipment facility. Approximately 290 employees currently dispatch and consolidate freight at the new terminal.

“The opening of the new HanoverLangenhagen freight terminal adds

EUROPE another important hub in European overland transport,” said DHL Freight CEO, Uwe Brinks. “The combination of a convenient location and innovative technologies makes this new future-oriented freight transshipment centre an important growth driver within our network.”

The 8,700m² transshipment terminal is reported to house more than 86 loading bays, where freight for both the Europe-wide all-in-one groupage service ‘Euroconnect’ and the ‘Eurapid’ premium daydefinite groupage service is handled.

Expert personnel also assist national and international customers with customised logistics solutions and transport management for the ‘Euronet’ full truck load (FTL) service.

To further strengthen its position as a road transport market and innovation leader, new technologies for the ‘Terminal for the Future’, according to DHL Freight, are being trialled and deployed at the new freight centre. In the field of yard logistics, for example, DHL Freight is already testing an electric manoeuvring assistant that uses augmented reality and automated steering to independently manoeuvre and swap bodies at the site. The technology developed by StreetScooter in cooperation with special vehicle manufacturer, Kamag, reportedly facilitates smooth operations.

Another innovation being tested at the new DHL Freight terminal is automated weight, volume, and shipment data recording devices.

With the help of a combination of different technologies, all shipmentrelevant data is digitally transferred to the transport management system within a few seconds. Less than load (LTL) cargo is primarily still recorded 14 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 4 9

manually. The partial automation of the process is reported to increase both efficiency and speed; accurate recordings of freight dimensions are essential for optimal loading strategy and correctly billing customers.

GERMANY German trailer builder, Krone, has expanded its operations in Lower Saxony, Germany, with the official opening of a business centre in Haselünne.

“We are deliberately bundling synergies in the areas of accounting and IT so that we can continue to operate effectively and competitively with the Krone Group in Emsland,” Bernard Krone said in his official address at the opening the new Krone location in Haselünne – the headquarters of the newly founded Krone Business Center GmbH & Co. KG which operates 100 per cent under Krone Holding.

Over the past five months, according to Krone, around 60 modern workplaces have been created in the rented building in Kreuzweg, which are now used by 55 Krone employees from IT and accounts payable.

The investment volume amounts to around €500,000. In addition, all employees who prepare monthly and annual financial statements for the Krone Group are also active at the Haselünne site.

“With this reorganisation in the areas of IT and accounting, we are bringing together the corresponding competencies from our German locations - Spelle, Werlte, Herzlake, Dinklage and Lübtheen,” said Bernard Krone. “We can now use the individual know-how and personnel capacities for the entire Krone Group across all locations.”

Bernard Krone stressed that Krone will also test new working time models at the new location.

“We want to position ourselves further as an innovative and attractive employer in Emsland, which is why we are now also offering flexible home office opportunities, for example,” he said.

IRELAND Northern Irish OEM, SDC Trailers, has introduced a new multifunctional headboard on its platform trailer range for improved operation, safety and utilisation.

Manufactured in high tensile steel, the EN 12642 XL headboard will be fitted as standard across SDC’s platform range for the construction, oil, timber and steel transport industries.

The trailer headboard plays a vital function during transport; forming an essential part of the load restraint and functioning as a backup system to protect the driver. Developed by SDC’s in-house team of engineers, the multifunctional headboard features an internal flush face for ease of loading, rounded top corners for cover sheets, a new coupling box location and heavyduty nose cone assembly for strength and trailer protection when coupling.

The design has been load certified by independent body, TÜV-NORD, to achieve EN 12642 XL accreditation to a payload of 29,000kg.

“Safety is paramount at SDC and our engineers are continually looking for ways to enhance our product offering in line with new features and industry requirements,” said SDC Trailers CEO, Enda Cushnahan.

“The rollout of our new platform headboard is an example of the forward-thinking, high quality solutions that customers can expect from an

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EUROPE SDC, advancing on trailer safety and ease of operation,” he said.

SDC’s Platform trailer range comprises standard, extendable and step-frame models as well as bespoke designs. SDC work with its customers to specify everything from the overall trailer length, to spacing of pin sockets, floor, dropsides, storage, load restraint and rear end options.

POLAND Polish OEM, Wielton, has released financial results for the first half of 2019, citing increases in revenues and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation

(EBITDA).

Wielton said in a statement that 1H2019 revenues were PLN 1.326.2 million (approx. €302,722) which was an increase of 34.9 per cent year-on-year.

EBITDA for 1H2019 was PLN 85.4 million (approx. €19,494,113).

Market data indicates that Wielton is a growth leader among the world’s largest trailer manufacturers. The OEM remains a dividend company – in June this year. The company paid almost PLN 20 million (approx. €4,565,191) in dividend from 2018 profit.

“Considering that the results for the first half of 2019 take into account

the revenues of the British company Lawrence David acquired at the end of last year and the fact that integration activities are still underway, which in the near future will bring an increase in the margins generated by this company, it should be emphasised that satisfactory profitability level of our current business in 2019,” said Wielton Vice President of the Management Board for Economic and Financial Affairs, Tomasz Śniatała.

Revenues of French company Freuhauf reached almost PLN 387 million (approx. €88,340,977) and were over 23 per cent – reportedly higher than a year ago. A company

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NORTH AMERICA from the Wielton Group remains a market leader with almost 21 percent share (an increase by approx. three per cent year-on-year).

The improvement of results is the result of robotisation of production lines which very positively affected their efficiency.

The Polish company generated PLN 236 million (€53,871,781) of turnover in the domestic market (down one per cent year-on-year). The Group maintained its leading position in key product categories. In the period under discussion, Wielton resisted price pressure from the competition, which led the group to maintain margins from earlier periods.

Viberti has strengthened its position on the Italian market. The company is at the stage of finalising the business plan leading to cost optimisation and changing the sales structure (which will result in maintaining margins).

It is also planned to introduce new products for sale.

The revenues of the German Langendorf Group on product sales reached almost PLN 139 million (approx. €31,729,546) and were over 14 per cent higher year-on-year. The company implements pro-growth activities related to product portfolio management and the use of group synergies aimed at increasing revenues and maximising margins.

“We monitor all strategic markets on an ongoing basis and adjust activities to their individual situation,” said Wielton CEO, Mariusz Golec.

“The results of individual companies indicate effectiveness in managing the Group.”

UK F Edmondson & Sons has increased its operating capacity with new 16 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 4 9

bespoke Cartwright equipment.

The specialist furniture carrier ordered two new drawbars and uses lowride Mercedes prime movers and Cartwright trailers featuring bespoke Cartwright demountable boxes and chassis equipment.

“The two new drawbars, which have interchangeable demountable boxes, now have an extra 20 per cent volume capacity, over our existing drawbars and an extra 10 per cent capacity over our 13.6m Cartwright mega trailers,” said F Edmondson & Sons Director, Russell Edmondson.

“We are delighted with these vehicles, particularly with the fact that they can now accommodate considerably more furniture.

“This increase in capacity is good news in terms of both improved operational efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint,” he said.

Edmondson said the vehicles have increased capacity and improved accessibility.

“A demountable drawbar combination means that deliveries that were previously inaccessible for articulated trailers can now be easily reached using just the prime mover,” he said.

“Furthermore, the lower floor height of the demountable boxes also makes loading and unloading furniture much easier and safer.”

Trials for home deliveries with the drawbars have been so successful that the company has sent them abroad, where again their operational advantages have been clearly identified.

F Edmondson & Sons is a familyowned business approaching its 70th year in operation. The company provides delivery of high-end furniture via a two-man white glove delivery service throughout the UK

and Ireland, and trade deliveries throughout the UK and Europe.

A customer of Cartwright for over 20 years, F Edmondson & Sons operates a fleet of 50 vehicles, a mix of drawbars, tractor units, 18 and 7.5-ton rigid vehicles to cater for all types of delivery requirements.

“The standard of each drawbar is excellent,” said Edmondson. “Like ourselves, Cartwright is a familyowned business who care about quality and service, consequently, we have a very good relationship with them. They have always delivered on quality and continue to meet our expectations.”

US LED lighting, telematics, engine protection, safety and visibility systems specialist Truck-Lite has partnered with Stoughton Trailers to offer the Road Ready trailer telematics system on new trailer builds.

Released in 2017, Truck-Lite’s Road Ready system provides fleets with wireless, remote visibility to their trailers’ location, freight and equipment health in real time. Its solarpowered Master Control Unit (MCU), which mounts on either the roof or nose of a trailer, is made of militarygrade components and comes with a 10-year battery, ensuring continual location and data reporting to a fleet’s dispatch office.

Through its partnership with Truck-Lite, Stoughton will offer an MCU as a nocost option on new trailer sales.

“The need for GPS trailer tracking continues to grow each year, and our partnership with Truck-Lite lets us provide an immediate, real-time solution to our customers who seek to improve their operating efficiency,” said Stoughton Vice President Dealer

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NORTH AMERICA Sales and Marketing, Luke McMaster.

“Stoughton and Truck-Lite are wellknown for their high-quality products and services in the heavy-duty trailer industry, and the addition of Road Ready as a selectable option on our new trailer build configurator continues that tradition,” he said.

The Road Ready MCU serves as the brains of the system, sending regular updates to the Road Ready user interface and providing real-time location via GPS. Cargo sensors will also be available in the offering at an additional cost. Data plans and other Road Ready sensors, including door, temperature and light-out detection will

be available directly from Truck-Lite.

“Truck-Lite is very excited that the Road Ready system will be part of Stoughton’s 2020 model offering,” said Truck-Lite Vice President OEM Sales, Jon Stineman.

“Our long-term partnership supplying lights and harnesses helped pave the way to providing our smart-trailer technology on Stoughton’s new trailer builds.

“Our Road Ready sales and customer success teams will be readily available throughout the process to ensure the best in customer satisfaction and utilisation of the Road Ready network,” he said.

US Toll Group has been approved by the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Commission to manage its transport and logistics operations in Wilmington, California.

The property, an 85-acre yard, located adjacent to the largest port in the US – and 18th largest in the world – includes 600,000 square feet of warehouse space and prime open land for harbour trucking operations.

This covers trucking and trans-load operations for approximately 9.5 million containers.

Subject to the finalisation by the Los Angeles City Council, Toll Group

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NORTH AMERICA will commence managing the site immediately, and is the first change in operator at the port in 50 years.

“Toll Group has been managing warehousing and international freight forwarding work for a number of retail and consumer customers in the US,” said Robert Charles, Head of Toll’s Global Logistics business in the US. “This new agreement is great news for our customers since we can now manage our customer’s products within the port, all the way to the retail outlets, ensuring the service quality from end to end.

“We are proud that our commitment to fair employment conditions, as well as our strong operational capabilities, will support LA Port and all stakeholders in this next chapter of growth. We are committed to working with existing employees to find ongoing employment opportunities and ensure that customers will have a seamless transition during this period,” he said.

Toll Group has been steadily increasing market share in the US over the past year and has plans to further invest in the US business to support this new opportunity.

Toll plans to invest $1 million USD (approx. €;912,503) to modernise the facility and bring over 300 jobs back to the facility.

US International agricultural equipment manufacturer, Spudnik Equipment Company, has entered an agreement to purchase STC Trailer of Blackfoot, Idaho, US. The acquisition, according to Spudnik Equipment Company, will be effective 1 January 2020.

“STC Trailer LLC has served the potato industry well over the past several years by building top quality 18 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 4 9

trailers and bulk beds,” Spudnik said in a statement.

“The addition of Trailers and Stainless Steel Bulk Beds is an important ingredient in completing the Spudnik line of products for our customers.

“We are proud to continue producing the STC Trailer products under the Spudnik name in 2020.”

US Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake (BSFB) recently broke ground on the site expansion of its wheel-end manufacturing facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky, US. The addition to the existing BSFB plant will allow for increased air disc brake production capacity to keep pace with accelerating customer demand in North America.

BSFB is a joint venture between Knorr-Bremse US subsidiary Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems and Dana Commercial Vehicle Products.

Dr Peter Laier, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse and responsible for the Commercial Vehicle Systems division, attended the groundbreaking ceremony among other executives and partner organisations.

“The trend toward greater traffic safety is leading to an increasing substitution of drum brakes by the even more safety-oriented air disc brakes in the North American market,” said Dr Laier. “Against this background, the expansion of our wheel-end capacity in Bowling Green marks one of KnorrBremse’s largest investments in 2019 and 2020.”

Carlos Hungria, Bendix Chief Operating Officer added: “Our team in Bowling Green is exceptional.

They surpassed the three-millionunit production milestone for the

Bendix ADB22X air disc brake earlier this year. And now, through this latest investment in highly efficient production technology, they will be even better positioned to meet the escalating demand for air disc brakes in North America”.

BSFB is expanding its facility on a parcel adjacent to its 302,000-squarefoot building, a leased space the company is purchasing as part of the investment. Among other improvements in support of Bendix’s North American air disc brake (ADB) portfolio, the state-of-the-art expansion will add a new bracket weld machine centre, a third ADB production line, four ADB caliper machining centres, engineering test capabilities, plus an on-site employee medical clinic. Space will also be held in reserve to address longer-term growth opportunities.

The facility employs over 400 team members covering three shifts.

Completion of the upgraded plant – which will total 432,000 square feet – is expected by the end of 2020.

The joint venture produces the full lineup of commercially available Bendix brand foundation drum and air disc brake solutions at the Bowling Green wheel-end facility. Since its opening in 2007, Bendix has invested millions of dollars in production capacity and automation – part of the company’s commitment to continually invest in and improve its manufacturing operations.

The expanded Bowling Green site will continue to incorporate green building guidelines, including an energyefficient infrastructure, and zero landfill concepts as essential elements in the construction plans.

The efforts contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and

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NORTH AMERICA / OCEANIA Production) that Knorr-Bremse supports along with four other SDGs to meet high environmental and sustainability requirements and standards. Within the framework of the ‘Agenda 2030’ of the United Nations, Knorr-Bremse wants to make an effective contribution.

US US-based tank trailer manufacturer, EnTrans International, has signed a new distributor, Transcourt, for its Heil Trailer and Polar Tank Trailer brands.

Transcourt has been leasing and renting both brands since its founding in 1997. Building upon this already solid partnership, Heil Trailer and Polar Tank Trailer will gain an even stronger presence throughout eastern Canada.

“Heil Trailer and Polar Tank Trailer are two of the industry’s top premium brands and becoming a distributor of their products will make a significant, positive impact on our business and our customers,” said Transcourt VP of Business Development, Shawn Rogers.

Transcourt is headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, and covers an expansive territory that includes Ontario, Quebec, The Maritimes and Western Canada.

The company was established to meet the leasing and long-term rental needs of the liquid and dry bulk transport industry. Transcourt recently expanded its business to include new trailer sales, including stainless, petroleum and dry bulk trailers.

“It made perfect sense to partner with Heil and Polar on this new arm of our business,” said Rogers. “I’m confident it will be a great success.”

“We are excited to welcome Transcourt as our newest distributor and offer our solutions-driven product line to more customers throughout Canada,” said Ryan Rockafellow, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Heil Trailer 20 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 4 9

and Polar Tank Trailer. “Their growth strategy perfectly aligns with EnTrans and our Heil and Polar brands. We look forward to providing our industry-leading engineering and collaboration to a larger share of the market in this critical region.”

US A third-party report on US-based OEM, Utility, highlights substantial increases in its environmental, health and safety performance.

The report was conducted by Ramboll – an engineering , design and consultancy company founded in Denmark in 1945 – and used over two decades of data from all five of Utility’s manufacturing plants across the US. It provides insight into the benefits and impact of utility’s effort to responsibly reduce its overall air emissions, waste and energy consumption.

Through proactive green initiatives, Utility eliminated ozone-depleting emissions from its inject-foam insulation process and reduced overall waste and emissions. Results show that Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions decreased by 27 per cent, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions were cut down 62 per cent and Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP) air emissions dropped 97 per cent.

“We are honoured to say that all Utility manufacturing plants are classified as Minor Sources of Emissions under the USEPA’s Clean Air Act regulations,” said Utility Marketing Manager, Brett Olsen. “We take pride in managing our production and manufacturing with integrity as it relates to forward-thinking environmental practices.”

To add to its reduced emissions, Utility also sources 100 per cent of its wood from forests certified by the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) and its focus on cardboard recycling yielded a 23 per

cent increase.

While Utility was enhancing environmental practices, it was able to improve worker safety as well. Utility’s recordable injuries decreased by 63 per cent, while the most severe injuries (DART) declined by 67 per cent, making it 31 per cent lower than the industry average.

Overall, Utility’s reductions to water, energy, and materials usage cut down costs, improved efficiency and provided substantial financial savings for the company each year.

“These results prove that our proactive initiatives are achieving a safer, smarter, and more sustainable workplace,” said Olsen. “By staying ahead of the curve, we are pursuing and implementing sustainable practices that better our employees, our environment, and best utilise our natural resources.”

NEW ZEALAND French sideloader manufacturer, BoXLoader, has acquired the Swinglift brand from Patchell Industries in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Both BoXLoader and Swinglift have significant market share according to a joint statement. “Swinglift with its very particular and proven kinematics, and a very efficient payload, and BoXLoader with a very different design, complementary to the one of its new New Zealand partner.”

The acquisition is reported to take shape in the months to follow within Australia as well as the global marketplace.

Patchell Group will continue to manufacture Swinglift products and will also continue to market the Swinglift range to New Zealand customers.

BoXLoader and its partners will do the same for the rest of the world.

“BoXLoader and Swinglift have great confidence in this unique merger which

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OCEANIA can only bring positive results to their combined product range and therefore to the customers,” the companies said.

“BoXLoader will not only guarantee their high level of customer service and support but will continue to strengthen its product range while also preserving their existing trust and professionalism toward the customers.”

AUSTRALIA Australian transport and logistics company, Linfox, has unveiled its new Acacia Ridge Intermodal Terminal in Southeast Queensland.

The nine-hectare site strategically located in the growth corridor of the state features five different temperaturecontrolled zones to manage a range of perishable products including food, beverage and health care items according to Linfox Executive Chairman Peter Fox. The high security warehousing

complements the recent purchase of land in Willawong near Brisbane where the company intends to build a multi-user distribution centre as part of its ongoing investment in the Sunshine State.

“Sustainable design has been front of mind, with solar-power generation, smart LED lighting and water-capture facilities earning the design a five-star Green Star rating,” said Peter Fox in a statement issued by Linfox online.

“We look forward to introducing our Queensland customers to the facility when it is completed.”

Recently BevChain, the beverage carrier Linfox acquired in late 2017, has partnered with Carlton & United Breweries to provide warehousing and metropolitan transport across its customer network in Brisbane.

The partnership, according to Fox, complements BevChain’s existing CUB network in New South Wales and Victoria and expands the BevChain

group in Australia and New Zealand to more than 800 people.

“CUB and Linfox have a deep history extending back to 1968 and we are delighted they have chosen to continue our relationship through our BevChain team,” said Fox who also recognised the business as being an integral partner of the top brewers including Lion, whose 50 per cent stake in BevChain Linfox bought out back when it took full control.

“This expansion of our Brisbane network, along with the opening of our new Intermodal offering in north Queensland, broadens the possibilities for customers to extend their reach in north Queensland and beyond,” he said.

Linfox also confirmed it would custombuild 25 coal haulage vehicles to go with the bespoke high productivity tri-axle Lindouble it recently unveiled in partnership with South32 as part of the company’s metallurgical coal assignment in Woolongong, New South Wales.

BoXLoader announces unique merger.

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SCALE

ECONOMY OF

THE FUTURE OF HEAVY LOAD MOBILITY IS SHINING BRIGHT FOR TII GROUP. A FOCUS ON PRODUCT QUALITY AND INNOVATION TO MANAGE COMPLEX TRANSPORTATION TASKS IS KEY TO THE MANUFACTURER’S INTERNATIONAL FAME.

T

he Transporter Industry International Group (TII Group) is a globally operating manufacturer of heavy duty and special purpose vehicles, specialising in the movement of heavy goods and other exceptionally large-scale freight. It produces vehicles for use in logistics yards, industrial areas as well as public roads, supporting a broad portfolio of industries from plant construction to shipbuilding to mining. The company includes SCHEUERLE (Germany), NICOLAS (France), KAMAG (Germany) and TIIGER (India).

The business is ‘globally active’ and has service and sales offices throughout Europe, China, Russia, North America – everywhere. TII Group’s range

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of vehicles are operated in more than 80 countries worldwide and claims to have produced in total more than 50,000 axle lines of which 20,000 were for its Self-Propelled Modular Transporter (SPMT).

The innovative SPMT is a multi-axle platform that can lift, carry and shift just about anything a typical truck-trailer combination is not capable of from a 300-tonne gas turbine to a 15,000-tonne offshore platform.

COVER STORY

times, electronic multi-directional steering made possible with the latest generations of the SPMT design contributes to its success as SCHEUERLE’s best-selling vehicle.

With such a robust, versatile method of transportation, it did not take long for TII Group to receive official recognition for setting records.

In 1987, the OEM confirms the Goliath modular transporter combination transported a petrochemical plant facility weighing more than 2,000 tonnes.

SCHEUERLE’s first entry in the Guinness Book of Records was through a road transport of 1,800 tonnes in the same year. By 1989, SCHEUERLE set a new world record through an offroad transport assignment carrying 6,500 tonnes and moving 5,000 tonnes in 1990 for the heaviest road transport.

The company’s engineers continued to achieve TII Group CEO, Dr Gerald Karch. milestone after milestone. In 1991, they constructed what was at the time the world’s largest side girder deck with a span of 43 metres and a monoblock ship section lift transporter – the world’s heaviest payload on a single vehicle: 700 tonnes. In 1994, the record for the heaviest off-road transport was now 11,000 tonnes. In 2004, the best-selling SPMT set the record for an off-road transport with the transportation of an oil and gas platform weighing 14,350 tonnes on 500 axle lines. The salvage of the Sewol Ferry in 2017 marked the last world record to be set. In the process, the modular vehicles of the SPMT and K24 series moved 17,280 tonnes.

KAMAG, which has been a part of TII Group since 2004, attained international acclaim in 1979 for accepting a challenging contract from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The US space agency required transport solutions for the movement of individual rocket components which were not only highly sensitive but had also to be positioned extremely precisely and with millimetre accuracy. Since then, the US space agency has repeatedly placed orders with KAMAG, for example, to move service towers for the launch pad at Cape Caneveral.

TII Group has been honing its PowerBooster technology which comes in Scheuerle SPMT carting a bridge section. the form of an auxiliary unit for additional thrust. PowerBooster models are equipped with shiftable drive axles and can be towed at 80 km/h, or if This modern engineering marvel is a required, can be driven by a shiftable PowerPack Unit (PPU). product of SCHEUERLE which in 1869 These units can serve a range of applications such as a pusher machine. was founded as a blacksmith’s forge in the Prior to attempting to traverse a critical incline, the vehicle operator can town of Pfedelbach. Several decades later, activate the drive unit – as soon as the tractor/prime mover no longer has sufficient power to manage the gradient (i.e. the speed drops below 14km/h) by 1937, grandson Willy SCHEUERLE the PPU drive starts automatically and provides additional power. Once the brought the humble smithy into a modern incline is overcome, the additional drive is automatically switched off and age of vehicle production and established the speed can be increased again in accordance with the road conditions. a production hall on the outskirts of the A PowerBooster can also be used as part of a trailer combination in town. Currently, this factory serves as the normal road traffic or even for in-plant assignments where the vehicle can OEM’s headquarters.

Of course, transport technology continues be uncoupled from the tractor and controlled as a self-propelled transport combination by means of a mobile control unit complete with remote to adapt to the ever-demanding industries control. Through this, the hydrostatic drive, lifting and lowering function, in which TII Group serves. In more recent

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My major goal is to add value to our customers and make their lives easier with innovative solutions. My team and I do this by strategically developing our leading position in heavy and specialised transport. We also develop the potential of our well-established and reputable brands.

This contributes to the growth of the value of the company. As a family owned mid-size company of the ‘German Mittelstand’, we will continue our success story by tapping the potential of new technologies such as digitalisation for our customers and our company.

hydraulic steering, braking system as well as the electrical power supply are then controlled. Small, manoeuvrable and extremely flexible according to TII Group.

For internal transport operations, it is possible to couple mechanically sideby-side. Due to the wider support base, loads with a high centre of gravity can be safely transported, while end-to-end mechanical coupling is suitable for extremely long combinations (with or without decks). A PowerBooster in this configuration can be used at the front of the tractor and at the rear as a pusher machine.

Executive interview with Dr Gerald Karch

Firstly, congratulations on your appointment in June 2018 as the new TII Group CEO. Did you enter the role with any specific goals or ideas in mind?

Rotor blade transport in Switzerland.

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Do you have any comments to share regarding Group performance for 2019?

For 2019, we are very satisfied with our performance so far. The first two quarters have been better than expected and better than planned. Earlier this year, we were named the world market leader for heavy duty vehicles with hydraulic pendulum axles. So, all in all, it’s been a good year so far.

SCHEUERLE celebrates 150 years of innovation in 2019 while KAMAG celebrates its 50th anniversary. Do you have any comments about these key business milestones?

Both companies SCHEUERLE and KAMAG are pioneers in modern heavy-duty transport and are world leaders in their respective segments. Both are family-owned businesses that are known worldwide for their innovative heavy-duty transport solutions. Groundbreaking innovations such as the hydraulically supported pendulum axle and the self-propelled modular SPMT have given SCHEUERLE a unique reputation. The swap body carrier of KAMAG named ‘Wiesel’ (german for weasel) is a well-known brand of its own.

I’m proud to celebrate these milestones with all colleagues. That success has been created by the loyal and highly skilled staff of our group. SCHEUERLE and KAMAG belong to the german TII Group (Transporter Industry International), that is owned by the family of founder Otto Rettenmaier.

COVER STORY

Looking to the future, SCHEUERLE and KAMAG will continue to develop new innovative products and smart solutions for our customers.

Has TII Group changed under your leadership? Do you work closely with owner Otto Rettenmaier?

As a family owned business with a high engagement of the owners it is essential to work closely together. I personally enjoy this cooperation very much. TII Group currently is realigning itself as part of our strategy to adapt the companies’ offerings to the ever-changing needs of the markets. One element of the strategy is the streamlining of the production concept into an integrated setup that covers all our four brands SCHEUERLE, KAMAG, NICOLAS and TIIGER. Another important element is the development of new products – we have introduced many innovations recently: the new Rotor Blade Transport System, the EuroCompact – a one of its kind low bed

semi-trailer and the new generation of Wiesel. We will continue to adapt our product portfolio to the current and future needs of our customers.

Can you comment on any production numbers or milestones achieved in 2019?

This year marks many milestones for us. At the transport logistics show in Munich, we introduced the all-new Wiesel. We designed a tailor-made cabin

The Endeavour space shuttle on Kamag K24 modules.

W W W. G LO B A LT R A I L E R M AG . C O M / G L O B A L T R A I L E R / 2 5

for it and provided our Wiesel with an engine that meets future emission regulations. At Bauma we proudly presented our new solutions for the wind industry: the rotor blade adapter ‘Blade Lifter’ and the rotor blade transport system ‘Blade Runner’ for current rotor blades of up to 80m in length. The Blade Runner has been designed to even transport future rotor blades of up to and above 100m.

Is there any particular product in high demand at the moment?

Our product portfolio is vast. We offer transport vehicles from a payload of 32 tonnes to over 17,000 tonnes and serve as diverse industries as construction, airports, oil and gas exploration, shipyards, logistic hubs, metallurgy plants.

Even spaceships and huge satellite dishes are transported on our vehicles.

TII Group supplies transport solutions in four distinct segments (transport vehicles for on-road applications and Gross Vehicle Weight < 100 tonnes; > 100 tonnes; 100 tonnes / modular transport; industry vehicles and special vehicles; and logistics vehicles via Wiesel swap body transporter). Are there any major projects over the years that you are most proud of? Why? The TII Group holds the current world record – over 17,000 tonnes – for transporting extremely heavy goods by vehicle. What we are also really proud of is the fact that our vehicles are operated in many ‘cool’ applications and

The latest low bed trailer from Scheurle.

26 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 4 9

sites: in Peru at elevation 6000m, in Siberia at -40°C, all over Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Australia. In mines, at airports, at shipyards, even in the air and space industry.

The hydraulic pendulum axle was first introduced in 1957. Today, SCHEUERLE is a market leader in the Self Propelled Modular Transporter (SPMT). Do you have any comments about the SPMT market?

We invented the SPMT. It completely changed the transport sector. SPMT are used for many different applications: plant construction, mining, aerospace industry, shipbuilding industry, wind energy industry, construction of large bridges and tunnels.

Due to the project character or the business the market is quite volatile. At the moment sales of SPMT is above our expectations.

COVER STORY

Are there any recent product innovations you would like to discuss?

Indeed, many of our products are unique.

Like the Wiesel for example. In Central Europe, it has become an indispensable element of efficient yard logistics since its market launch in the 1970s. It increased the efficiency of yard logistics. No wonder that many leading logistic hubs and e-commerce companies rely on the Wiesel.

What is TII Group doing to ensure a sustainably successful future?

The key of sustainable success is to add value to our customers. Listening to their needs and combining those needs with our technological competency leads to real innovations. In parallel, we have to do our homework to improve the efficiency of our internal processes. Delivering an excellent service, improving the speed in reacting to

The Kamag Wiesel.

customer demands are two examples of fields we are working on.

Do you have any other comments you would like to share?

I’m happy and proud to guide our company with extremely engaged and loyal staff into the future. www.tii-group.com

VESTAS ORDERS TRANSPORT SYSTEMS FROM SCHEUERLE Danish wind turbine company, Vestas, ordered nine wind blade transport systems from Germany’s SCHEUERLE, part of Transporter Industry International (TII Group) earlier this year.

The vehicle system was jointly developed by Vestas and SCHEUERLE and debuted at Bauma 2019. The future-proof series solution is tailor-made for the transport of the latest generation of wind blades.

“Together with our partners from SCHEUERLE, we have developed this new transport solution to improve our ability to transport our longest blades over large distances in a flexible and cost-efficient way,” said Vestas Head Specialist WTCC Product Critical Functions Engineering, Kim Bredo Rahbek. “This solution is the result of our constant effort to challenge and rethink our current logistic setup to develop new technologies that help drive the industry forward.”

The system comprises a two-axle jeep dolly with a free-turning device and a four-axle trailer. The mounting of the wind blade works according to the ‘Plug and Play’ principle. Unlike conventional systems, the TII solution only requires a few tools. With a special lifting device, the wing root is picked up comfortably from the ground. The quick coupling solution consists of a root adapter and a root frame.

The free-turning device is pre-assembled on the latter, and then the frame with root is coupled to the adapter in the twinkling of an eye.

Compared to conventional vehicle types, the new combination has maximum manoeuvrability and guarantees a high level of safety for the load. The intelligent arrangement of joints in the bearings ensures gentle transport of the sensitive rotor blade. With the help of a simple plug-in connection, a manufacturer-independent friction clamp can be fitted to accommodate the wind blade at the rear end.

The new vehicle combination offers maximum flexibility on bumpy roads or obstacles on the road. The lifting height can be varied up to two metres at the front and up to one metre at the rear end of the vehicle.

An economic plus: for return transports, all parts can be shortened to a compact semi-trailer combination with a total length of only 16,500mm and a weight of less than 60 tonnes – eliminating the need for special permits for return transport.

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LEADING BY ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION AND TRANSPORT EFFICIENCIES ARE DRIVING THE NETHERLANDSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; FREIGHT PRIORITIES. IS THIS AN EXAMPLE THAT OTHER EMERGING COUNTRIES SHOULD ADOPT MOVING FORWARD?

Final mile delivery in Amsterdam.

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limate change action is set to transform how countries throughout Europe and the rest of the world operate. By 2030, the Netherlands aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 49 per cent compared to 1990 levels. The measures to do this are laid down in the national Climate Agreement that the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Eric Wiebes, sent to parliament on 28 June 2019, also on behalf of the Ministers of the Interior and Kingdom Relations,

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Agriculture, and Infrastructure and Water Management.

The measures that were presented will enable the Netherlands to fulfil its commitments under the Paris Agreement and the National Climate Act. The government is confident that the national

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EXAMPLE Climate Agreement will make the country economically stronger and more sustainable.

The agreement is based on the principle that reducing carbon emissions must be feasible and affordable for everyone. The government therefore seeks a cost-efficient transition that limits the financial impact on households as much as possible and implements measures to fairly distribute the financial burden between citizens and businesses. Another key element of the deal is that the Netherlands makes optimal use of available time until 2050.

The government launched talks on a national Climate Agreement on 23 February 2018, by setting out the political framework with which the Climate Agreement needed to comply. Over the past year more than 100 parties have developed a package of proposals that will enable the Netherlands to nearly halve its carbon emissions by 2030. Talks were held across five Climate Agreement sectoral platforms: Buildings, Electricity, Industry, Mobility and Agriculture. From the very start of the talks, the government emphasised the need for cost effectiveness. The government set a quantified emission reduction target. Two independent agencies evaluated the plan on its potential to reduce emissions and calculated expected cost to society.

This government is adamant that the transition should be affordable as additional costs are projected to be lower than 0.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2030.

The government aims to take measures to shift the financial burden from households to businesses. It will reduce the total tax payable on domestic energy use, so that households with an average energy consumption will see their annual energy bill fall significantly in 2020. The government will also introduce measures,

such as a targeted carbon levy, to make industry cleaner with a minimal risk of job losses in the country. This is reported to help businesses become more sustainable while strengthening the Netherlands’ competitive position.

In terms of mobility, new passenger cars will, ideally, be emission-free by 2030. There are also incentives for electric vehicles through several taxation measures, including in support of the used car market; 1.8 million charging points by 2030. Other changes include shifts from car to bicycle or public transport. Smart solutions are set to enable logistics to organise more efficient and sustainable transport.

Industry in the Netherlands will be impacted by the introduction of a targeted carbon levy, starting at €30 per tonne in 2021, rising to €125-150 per tonne in 2030, including the ETS price, on every tonne emitted exceeding a fixed reduction path. A subsidy scheme for renewable energy (SDE) and CO2-reducing options in industry, such as funding for innovation aimed at hydrogen and other sustainable fuels is projected to make headway.

The Netherlands is also planning to phase-out coal-fired electricity generation by 2025/2020, with the first plant to be closed by as early as next year. This will also accelerate offshore wind power, prompting growth of onshore wind and solar energy. There will also be subsidies for additional renewable energy capacity (wind and solar) until 2025; estimated 70 per cent renewable share in electricity production by 2030 along with the introduction of a minimum carbon price for electricity production and agricultural and land use.

As the world’s second largest agricultural producer in the world, trailing the US with an average export of €65 billion worth of vegetables, fruit, flowers, meat and dairy products annually, these pushes for greater sustainability are sure to set a remarkable world example. That is, if it all goes to plan.

In 2018, the Dutch export of agricultural products exceeded €90 billion. A sizeable proportion of Dutch agricultural products is exported to Germany (€22.8 billion) FAST FACT and Belgium (€10.2 billion), with these two neighbouring countries UK-based ‘clean cold’ technology company, Dearman, and TIP together making up 36 per cent Netherlands partnered this year to of all Dutch agricultural exports deploy Dearman’s liquid nitrogen according to the Government of the powered transport refrigeration units in trailers leased by TIP to Netherlands. They are followed by leading fleet operators. Reducing the UK, France, Italy and Spain. The the environmental impact of a greatest absolute increases in Dutch logistics network is an integral part of environmentally conscientious agricultural exports in 2018 pertain fleet operators seeking low-carbon to Japan (+ €110 million), Morocco and clean-air transport solutions (+ €93 million), Poland (+ €86 according to Dearman.

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 “WE’RE KEEN TO PUT OUR EXPERTISE AND POWERS OF INNOVATION TO GOOD USE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TR ANSITION TO CIRCULAR AGRICULTURE.” Carola Schouten Minister for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality

million), Russia (+ €77 million) and China (+ €66 million).

Minister for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Carola Schouten, confirmed that these export figures show that the Dutch agriculture and horticulture sector is a major player when it comes to producing food for a growing world population.

“We’re keen to put our expertise and powers of innovation to good use in order to make the transition to circular agriculture,” Schouten said. “This will give a boost to the agricultural innovation in the Netherlands that continues to bolster our position on the global market. And that’s urgently needed, in view of the global issues vis-à-vis growing demand for food on the one hand and our responsibility for the landscape, biodiversity and climate change on the other.”

Research commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Good Quality carried out by Wageningen Economic Research (WUR) and Statistics Netherlands (CBS) showed that agricultural exports generated some €45 billion for the Dutch economy last year – a figure obtained by taking the export value of the agricultural goods and subtracting the import value of goods and services required to produce and export these. The vast majority of this (€41.5 billion) pertained to products of Dutch origin, with a fraction (€3.5 billion) encompassing goods initially imported and subsequently being exported after limited processing in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands earns most from horticulture (€6 billion), dairy and eggs (€4.7 billion), meat (€4.1 billion) and vegetables (€ 3.8 billion). Similarly, preparations containing cereals, flour and milk, drinks, fruit, live animals and fish and seafood yielded billions of euros for the economy.

While all modes of transport are called on to keep the Netherlands’ FAST FACT economy moving, the road haulage VDL Group was named the segment is a key focus. recipient of the 2019 Dutch The Government of the Netherlands Innovation Award last month aims to make the Dutch road haulage for its pioneering solutions and technologies as well as its focus sector more competitive by enabling on employees, entrepreneurship better road access to important areas and cooperation. The Award such as ports. In addition to private recognises the innovative strength sector programs like ‘Better Use’ that and the social impact of the family business, which has its head office are designed to reduce congestion on in Eindhoven, Netherlands. the busiest roads through improved

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infrastructure, encouraging freight companies to operate outside peak hours, the government is also committed to environmentally sustainability and achieving greater transport efficiencies in city centres.

Amid these positive ideals for cleaner, more efficient and quitter road transport, there are voices in parliament that urge freight operators to consider options on the water. Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen, for instance, is cutting back on road freight transport.

One of the aims of the 40-millioneuro incentive that Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen (Infrastructure and Water Management) has allocated to the freight transport sector is to foster a so-called modal shift. Rather than by road, the Minister intends for the sector to transport more goods by water, rail, and pipelines.

Peak traffic on the A9 Highway near Amsterdam.

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This is stipulated in the Freight Transport Agenda that she submitted to the House of Representatives in July.

The Freight Transport Agenda comprises agreements regarding more efficient and cleaner freight transport, which the Minister has set down with the Logistics and Logistics Alliance Top Sector. In addition to a shift from road to water and rail, the Agenda also pursues digitalisation in order to boost the efficiency of transport movements.

“The future growth of freight transport goes hand in hand with improving the accessibility of the Netherlands,” Nieuwenhuizen said. “Transporting more containers and bulk goods by inland vessels and freight trains will generate more room on our roads. An average inland vessel can take up to 150 trucks off the road. Furthermore, the transport sector is fully committed to the digitalisation of transport movements, with a view to smarter scheduling of runs at times when there is less traffic on the road.”

It is the minister’s contention that freight transports must be on time and predictable, even in the event of disruptions. This can only be achieved by making optimum use of various modes of transport, such as inland shipping, railways, and pipelines. This modal shift, according to the minister, is fostered by the introduction of freight corridors. Within such corridors, several transport flows can be interlinked efficiently, cargo can be combined, and capacity can be utilised more efficiently.

Another goal set out in the Freight Transport Agenda is the further digitalisation of transport. For example, data exchange between traffic management systems and vehicles within freight corridors will enable optimum use of the available means of transport, while information on, for example, environmental zones and delivery windows will enable drivers to schedule their runs more accurately.

With the Freight Transport Agenda, Nieuwenhuizen is also targeting cleaner freight traffic. Optimum use of the available modes of transport and the exchange of digital information will prevent, for instance, empty or partially loaded running of trucks and ships returning to port empty.

The introduction of zero emission zones for delivery vans and trucks, and of the sustainability label for inland vessels – an agreement set down under the Inland Shipping Green Deal – will also boost cleaner freight transport.

The Freight Transport Agenda comprises agreements regarding more efficient and cleaner freight transport, which the Minister has set down with the Logistics and Logistics Alliance Top Sector. In addition to a shift from road to water and rail, the Agenda also pursues digitalisation in order to boost the efficiency of transport movements.

In the years to follow, it will be interesting to witness the effectiveness of these freight priorities and whether other countries throughout Europe should follow suit.

FAST FACT Dutch freight forwarding company, Combinex B.V., added 50 Kögel Cargo trailers of the NOVUM generation and two premium Kögel Cool – PurFerro reefers to its fleet earlier this year. Combinex, founded in 2006, is growing constantly, and – like Kögel – won a Best Managed Companies Award for its exemplary management and far-reaching strategic vision, combined with its innovative strength and sustainable management culture.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Intelligent approach: Staying cool on the data highway.â&#x20AC;?

Jan Hermeling, KRONE Telematics / KRONE Fair Care

Our Cool Liner and KRONE Telematics are a perfect team to relieve you of many transport worries. The intelligent interaction of the trailer with KRONE Telematics allows you to monitor the position and temperature of your cargo online easily and at any time, and even to make direct contact with the refrigerator in order to update settings. As a result, you will always have documentation confirming the status of your refrigerated goods.

All in all, this saves you time and money. And it allows you to always keep a cool head even in hot situations.

Cool code for more info.

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DYNAMIC DISCOURSE

EUREXPO EXHIBITION CENTRE IN LYON, FRANCE, IS THE PLACE TO BE FOR SOLUTRANS 2019 WHICH WILL BE HELD 19-23 NOVEMBER. IT IS SHAPING UP TO BE THE LARGEST EUROPEAN GATHERING OF ELECTRIC HEAVY GOODS AND URBAN VEHICLES FROM 3.5 TO 44 TONNES.

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he French Bodywork Federation (FFC), the owner and organiser of Solutrans 2019, claims to be the only trade organisation that represents both upstream and downstream segments of the heavy duty and urban vehicle industry. In this respect, it was chosen by PFA Automobile Sector and Mobility to be the lead representative in all issues dealing with the development of this industry.

In 2017, Solutrans proved to be a success, recording 48,240 visitors, 610 exhibitors and represented companies, 45 per cent of new exhibitors and more than €200 million of sales generated by the order intake at the show.

This year, FFC expects to see similar mobilisation from all market players and will feature truck and bodywork OEMs along with a broad variety of industry specialists from around the world. The halls of Eurexpo will also feature initiatives conducted by leading names in spare parts distribution, welcoming international purchasing alliances, together with repair networks that are essential to the functioning of the industry, and also start-ups and competition clusters.

If Solutrans has become an international reflection of the entire industry, according to FFC, it is due to one common goal: customer service – from manufacturing a vehicle through to fitment and maintenance, the vitality of the industry as a whole is strong.

“The exhibition, as a benchmark event in the heavy-duty and urban vehicle sector, is the meeting place for the whole industry, and its success is underpinned by the breadth of the offering proposed by exhibitors, from vehicles’ design to their end-of-life, with due regard to the specificities of each of them,” said FFC Chairman, Patrick Charlton.

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Scheurle’s range of platform trailers are set for display at this year’s Solutrans.

Solutrans has also reinforced its international status, following its accreditation from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA).

As a result, the exhibition joins an elite club of industry events acknowledged in more than 35 countries.

OICA was founded in Paris in 1919 and is chaired by Christian Peugeot.

Its purposes are to defend the interests of manufacturers and importers of light and heavy duty vehicles, grouped within their national federation. OICA represents the automobile and heavy-duty vehicle industry on an international level, in particular towards intergovernmental and international bodies, also disseminating and promoting industry policies and positions among

Lecitrailer was on show at the last Solutrans event.

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international bodies and the general public.

Following the record-breaking 2017 edition of Solutrans, where visitor attendance grew by more than 45 per cent compared to the previous show, this announcement comes as due recognition of all the efforts deployed to make Solutrans an ever more internationally-focused show.

In recent years, Solutrans has implemented a broad range of initiatives designed to help it expand internationally and bring its exhibitors and visitors the most extensive offering possible.

For its 2019 event, the surface area booked by international exhibitors is up by nearly 50 per cent. The 35 trade organisations making up OICA around the world have thus acknowledged the performance of Solutrans and will work to support FFC in developing the international reach of the Exhibition.

“Particularly attentive to the development of transport solutions within the automotive industry that take into account the necessary fight against climate change,” said France President, Emmanuel Macron, in support for Solutrans by placing it under his patronage.

This backing comes as confirmation of the importance attached by the Government to

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the heavy duty vehicle sector, which brings together all the activities connected with road haulage.

At previous Solutrans events, the French ministers of Transport, the Economy and Ecology had already shown their keen interest in the sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issues. Elisabeth Borne, the Minister of Transport, had inaugurated the exhibition in 2017 alongside Swedish public dignitaries.

The themes addressed at Solutrans 2019, devised in close association with the French Presidency and its Secretary General Alexis Kohler, thus reflect the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expectations and issues, in alignment with the views of the government authorities.

Inside a Chereau NEXT trailer.

New powertrains and infrastructure

In parallel, an electric industrial sector has emerged bringing together electricity industry and vehicle stakeholders, including urban transport. Heavy duty vehicle manufacturers and OEMs specialising in electrical fittings are working closely together. The problems relating to batteries and charging stations are in the process of being solved. Power supply modes are also changing. Plans for electrified roads have fed through from northern Europe and tests are beginning in this country.

Public subsidies are required to guarantee the competitivity of electric vehicles, since electric LCVs and HGVs are very expensive, beyond the purchasing possibilities of many transport companies. Solutrans 2019 will be the meeting place for thought on electrification and its possible extensions.

Experts and users of electric vehicles (LCVs, trucks) will contribute their insight.

Connectivity and autonomy

Autonomous vehicles are still mostly designed for offroads uses (mines, ports, airports, logistical zonesâ&#x20AC;Ś) or in dedicated motorway/freeway lanes. It is because there are still a number of technical, safetyrelated or social aspects that remains to be addressed to let driveless vehicles on all types of road freely.

This is what manufacturers are trying to address through tests on the data flows from connected trucks. Their analysis must help

us prevent any problem linked to automated driving.

In parallel, the adequate IT infrastructures must be deployed to allow a good communication between vehicles, infrastructures and the whole road environment (traffic lights, road markings, barriers, and other vehicles), and also a good interpretation of the exchanged information.

Urban logistics

With urban development continuing to grow and intensify (60 per cent of all human beings will live in towns by 2030, meaning tomorrow), it is worth taking time to consider the changes afoot in last-mile logistics, which account for approximately 20 per cent of city traffic, occupy 30 per cent of road space and whose combustion engines happen to generate 35 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Emerging energies

Environmental restrictions are now an obligation for heavy-duty vehicle owners as well as manufacturers. And there is no lack of alternatives to the traditional fuel for this vehicle segment, diesel. The first solutions, focusing initially on hydrocarbons other than crude oil, have been joined by renewable energy and new power vectors. And the choice is wide-ranging: gas, biofuel, electricity, hydrogen.

Gas appears to have taken a substantial lead by driving further and becoming cheaper. The electric truck market is promising and should rocket between now and 2025, growing from 180,000 vehicles worldwide to 1.2 million. Does this mean that the days of diesel are numbered? It should be observed that the standards to minimise or even eradicate its pollution are producing conclusive results.

Alternative transport modes

In spite of its longstanding history and experience, transportation by road, air, sea or rail has so far struggled to meet the dual objective of catering to increased freight or passenger volumes whilst also reducing atmospheric pollution. Clean transport is consequently a key challenge which, fuelled by the explosive growth of technology, has given rise to new, more eco-friendly or alternative solutions: drones, delivery robots, electric two-wheelers, driverless freight shuttles, trams and more.

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Solutrans is an international show for road and urban transport solutions.

New challenges in transport

Impacted by e-commerce, by the need to accelerate flows and by environmental and regulatory issues, logistics is constantly reinventing itself to better digitise processes, strengthen traceability and reduce pollution. In addition, on a backdrop of staff shortages and an increasing need for skilled labour, businesses are seeking to automate or robotize many tasks that were once manual.

Training and employment

It is estimated that the sector currently has more than 40,000 vacant positions to be filled immediately. In transport, industry and services and from production to operation, every segment suffers from an overstretched employment market and a shortage of appropriate skills. On the periphery of basic education curriculums, how do professionals go about finding their human resources, and more importantly, the best qualified?

OEM sneak peak

The Transporter Industry International Group (TII Group) subsidiaries, NICOLAS and SCHEUERLE, are taking centre stage at Solutrans 2019 (Stand 4 K 145). The Group is unveiling the new two-axle low-bed semi-trailer of the EuroCompact series. With this vehicle along with a three-axle version, SCHEUERLE has successfully rounded off its product range at the bottom end. The new models not only offer outstanding payload capacity in this particular segment but also ease of operation and low operating costs.

With this completely new low-bed semi-trailer of the EuroCompact series, SCHEUERLE - like NICOLAS, a TII Group company belonging to the Otto

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Rettenmaier entrepreneurial family – has opened up a new product segment as well as being able to round off its range of vehicles for on-road use. The new two and threeaxle low-bed trailers have been tailored precisely to suit the demanding requirements of the companies´ customers in the freight forwarding, construction, agricultural and forestry sectors. In the payload classes up to approx. 30 tonnes (two-axle) and 50 tonnes (three-axle), simple and time-saving handling as well as high payload and low operating costs are among the key requests of the fleet operators. The two new EuroCompact models fully meet these requirements.

The low-bed semi-trailer is available with a two or three-axle rear bogie unit complete with pendulum axles, and the basic versions – and also depending on the fifth wheel load of the tractor - can accommodate payloads of up to 36,000 and 47,000 kilograms respectively (at 80 km/h and axle loads of 12,000 kilograms). Depending on the version, the dead weight of this semi-trailer combination is around 13,000 (two-axle) or

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under 16,000 kilograms (three-axle). Thus, the dead weight is below that of comparable solutions. In both cases, SCHEUERLE has set new standards in the segment and offers its customers outstanding vehicle load capacities.

The telescoping platform deck in the lowbed can easily be telescoped in both models.

Even in the basic position, the loading area has a length of 6,620 or 7,610 millimetres respectively. With the help of the extension, the loading area is subsequently extended by 5,650 millimetres to reach a length of 12,270 millimetres for the two-axle and by 5,000 millimetres to realise a length of 12,610 millimetres in the case of the threeaxle vehicle. This facilitates the loading 40-foot containers such as those frequently used in the freight forwarding business for example.Thanks to the excellent cornering characteristics and steering performance of the pendulum axle bogie, both versions (depending on the dimensions and weight of the cargo) are classified as vehicles that can be operated with only one driver in spite of having a combined vehicle length of up to 23

metres. It is therefore not necessary, even with an extended low-bed trailer, that a second driver is also in the driver´s cab or is following in an escort vehicle.

This saves customers the expense of additional personnel and allows a more cost-effective approval procedure.

An outstanding feature is also the straightforward operations of the new EuroCompact models. As a result, the gooseneck can be safely coupled and uncoupled on uneven road surfaces and rough terrain. Responsible for this is an innovative geometry of the locking mechanism. In addition, a radio remote control is optionally available for the vehicles of this series with which the driver can control the trailer tracking as well as the raising and lowering of the gooseneck and bogie unit (total axle compensation of 650 millimetres) from the driver´s cab. In the process, SCHEUERLE simplifies loading operations and the driver can avoid frequent getting in and out of the cab during transport.

With the modular, self-propelled SPMT Light transport platform (SPMT – Self Propelled Modular Transporter), SCHEUERLE is also showcasing a real bestseller in Lyon. The individual modular transporters of this series can be connected together as required. They can be coupled mechanically or electronically in a loose coupling mode. Thus, the SPMT vehicles are suitable for the transportation of almost every type of load. An essential feature of the SPMT Light series is the compact design of the vehicle modules. The transport platform has container dimensions of 6,000 x 2,430 millimetres with two or four pendulum axle lines and an integrated Power Pack Unit (PPU) which ensures optimum flexibility for lightweight assignments such as in-house shipping to and from the production halls.

The SPMT Light features the advantages of the SPMT. These include the robust construction of the bogie units and the electronic multi-directional steering complete with all known steering programs which facilitate extremely accurate positioning of the modules. The 700mm stroke always provides enough space for lifting and positioning loads in a vertical direction. In addition, the SPMT Light is available with both diesel and electric drives.

NICOLAS as the service and distribution centre Especially for overhaul, maintenance and service, customers need a competent contact person who knows and understands every detail of the highly specialised products of the TII Group. While the products of the TII Group brands KAMAG, NICOLAS and SCHEUERLE are produced at the Pfedelbach and Ulm facilities, the NICOLAS site in Champs-sur-Yonne, about 1.5 hours south of Paris, is further developing and expanding its expertise in the areas of sales and range of service.

“NICOLAS is the competence centre for sales and service,” said NICOLAS Managing Director, Aymeric Pasquier. “Our service department will provide help and support for NICOLAS products worldwide. In addition, the sales department in Champs-sur-Yonne will sell the KAMAG, NICOLAS and SCHEUERLE brands in France and all French-speaking regions globally. These markets are very important sales regions for the companies of the TII Group.”

With this orientation, NICOLAS demonstrates its extraordinary proximity to customers.

“Having close contact with the buyers of our products is a top priority for our highly qualified service teams,” Pasquier said. “Our service unit not only provides an exceptionally high-quality range of services but also trains customers worldwide in handling the products of the TII Group.” www.solutrans.eu

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PIONEERS

FOR POSITIVE CHANGE CHEREAU EMBARKED ON A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT TO DEVELOP THE FIRST HYDROGEN REFRIGERATED SEMI-TRAILER. INSPIRED BY THE PICTURESQUE FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE, AND THE CALL FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE, THE NORMANDY-BASED OEM IS READY TO UNVEIL ITS LATEST ACHIEVEMENTS AT SOLUTRANS 2019.

I

n July, the Refrigerated Optimised Advanced Design (ROAD) entered its final phase of testing with carrier, Malherbe – a leader in the French transport industry that specialises in the transportation of general goods and focuses primarily on agri-food, consumer products, mass distribution, pharmaceuticals, chemicals as well materials for the building and construction sectors.

The ROAD project commenced three years ago and is due to be unveiled at Solutrans 2019 in Lyon, France.

ROAD is, according to the OEM, the trailer of the future. The chassis is lighter due to innovative design and materials; the trailer is optimised to minimise aerodynamic drag; body insulation has excellent thermal performance; there are on-board hydrogen fuel cells for clean power; electric refrigeration units that use carbon dioxide as a refrigerant; and interconnected electrical equipment to reduce energy consumption as well as improve ergonomics for the vehicle operator. On top of all those innovations, this project is introducing additional safety features that benefit the driver from automated lighting to programming conditions that lock the brakes when

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loading/unloading.

Chereau CEO, Damien Destremau, said that after three years it feels good to accomplish this ambitious task.

“We learned a lot about innovation throughout the course of the ROAD project; this will help us to progress with our ‘From ROAD to REAL program’,” he said.

“We firmly believe that hydrogen is the preferred energy of choice for the future which is why have decided to industrialise it.

Following our ROAD tests, we are confident that hydrogen will be relevant in terms of use and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for our customers. As always, we are pioneers in innovation – even if the global hydrogen

SOLUTRANS PREVIEW

Refrigerated Optimised Advanced Design (ROAD).

chain is not ready, we have decided to move first as the environmental transition is not an option, we must go for it. So, of, course there are some challenges in front of us, but already many customers are ready to test this energy, as we share the same conviction: we must change our ways for the better.”

Destremau said there will be more information available at this year’s Solutrans trade show but did share a few hints of ROAD’s key technologies.

“The Vacuum Insulation Panel (VIP) is the best insulator and we use this technology to reveal our new Chereau performance range that boasts the best K-factor levels,” he said. “This is a major breakthrough in our industry, and we are very proud of it.

There is also an aerodynamic system that reduces fuel consumption, carbon emissions as well as rear doors made of thermoplastic and linen for maximum recyclability.”

The trailer refrigeration unit, according to Destremau has a carbon-neutral footprint. “Cooling gas usually generates C02 in its global chain,” he said. “Using C02 itself as a cooling gas does not generate additional carbon emissions.”

Built for the future, ROAD also flaunts multiplexing with intelligent, connected functions.

“Linked together on the same information and decision network, all the equipment of the vehicle can interact with each other, following the desiredprogrammed scenario,” said Leroyer. “The vehicle becomes intelligent, safer, more efficient and much more user-friendly.”

Running in parallel with the ROAD project, Chereau has also invested in its INOGAM EVO program which is reported to allow for a capacity payload gain of up to 429kg compared to the same vehicle built two years earlier.

“All of the lighting completed on the ROAD vehicle is available in our best-seller range,” said Leroyer. “The lighting on both the body – a re-design using aluminium instead of steel – and the chassis – HLE steel – has the dual effect of being lighter and stronger.”

The INOGAM EVO program also includes new LED tail lights with scrolling functions, LED work lights with integrated reversing function and new reflective strips with the Chereau logo which will be on show at Solutrans 2019.

Chereau is also releasing a new feature for the Chereau NEXT – a communication box with full remote trailer diagnostic capabilities.

“On the Chereau NEXT, as all equipment are linked on the same network, we can easily access their status,” Destremau said. “By connecting the vehicle, we allow remote diagnosis. This is really helpful for the workshop that can better plan maintenance or check the vehicle on demand whenever it is needed.” www.chereau.com

FAST FACT Image credit: Marc Lerouge.

ROAD is more than just a trade show concept, according to Chereau, it is a real vehicle that has been proofed in real-life operation. Following the success of the ROAD project, the OEM is set for the world premiere of its latest product ranges at Solutrans 2019, collectively grouped under the ‘From ROAD to REAL’ program. These updates to the Chereau core range include INOGAM EVO, Chereau NEXT, Chereau Performance and Chereau Hydrogen Power.

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EXHIBITION SPACE NOW ON SALE 1ST - 3 R D A PR I L 2 02 0

ME L B OU R N E CO N V E N T I O N & E X H IB I T I O N C E N T R E

SUSTAINABILITY | AUTOMATION I N D U ST RY 4 .0 | E - C O M M E R C E

SUPPORTING SPONSOR S

ASSOCIATION PARTNER S

CONFERENCE SPONSORS

A PASSI FOR TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

KNORR-BREMSE IS SYSTEMATICALLY ENGAGING WITH THE TRENDS OF THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDUSTRY: TRAFFIC SAFETY, EMISSION REDUCTION AND E-MOBILITY, CONNECTIVITY AND AUTOMATED DRIVING. KNORR-BREMSE, AND KNORR-BREMSE TRUCKSERVICES, THE AFTERMARKET BRAND OF KNORR-BREMSE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SYSTEMS, WILL BE AMONG THE EXHIBITORS AT THE SOLUTRANS FAIR.

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n booth 3E 115 in hall 3, Knorr-Bremse will showcase brake control and chassis management systems on separate product islands. The current generation of trailer electronic braking systems, the TEBS G2.2 including iLvl (Intelligent Levelling Control) will be on show, along with Knorr-Bremse’s ST7 trailer air disc Knorr-Bremse TEBS G2.2

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brake. The ILvl system offers a wide range of solutions for vehicles with air suspension, such as multiple ride or dock heights, but also the unique possibility to control the vehicle height from inside the trailer without the need for any power supply.

With the Intelligent Trailer Access Point, iTAP, Knorr-Bremse has created an additional user interface and electronic display. This enables trailer functions to be remotely controlled. WiFi cameras permit the load to be monitored and the driver can reverse with greater security. The iTAP offers control of functions including the lift axle, as well as providing a status overview of tire temperature, tire pressure, odometer readings, braking processes and error messages and displaying them on the driver’s smartphone. This user-friendly mobile app provides an easy way of controlling a wide range of trailer functions.

The new-generation parking and

SOLUTRANS PREVIEW

ON Trailer air disc brake.

manoeuvring valve (POM) enhances the trailer park and shunt valve by delivering integrated control of the raising/lowering function for the electro-pneumatic air suspension. So in addition to parking and manoeuvring, the height of the trailer can be easily and conveniently adjusted with the same device. This saves cost and effort for

FAST FACT Knorr-Bremse showed strong growth with revenues up 8.4 per cent in the first half of 2019 (€3.602 million) – the best first-half revenues in the company’s history. The Rail Vehicle Systems (RVS) division showed strong growth, particularly in aftermarket business, and the Commercial Vehicle Systems (CVS) division once again outgrew the commercial vehicle market.

the trailer manufacturer and offers the driver an intuitive and convenient way of adjusting the trailer height.

Other trailer products on show will include the ramp docking control system (RDC).

Knorr-Bremse TruckServices, the aftermarket brand of Knorr-Bremse Commercial Vehicle Systems, will also showcase its most recent solution for fleets. In June, Knorr-Bremse TruckServices and Mobileye®, an Intel Company, announced they were offering ProFleet Assist+, a new turn assistant with integrated driver assistance systems as a retrofit solution for the Aftermarket. This strategic partnership combines the proven Mobileye technology with the specific know-how of Knorr-Bremse for applications in the commercial vehicle sector. At Solutrans, Knorr-Bremse will provide the visitors with information about the features of the new turn assistant.

Furthermore, visitors can learn more about the ‘Lifetime Efficiency Principle’ from Knorr-Bremse TruckServices. This ensures that commercial vehicles of any age can be provided with the right products and servicing to keep them running safely.

In a separate area dedicated to the servicing of Knorr-Bremse products, visitors will be able to find out more about the special tools that have been developed for air disc brakes, clutch compressors and the bayonet cartridge of the EAC Electronic Air Control system. The Solutrans fair will take place from November 19 to 23, 2019 at the Lyon Eurexpo fairgrounds. KnorrBremse will be on booth 3E 115 in hall 3. www.knorr-bremse.de

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PAYLOAD OP R ESU LTS I N I NCR E EQUIPMENT SPECIALIST, SAF-HOLLAND, PROVIDES LIGHTWEIGHT TRUCK AND TRAILER COMPONENTS TO BOOST PROFITABILITY FOR FLEETS BY ENABLING ADDITIONAL PAYLOAD GAINS. SAF Intradisc plus Integral.

T

he improved premium trailer axle, the practical tyre pressure monitoring system and extra-light fifth wheels all optimise the payload of articulated lorries according to SAF-Holland.

“In terms of payload optimisation, SAF-Holland supports fleet managers on an individual basis, offering high-quality components such as fifth wheels or axles plus accessories, even when it comes to the configuration and original equipment of trucks and trailers,” said SAF-Holland Product Manager OE Europe, Elmar Weber.

SAF-Holland is optimising the weight of its SAF Intradisc plus Integral premium axle with a new ten-spoke wheel end design.

The lighter design was presented at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in 2018 and has been in series production since the spring of 2019. In combination with the brake caliper SBS 2220 H01, the optimised trailer axle reduces its weight by 8kg.

“SAF-Holland’s products and systems are

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getting lighter and lighter: On a three-axle semi-trailer, our premium axle reduces the weight by a total of 24kg ex works,” said Weber. “Fleet operators do not need to invest any extra money for this, in contrast to aluminium rims, for example.”

In order to reduce the weight of the brake, SAF-Holland has adapted the topology of the cast parts while maintaining the same high performance and service life of the disc brake. The 22.5’ brake SBS 2220 H01, developed jointly with Haldex, is designed for axle loads of up to nine tonnes.

SAF-Holland claims that there are other ways to reduce the weight of articulated lorries without requiring additional expenditure. Commercial vehicles, according to the equipment specialist, can make do without the spare wheel – one trailer tyre, steel rim and bracket together weigh around 160kg. If these are not onboard, the unladen weight of the tractor/trailer combination is reduced and the payload is significantly increased – tangible added value for cost-conscious fleet managers.

Trailers do not have to be entirely dependent on having a spare wheel, SAF-Holland reports. In many cases, the SAF Tire Pilot, the automatic tyre-inflating system

B U I LT T O T A S K

TIMISATION ASED EFFICIENCY from SAF-Holland, can prevent punctures.

The extra system weight of approx. 5kg is only a fraction of the possible savings. In the event of puncture damage, the control system maintains the tyre pressure at the preset level, allowing the articulated lorry to safely reach the nearest garage or home.

Once there, the wheel can be changed.

This prevents vehicles from being left stranded and minimises downtime due to puncture damage.

Truck and trailer are said to be always securely connected by SAF-Holland’s robust, weight-optimised fifth wheels.

“Our best-in-class solutions, consisting of fifth wheels and kingpins, can cope with any connection task, whether it involves lightweight 7.5-tonne lorries or abnormal loads of up to 75 tonnes,” said SAF-Holland Head of Truck Business Europe, Dr RainerRudolf Gärtner.

“To this end, we are systematically developing our products and tailoring them individually to tractor units and their areas of application,” he said.

In order to keep the weight of its fifth wheels as low as possible, the supplier for commercial vehicle parts has, for example, Chassis-integrated SAF-Holland fifth wheel.

SAF-Holland disc brake.

optimised the topology of the mounting brackets and the top plate. Time, and therefore costs, are also reduced due to direct mounting which eliminates the traditional mounting plate.

SAF-Holland developed the FW 3214-W, the first chassis-integrated fifth wheel with an imposed load of up to 14 tonnes, specifically for the Mercedes-Benz Actros and Antos prime mover units.

“Because it is installed directly in the vehicle frame and individually adapted to the tractor unit, it significantly lowers its dead weight and thus increases the payload potential,” said Dr. Gärtner.

The FW 3214-W with load-optimised and wear-optimised coupling plates made of spheroidal graphite cast iron, according to SAF-Holland, is low-maintenance while the standard single-handed operation is practical (a safety latch enables coupling and uncoupling with one hand).

The FWAL-E fifth wheel made of forged aluminium is reported to be one of a kind. It is up to 55kg lighter than other couplings.

The optionally available Weightsaver mounting system can reduce the weight by an additional 35 kg. The grease-free NoLube technology with its low-wear, replaceable slide plates and bearing inserts is exceptionally economical and environmentally friendly. The extra-light aluminium fifth wheel is designed for imposed loads of up to 20 tonnes and is available in three heights: 167mm, 197mm and 219mm. www.safholland.com

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INVENTIVE AXLE LIFT DEVICES FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS, VDL WEWELER HAS BEEN A SUSPENSION SUPPLIER, MANUFACTURING MULTI-LEAF SPRINGS AND PARABOLIC TRAILING ARMS IN THE NETHERLANDS. CURRENTLY, THE MAIN BUSINESS OF VDL WEWELER IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRAILER AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEMS FOR ITS CUSTOMERS.

A

s trailers in general have multiple axles, it is quite interesting to provide trailers with a lift axle, as a lifted axle saves tyres and brakes, has less resistance, saves fuel and improves manoeuvrability (particularly when the axle lift is on the last axle).

In some countries lift axles can even save fleet operators in road taxes.

In the 1970s the axle lift of choice was a pivoting side lift. By 1979, VDL Weweler developed a pivotless centre lift. On this inventive and new version the axle lift air spring is mounted to the trailer chassis in front of the suspension system pivot points and the lift arm is connected to the axle body of the liftable axle.

This kind of axle lift was revolutionary, according to VDL Weweler, because it was independent of the suspension system and axle make. So, with the correct axle clamping (square or round), known nowadays as a mid-lift could

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and can be used by every trailer builder.

Some 10 years later, in 1989, VDL Weweler was asked to mount an air bellow direct to the parabolic part of the trailing arm by drilling holes in the trailing arm.

VDL Weweler obviously refused as this would destroy the functionally of the trailing arm and so a two-sided axle lift was developed using a pivoting lever so the air spring or actuator was kept in position without damaging the trailing arm.

“This was the birth of our patented BoltOn® axle lift range,” said VDL Weweler.

AXLES & SUSPENSIONS



without the need to remove the pivot bolt. This proved to be a major advantage as realignment of the suspension was not necessary.

Currently, VDL Weweler is market leader in the European market and develops tailor made axle lift systems for several big players in the global market.

One of the latest developments is the Rocker lift, which was also displayed at the 2018 IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hannover, Germany.

The Rocker lift was developed for those situations where it’s not possible to mount a Bolt-On® axle lift, due to ground clearance or when there is no space between the (dual) tyres and the hanger bracket.

Like an engine rocker, the axle lift arm is partly adjacent the hanger bracket and angled, with the actuator placed inwards, creating sufficient clearance towards the tyres and the ground.

Particularly low-loader builders have responded really enthusiastic, but the opportunities in other applications are endless.

Currently VDL Weweler has, next to their wide range of air suspensions, over a 100 axle lift variants on stock for many common brands of air suspension systems and applications. “Making one thing for sure, VDL Weweler is and will be your partner for axle lift systems.”

“THE UNIQUE SELLING POINTS OF THIS LIGHT WEIGHT SOLUTION IS THAT IT CAN BE BOLTED TO THE SUSPENSION`S PIVOT BOLT WITHOUT WELDING THE AXLE LIF T TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HANGER BR ACKE T.” VDL Weweler

“The unique selling points of this light weight solution is that it can be bolted to the suspension`s pivot bolt without welding the axle lift to the underside of the hanger bracket. Particularly for retrofit this was ideal.”

Over time, these Bolt-On® axle lifts evolved into a wide family, suitable for practically any axle and suspension brand in the market today.

The second-generation Bolt-On® axe lifts were developed to be hooked on existing parts of the air suspension and

www.vdlweweler.com

VDL Weweler Bolt-On® axle lifts are exceptionally compact and are one of the lightest of their kind.

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ON COURSE FOR

GROWTH TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THE LIGHTING SOLUTION SCENE, ASPÖCK SYSTEMS CONTINUOUSLY INVESTS IN SITE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCT INNOVATION. THE LATEST ECOLED II REAR LAMP, WHICH BEGAN SERIAL PRODUCTION IN SEPTEMBER, IS TESTAMENT TO THE COMPANY’S ACHIEVEMENTS.

S

ince the foundation of the company in the year 1977, the Aspöck Systems headquarters in Peuerbach (Upper Austria) has expanded with its production and administration areas now covering 13,500m², while a high-bay warehouse features a base area of more than 3,000m² and a height of 24 metres projects upwards into the sky as a visual centrepoint.

The company’s objective has remained the same: to bring more safety onto the world’s roads. Today, this objective focuses on convenience, design, economic viability and environmental compatibility. The location of Austria remains the strategic and operative hub of the Aspöck Group in a number of ways. A logistics centre with a state-of-the-art commission stock warehouse represents the target destination of all production subsidiaries. Due to investments made in the year 2018 in a new company building for sales and logistics, located close to Lyon, Aspöck France offers the perfect supplement to the headquarters, and guarantees fast and accurate processing of our customers’ requests.

In addition to being market leaders in the trailer niche, Aspöck Systems is an important international partner for the automotive branch. Aspöck is able to fulfil the high expectations placed on automobile manufacturers with decisive assistance from the production locations in Portugal – the largest production site in the Aspöck Group – and Poland, which has been expanded appropriately over the past years. Here mainly rear lamps and stop lights for automobile

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manufacturers such as Audi or the French Groupe PSA are produced. Aspöck equips 550 to 600 thousand vehicles per year with these rear lamps.

“In addition, we produce over 1.2 million third stop lights per year,” said CEO, Karl Aspöck.

The acknowledged Aspöck quality is secured through test laboratories and test workshops at the headquarters and at several subsidiaries in the production and sales network. Lighting solutions are developed and realised and the necessary simulations are carried out before serial production begins. Over 10,000 tests are executed per year in the internal test laboratory in Peuerbach alone. The company is certified in accordance with IATF 16949, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. The company carries out continuous routine checks to ensure that all regulations are complied with.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Trailer fitted with the ECOLED II.

These certificates are the testimonies for high quality and environmental standards, and assist in sustainably improving processes – as stagnation is certainly not a part of the Aspöck company philosophy!

In order to keep all company-internal processes transparent and clearlystructured at all locations, Aspöck has chosen to use a central Enterprise Resource Planning System. Through the reduction of interfaces, central ERP facilitates the cross-location control of business processes.

In order to guarantee longevity and security, the entire IT structure has been mapped into SAP. The transparency of all economic key figures and harmonised master data are the clear benefits of this implementation. We map all standard modules (among others FI, CO, HCM), but also logistics (EWM) and production (ME) using SAP. Over and above this, Aspöck have attractive B2B communications with a high recognition factor – the continuous communication with the locations, customers and employees is also steered from the main headquarters where it is based. The appropriate rooms were realised this year for the purpose across three floors in a new, modern administration building on the Aspöck premises. This building also features an optimally-equipped, well-lit fitness room, which helps employees to find the necessary balance to everyday working life and promotes their health even further.

With 1,550 employees worldwide, 380 of whom work in Austria, can confirm the ‘holistic approach’ – central Human Resources Management as one of the most important field offices of the family-run company continues to facilitate healthy and international growth with qualified and motivated employees.

The art of lights - new from the light-makers

Senior Manager, Felix Aspöck, and CEO, Karl Aspöck.

The art of uniting design with the latest lighting technology is called ECOLED II – the latest rear lamp by the light-makers Aspöck Systems for trucks and trailers.

The start of serial production in September proved successful. A large light area, a uniform light pattern plus a dynamic indicator with a sequential light which is ISO certified and able to withstand all environmental influences, will convince you with its low installation height and the possibility for application within a voltage range from 12 Volts to 24 Volts.

Aspöck Systems is also expanding its product portfolio in the existing market segment for towed vehicles by developing and investing in innovative, linear LED socketing and encapsulation technologies, i.e. LED strips. www.aspoeck.com

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AUTONOMOUS, CONNECTED AND

ELECTRIFIED

WABCO IS A LEADING GLOBAL SUPPLIER OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT ENHANCE SAFETY, EFFICIENCY AND CONNECTIVITY OF ALL COMMERCIAL VEHICLES. VICE PRESIDENT TRAILER SYSTEMS, CHRISTIAAN VERSCHUEREN, SPEAKS ABOUT HOW WABCO’S NEW GLOBAL INTELLIGENT BRAKING PLATFORM IS A CORNERSTONE OF THE TRAILER INTELLIGENCE MOBILISATION AND PAVES THE WAY TO THE ACE-READY TRAILER.

Q

: First of all, congratulations to WABCO for celebrating 150 years of innovation. How are you connected nowadays to this legacy?

A: Saving lives and protecting the environment that is how WABCO

makes a difference in the world today. Saving lives was also the inspiration for George Westinghouse’s invention of the air brake and the subsequent founding of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company on 28 September 1869.

Before the air brake, a locomotive driver would stop trains by using their whistle to signal their brakemen, who would turn the brakes in one railway carriage and jump to the next. The system was dangerous, imprecise and unreliable, and railroad accidents were frequent and deadly. Westinghouse’s

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1869 air brake system connected railway wagons with hoses, using air pressure to apply the brakes. His next version used air pressure to keep the brakes off, establishing the basic technology still used today.

150 years of innovation for braking technology

In 1920, WABCO developed the first air brake systems for automobiles in the US and Europe (France). In 1934 the first air brakes

INDUSTRY VOICE

Q: Today you are establishing the Intelligent Braking Platform as the next big step. Tell us more about this concept?

The global trailer braking systems market is divided into three big clusters.

On one hand we have North America and China which are currently using conventional brakes plus Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS) standard, with only special trailer applications using electronic braking system (EBS). On the other hand, there are EMEA, Japan and Korea where EBS is the standard. And finally we have markets such as Brazil WABCO Vice President Trailer and Australia that are in transitioning Systems, Christiaan Verschueren. from ABS to EBS or planning to do so.

One trend however is very clear, all regions want to improve the safety and efficiency of road transportation and are realising that the trailer can play an important role. So, we see that every region, at its own pace, is increasingly seeing the needs for evolving safety and efficiency functionalities.

WABCO as a truly global player and partner to the industry is adapting products and technologies to those regional requirements and challenges. That is why we are proud to introduce our new Intelligent Braking Platform, the industry’s first global braking platform for trailers, combining iABS and iEBS on one common platform with three different performance and value levels: Basic, Standard and Premium. The first variant that is in pre-launch today is the new iABS for the important North-American market. Here, the focus is on making the trailer smarter and allow, for the first time, to activate up to 20 functions of our awardwinning Intelligent Trailer Program such as Lift Axle Control, Door Ajar or Axle Load Monitoring via WABCO SmartBoard.

With the new Intelligent Braking Platform we also enable better accessibility to safety and efficiency technologies. In 2020, we will introduce a special EBS Basic Steel variant for leaf spring trailers in Brazil, Russia, India and China providing easier access to Roll Stability Support (RSS) functionality for those markets.

At the same time, we are enhancing EBS ABOUT CH RISTIAAN functionality in EMEA by integrating the VE RSCH U E RE N Tire Pressure Monitoring (OptiTire) and Christiaan Verschueren is Vice Rear Blind Spot Detection and Automatic President Trailer Systems at Braking (TailGUARD) Electronic Control WABCO. Engineer by education, Unit in the Premium EBS modulator. he joined WABCO in 1994 and A:

Caption

were applied to trucks in Europe (Germany, Hannover) transferring Westinghouse´s knowledge from trains and cars to trucks.

Since the introduction of the first trailer EBS in 1997 we reduced braking systems’ response times to the range of milliseconds – reaction times that George Westinghouse could only dream of during his era.

Focusing purely on the automotive industry today, WABCO continues to pioneer breakthrough innovations for advanced driver assistance, braking, stability control, suspension, transmission automation and aerodynamics for the world’s commercial truck, bus, trailer, car and off-highway manufacturers.

Q: What advantages of the Intelligent Braking Platform do you see for OEMs and fleet operators?

Worldwide standardised engineering guarantees more time and cost efficiency for the complete trailer life chain: trailer building, fleet operating, aftermarket, service and workshops.

The new Intelligent Braking Platform A:

has been working for more than 13 years in the trailer market. Since 2009, he has been responsible for WABCO’s global trailer business leading a team of dedicated trailer experts in engineering, R&D, sales and manufacturing. Together they ensure that WABCO is also mobilising trailer intelligence as a valued developer and supplier of advanced technology and digital services for trailer manufacturers, fleets and aftermarket.

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introduces harmonised hardware, software and also a uniform and standardised cable concept: iABS and iEBS are using the same cable system. Whatever trailer you build, retrofit or service internationally you can exchange or update trailer iABS and iEBS easily.

Trailer OEMs will thereby profit from global lean production, win on installation time, simplify their production lines and reduce their cables and components stock.

Platforming and harmonizing hardware and cables enable aftermarket resellers and workshops for better spare part availability, shorter installation and training time. This will speed up service time not only at WABCO´s 3,100 global workshop solutions and service partners in 119 countries but also in all other workshops and will thus get vehicles faster back on the road again.

Fleet operators and also OEMs will profit from one thing in particular: Since iABS and iEBS will support 5V Controller Area Network communication ports (CAN) and

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Generic In/Out ports (GIO), every single trailer can become intelligent and connected to a telematics unit without system upgrade. This provides benefits such as trailer health condition monitoring and preventive maintenance capabilities to optimize logistical processes as well as driver guidance and support.

Thanks to close cooperation with our trailer and fleet customers and our 30 years engineering experience in electronic braking systems and trailer intelligence, WABCO has sold 9 million+ ABS/EBS systems in the trailer market to date.

Further standardisation of ABS/EBS hardware and cables will streamline building and servicing of trailers and at the same time enable customisation and individualisation of each trailer to better serve the complex customer needs for flexibility, specificity, speed and safety.

Q: Let us look even further into the future: ACE, ‘Autonomous - Connected – Electric’ indicates disruptive changes. How does it apply to the trailer?

For the ‘A’ in Autonomous Driving we expect the first autonomous driving trucks to come in China, followed by the US and then in Europe. The biggest impact on the trailer we will see in Europe – that is why we follow our roadmap and anticipate that trailers will become smarter and with more sensors equipped.

Let us take the trailer use-case ‘On-Yard’ where we are talking about providing a high definition camera, obstacle and position detection via sensors and the Truck/Trailer link (Automotive Ethernet). Thanks to this the trailer can guide the truck to the targeted spot, automated landing legs could be enabled as well as applying and releasing the trailer parking brake for automated docking and coupling manoeuvres. For ‘On-Yard’ applications we are also looking at keyless A:

INDUSTRY VOICE

trailer access and cargo monitoring inside the trailer.

When it comes to ‘On-Highway’ applications, the brake performance management system together with side and rear monitoring and truck/trailer link becomes crucial. Here, we clearly profit from our autonomous driving developments for trucks such as Collision Mitigation System, Lane Departure Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking. Furthermore, the trailer can play an important role as a fail operation system for truck braking and steering at low speed. Autonomous manoeuvres are driving operations that we run and improve daily not only on our WABCO test tracks in Jeversen (Germany) but also on the test areas in Romaniemi (Finland) and Chennai (India).

So, we are already preparing trailers to support autonomous driving to be ready by the time it comes. In the meantime, we will offer supporting automation features as part of the Intelligent Trailer Program for standalone use.

The ‘C’ for Connectivity reveals innovation in trailer telematics, Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and cloud-based solutions. Already today, fleet managers but also trailer builders can access valuable information provided by the trailer braking systems and the associated sensors in regards to remote diagnostic (preventive maintenance), localisation and tracking (optimising logistical processes) as well as immediate driver support (see more in our telematics article, Global Trailer #48).

Q: With the WABCO eTrailer as a real prototype you have already introduced electrification in the trailer world. Can you explain to us the concept and idea behind it?

A: This is about looking at possibilities to save or recuperate energy on commercial

vehicles, by focusing on reducing air-resistance and regenerating brake energy.

Our well known OptiFlow aerodynamic solutions to minimize the trailer drag already deliver fuel savings up to 2.4 litres per 100km (improving fuel economy by up to seven per cent) which is going hand in hand with a C02 reduction of up to 6.2kg per 100km (this can yield up to 4.8 tonnes per trailer per year).

For further reduction of fuel consumption, a hybrid-truck is an obvious solution, but the space in the towing vehicle is limited. An eDrive system in the trailer is therefore a reasonable alternative. As a brake manufacturer with the unique ability to safely control and connect both the truck and trailer, we can manage to recuperate vehicle energy in the trailer. The energy is transformed by the eDrive

Loss energy and fuel consumption with and without hybrid-trailer system in the distribution transport cycle

braking energy 51.8 kWh

air friction energy loss 44.97 kWh

recuperated energy 33.4 kWh losses eDrive 3.6 kWh

air friction energy loss 44.9 kWh

braking energy 14.9 kWh

rolling resistance energy loss 65.39 kWh

rolling resistance energy loss 66.7 kWh

Fuel consumption: 42 l / 100 km @Vecto Delivery Cycle with 40 t vehicle mass

Fuel consumption: 35,5 l / 100 km @Vecto Delivery Cycle with 40,8 t vehicle mass

Loss energy and fuel consumption with and without hybrid-trailer system in the distrubtion transport cycle

FAST FACT WABCO’s founder, George Westinghouse, is best known for his partnership with Nicola Tesla to develop Alternating Current (AC). Their competition with Thomas Edison’s Direct Current (DC) technology became known worldwide as ‘the current wars’. When Westinghouse and Tesla demonstrated their technologies at the 1893 World’s Fair they illuminated 250,000 lights – or 25 per cent of the world’s light bulbs used at the time.

Today, this legacy to anticipate the future is reflected in WABCO’s eTrailer prototype.

and saved into a battery during deceleration or when driving downhill, enabling its reuse for propulsion or trailer auxiliaries. Truck and trailer EBS systems are interacting for best results via ISO communication.

WABCO´s eTrailer is expected to deliver overall fuel savings of up to 20 per cent on dynamic short haul routes and of up to 10 per cent for long haul routes. So, again the Intelligent Braking Platform is contributing to improve fuel efficiency and to reduce C02 emission.

Q: So, what is your final perspective on future developments?

The trailer is a very important element in the global transportation chain. New technologies will continue to surface but it will take time before they fully materialise.

The big challenge for the trailer industry is to manage the transition from the current to the new world.

With our Intelligent Braking Platform and the Intelligent Trailer Program functionalities, we are supporting trailer builders, fleet operators, workshops, services and drivers in all countries today already to profit from safer and more efficient trailers. We are committed to continue supporting the trailer OEMs and help them build future proof trailers by anticipating and engineering ACEready vehicles to become Autonomous Connected – Electric. It promises to be an exciting ride!

A:

www.wabco-auto.com

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trailer axles

Challenging themes are our motivation:

WE DEVELOP INNOVATIONS! gigant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Trenkamp & Gehle GmbH | Germany

www.gigant-group.com

PROFILE

A FORCE OF ONE

CIE President and CEO, Frank Sonzala (pictured right) celebrated the opening of a new facility in South Gate, California.

FRANK SONZALA, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CIMC INTERMODAL EQUIPMENT, IS LEADING THE NORTH AMERICAN TRAILER MARKET WITH AN OPTIMISTIC ATTITUDE, BACKED BY QUALITY, INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN SKEL MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE. GLOBAL TRAILER GETS IN TOUCH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF INTERMODAL.

Q

: Could you please provide a brief overview of your career before and with CIMC Intermodal Equipment?

I have actually been in the trucking industry since 1983.

When I started International Transquip Industries (ITI), which manufactured the MinI Max Springless Parking Brake – a revolutionary product to the trucking industry. That company sold four times and I was kept on each time. In 1993, a trucker who brought the tire inflation system A:

to meet ITI showed me the product and I thought this was the goose that laid the golden eggs! My new owners didn’t get it. I took that potential great product to them and they rejected it. I then told that inventor: When you find a proper investor, tell them I want to market it. The rest is

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history. PSI is number one worldwide.

Starting in 2000, I was a vendor to CIMC in China for the PSI Tire Inflation System. In 2015, I was asked to put my hat in the circle for the CEO position at CIMC Intermodal Equipment (CIE). I said of course, and after many interviews and meetings I was chosen over the other candidates.

So, after 22 years at PSI, I began my career with CIE on 1 March 2016. Now at CIE with almost four years of service behind, me and a contract for several more years, I am hoping to be the best number one CEO in the industry. Heaven knows I’ll keep on trying.

Q: Do you have any comments to share regarding CIE operations? Production milestones?

Reflections on the past financial year?

A: Well in 2019, CIE underwent a total reinvention, both at our South Gate, CA HQ and at our Emporia, Virginia location.

We started in Emporia with a completely redesigned factory, making it resemble a modern automobile manufacturing plant.

We also upgraded the building facilities, employee uniforms and initiated ISO 9000 certification which was achieved in under six months of qualifying. I think that may be a world record! Then in South Gate our HQ was completely remodelled to mirror the Emporia facility. The old offices in the factory were upgraded with a brand new lunch room and locker room to accommodate our growing work force, new offices for our supervisors, and a fully equipped production studio for our Marketing and IT departments to do inhouse pod casts, movies, videos for marketing and technical training as well as corporate communications around the world. We celebrated our reinvention with our vendors, customers, and friends at a ribbon cutting and open house in early June.

In 2019, the entire industry slowed down due to tariffs and economic uncertainty. However, we continued to keep our market share and to invest in our growth strategy, while our competitors didn’t, instead actually raising their prices to their customers. We have now positioned our company to easily provide 60,000 plus chassis going forward. Once the tariff situation is resolved or at least stable, at any or no tariff percentage, we will gain that pent up buying need that is currently in the intermodal and trucking industries, and we will be the only one who can provide big numbers. And by the way, ‘Made in America’ is the theme of 2020. So, keep your eye on CIE. Really big things are developing.

Q: In July, CIE celebrated the opening of a new facility in South Gate, California. Can you tell more about this site and what it means for the future of the business?

A: The new headquarters is very modern and special for all of our employees.

We completely gutted the old office of the local gas company and made a very friendly, comfortable and healthy environment where they spend so many of their weekday hours. It features our unique artwork chassis as the centrepiece of our staircase to the upper floor. I believe that this iconic work of art is the only upright chassis in the world that has become a photo op for thousands of pictures. We also have installed alkaline water machines to provide both hot and cold alkaline water for tea, coffee, soups, and of course drinking. Completely replacing bottle water. It is a fact that cancer will not set in an alkaline body, so healthy for us all. All offices are climate controlled

Q: Last year, chassis production increased by 53 per cent compared with 2017 data. How is CIE performing in 2019?

A: In 2018, we shipped an industry record

45,441 chassis in North America, even with a 10 per cent and 25 per cent tariff for part of that year. We also carried over a backlog of more than 10,000 units into 2019.

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CIE HQ featuring an upright chassis work of art.

PROFILE

a state of the art chassis with the most reliable and safest components.

Q: Are there other topics you would like to discuss?

CIE is a member of many industry associations and participates in each at a high level. The American Trucking Association for example is a true advocate of the entire trucking industry. The Technology and Maintenance Council of that parent organisation is very active with its many task forces and study groups, plus its technician competition each year. The Truckload Carriers Association, the National Trailer Dealers Association, the Intermodal Association of North America, as I mentioned before is a must for the land, sea, over the road and global logistics community. SAE – Society of Automotive Engineers also is part of our go to associations for information and exhibition.

A:

Revere chassis.

and energy efficient, along with video conference rooms, lounges, and a lunch suite with complete kitchen and a water feature. I pinch myself and say WOW, I work here! Employee morale and comfort is at an all-time high.

Q: In September, I understand you moderated a panel at IANA Intermodal Expo 2019.

Can you tell me more about this experience? Were there any standout ideas or talking points at the event?

Q: Do you have any other comments you would

A: The Innovation Incubator was an inaugural panel based on a similar program

like to add?

that I started when I was Chairman of the IANA board of directors, and in place at the spring time Maintenance and Operations Conference in Chicago, Illinois, many years ago. There were eight presenters and all of the technology was very new and innovative. I believe that I learned a lot from the presentations and that the audience did too. It got a very favourable ranking from the attendees on the follow up survey of the IANA conference event.

A:

Q: At the intermodal expo, VP Sales & Marketing, Trevor Ash, discussed the Revere chassis line. Can you go into more detail about this innovation (technical specifications, special features)?

A: It is our goal at CIE to be the leader of the evolution of the intermodal industry,

and we have done just that. In 2001 we began the evolution of chassis design through increased safety and innovation with radial tires and LED lights, and we continue that now with Revere. Our revolutionary Revere chassis line offers upgraded componentry that will deliver to the industry the safest and lowest cost of ownership container chassis with an unheard of 10-year warranty on all nonwear parts and come standard with laser metal cutting, robotic precision welds and a KTL power coat paint system to prevent rust and corrosion.

The impact on our intermodal industry will be significant, especially given the current state of port jams due to the lack of reliable chassis that are currently not usable or in a constant state of maintenance and repair. From powder coated frame rails and attached components, extended-life landing gear, fully sealed electrical system, wheel ends that need no adjustment, and highly reliable braking systems that ensure safe stopping capabilities, Revere’s unique combination of components is changing the image of the container chassis.

Our Revere chassis spec means better efficiencies, less down time and increased productivity in an ever-growing intermodal industry. The industry will now have

Finally, I want to announce that I firmly believe that CIE has established some of the best talent that the trucking industry has to offer at every level of our operation. Since I have been President/CEO we have led the intermodal industry away from bias tires, incandescent lights, and oil- and water-based paint. Our factories are basically zero emission and we empower our employees to be the best that they can be. Our culture stands tall for Faith, Family and Work Ethic, in that order, which sometimes is overlooked by other enterprises.

Since 2016 we have had a theme for every year: 2016 Empower the Work Force; 2017 The 6 to 60 program (this is the formula to take the company from the 6,000 units built in 2012 to the 60,000 units to build in 2020); 2018 Manage and Lead by Trello; 2019 Reinvent CIMC Intermodal Equipment, and now 2020 is ‘Made in America, by American employees, an American company (always was and is) with Global Partners’.

The future is bright and with a positive attitude and positive culture the journey forward will be dynamic! www.cimcintermodalequipment.com

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AN EYE

FOR DETAIL DIETER RAAB LEVERAGES TWO IMPORTANT ROLES AT JOST. HE IS THE HEAD OF THE GLOBAL TRUCK DEPARTMENT AND SERVES AS A PRODUCT MANAGER FOR TOWING HITCHES. GLOBAL TRAILER MET HIM TO UNPACK 33 YEARS OF SPECIALISED EQUIPMENT EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE.

T

he towing hitches that JOST supplies, according to Raab, are predominantly sold under the ROCKINGER brand but in some regions like Brazil, however, there is a demand to offer the towing hitches under the JOST brand. Over the years there were some new 50mm towing hitches and ball hitches developed in cooperation with JOST designers in Germany.

“Since JOST took over ROCKINGER in 2001, the towing hitch portfolio was consequently increased to be a full range supplier,” he says. “This allowed for the design of a 57mm towing hitch for the Scandinavian market, including the necessary cross members and side plates, as well as a 68mm towing hitch for the French market and a ball hitch for car transporters . JOST also produces various upgrade FAST FACT kits for remote operation and JOST launched an online part finder remote indication.” last year, which according to Dieter Going back to the roots of Raab, was the first step for the ROCKINGER with the first equipment specialist. “Of course, other safety coupling of the world in product groups will follow suit in the future,” he says. “Our clients are happy 1927, Raab says JOST has since to use this innovative online part finder.” invented a new ROCKINGER www.jost-part-finder.com/index.php release lever system for a 40mm ROCKINGER once again took first (RO*40E), 50mm (RO*50E) prize in the “Towing Hitches” category and a 40mm CH (RO*40CH) in the “Best Brand 2019” reader’s for the Swiss market. The poll conducted by the German ETM equipment specialist has also publishing house. This honour means that ROCKINGER brand has been introduced a camera system recognised for the high quality, userthat guides the vehicle operator friendliness of its products and its during the coupling process, excellent service for the 15th time in a row. especially for CAT (Centre Axle

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TOW COUPLINGS

Trailer) operation.

Currently, the most popular towing hitch is the standard 40mm towing hitch however the launch of the CAT is seeing a new trend with the 50mm towing hitch range.

“The release lever system allows the RO*50E to be coupled under difficult drawbar angles and the drawbar eye activates the closing mechanism only if the eye is in the right position,” Raab says.

“That is also the reason why you don´t have to drive very hard into the coupling to activate the bolt and push the coupling bolt up. Also, if the driver wants to pick up the next trailer they do not have to go out and open the tow hitch again.” The coupling process is also really low-noise, that’s important for residential areas.

The release lever system, Raab explains, is a feature that vehicle operators enjoy for ease of use which also improves handling, reliability and are also easy to repair.

Over the years, JOST has seen many changes to the development of its towing hitches and fifth wheels. For many years already, the company has harnessed the advantages of 3D design, FEM calculation risk assessment by FMEA as well as other simulations and special tools.

Interestingly, every region has its own towing hitch system that comes with its own historical background. Raab says his team develop towing hitches for specific applications along with special couplings for special purposes. “We have a range of towing hitches from one tonne to 1,000 tonnes, where the towing hitch alone has a weight of 300kg and the drawbar eye weighs 80kg.”

Conventional connections between a truck and a trailer are made of steel and need to be lubricated regularly in order to avoid wear and damage.

“Under normal operating conditions, a fifth wheel coupling requires about 10 kilograms of lubricating grease per year,” Raab says.

“With a vehicle fleet of around 600,000 vehicles in Europe, this makes around 6,000 tonnes per year. This high amount of grease requires an eco-friendly solution like the biodegradable organic grease.”



ROCKINGER towing hitch.

“THE RELEASE LEVER SYSTEM ALLOWS THE RO*50E TO BE COUPLED UNDER DIFFICULT DR AWBAR ANGLES AND THE DR AWBAR EYE ACTIVATES THE CLOSING MECHANISM ONLY IF THE EYE IS IN THE RIGHT POSITION,” Dieter Raab JOST

With the development of minimal lubrication with LubeTronic, JOST already succeeded in reducing the amount of grease needed to about 1.6 kilograms per year. Now, JOST is taking the next step by introducing a grease that is biodegradable in accordance with the OECD 301 B biodegradation test. Considering that JOST’s organic, high-performance lubricant actually exceeded the demands of the test, it received the rating of ‘readily biodegradable’, which means it degrades especially quickly and easily.

“The lubricant is ideally formulated for use in combination with Lube-Tronic and is impressive from more than just an eco-friendly perspective,” Raab says. “JOST will offer its organic grease at the same price as its commonly used grease. Thus, all JOST customers will be able to switch to the organic grease without incurring additional costs, thereby contributing to preserving the environment.” www.jost-world.com.

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TRADING IDEAS

EVENTS SUCH AS NUFAM FACILITATE AN INFORMATION EXCHANGE WHERE MANUFACTURERS OF TRAILING EQUIPMENT AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTRY SHARE THEIR WORK WITH CONSUMERS AND OTHER INNOVATORS. WHILE KEY TRENDS CONTINUE TO BE STRONG TALKING POINTS, EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES ARE SET TO CHANGE THE CONVERSATION.

A

n estimated 400 exhibitors from 13 countries showcased their ‘mobility of the future’ transport solutions at the trade fair for commercial vehicles, NUFAM 2019, in Karlsruhe, Germany.

During 26-29 September, exhibitors presented vehicles in all weight classes, bodies, trailers, tyres, parts, accessories, telematics solutions and services.

Karlsruhe Trade Fair Managing Director, Britta Wirtz, said the commercial

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vehicles event NUFAM is an ideal platform because it reaches a trade audience with a keen willingness to invest.

In terms of innovative and sustainable investments, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) demonstrated its

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A total of 408 exhibitors from 13 countries presented the industry’s entire range of products and services at NUFAM.

regenerative fuels derived from plant residues which are currently undergoing testing in passenger and freight traffic applications.

German trailer manufacturer, Krone, continues to digitalise its trailer-related services. With the app Claim Care, available with iOS and Android operating systems, service participants can report concerns digitally, quickly and easily. The transparency of Claim Care is reported to boost processing and improves the service life of the vehicle.

Also, spare parts now feature QR codes for rapid recognition and fast shipping.

On the telematics scene, Krone telematics, with the help of Krone Smart Capacity Management, allows for smarter and more efficient freight routing though automated reconciliation of the freight and order pool, avoidance of empty runs and unused footprint and maximum vehicle utilisation.

Taking digital concepts even further, Krone has developed its own track and trace technology that uses sensors to support the loading and unloading processes of transports.

Krone Smart Track and Trace is reported to fully support monitoring in the supply chain including storage areas, warehouses and salesrooms.

“The charge carriers are provided with beacons (radio beacons) that capture and send information. Thus, quantities, weights, vibrations, recipients, positions, etc. for customers and end customers are presented transparently and comprehensibly,” Krone said. “During transport, there is a complete exchange of information with the Krone Telematics Portal. Communication takes place between beacons and the Krone telematics unit via interface. This enables a transparent flow of goods, which is displayed on the Krone Telematics Portal and the app. The dispatchers learn in real time which goods are in which state on board and how much loading capacity is still available. Krone Smart Track and Trace can be combined with Krone Smart Capacity Management. This way, dispatchers quickly and reliably find out how many capacities are exactly where on the vehicle.”

Krone also showcased load compartment detection tech, Smart Scan, which made its debut in 2016. It has been optimised to provide digital support and intelligent load compartment recognition via a camera and sensors. This system was awarded an innovation prize ‘Trailer Award’ in the category ‘Smart Trailer’.

Joining the trend in Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS), Krone presents its in-house solution. This TPMS displays tyre inflation pressures and temperatures in real-time and aids drivers and logisticians in vehicle preventative maintenance.

“Two sensors are mounted on the rim of the tire valve per axle,” said Krone.

“The sensors measure tire pressure and temperature per wheel and send it to an electronic control unit, which transmits the signals in real time to the telematics unit. On the one hand the tire conditions in the Krone Portal are displayed to the dispatcher, on the other hand the driver sees in the display of the tractor the evaluation of all wheel signals. In addition, the system alerts the dispatcher and driver if deviations occur.”

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Fourth-generation family business, Spier, revealed a new box body production model that is said to be versatile and modular for daily work. This box design features the Spier Fast Slide System, Spier Safety System (pitched roof with adapted slope to prevent weathering – specifically in ice and snow), cargo securing crossbeams, an even end wall and adjustable insert heights.

Martin Reisch brought the latest iteration of its move-R moving floor trailer design which featured innovative connection technology and a continuous chassis of high-quality, fine-grained steels for a robust yet lighter-weight build.

Reisch has been working intensively for years on the subject of ‘load securing’ in the moving floor, a certification of the moving floor construction acc. DIN EN 12642 Code XL is therefore a matter of course.

A load securing certificate for waste paper bales and brand new paper rolls up to a roll height of 2,800mm proves Reisch’s know-how in securing loads.

A Kässbohrer K.SLL B 2 low loader.

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The Reisch Hinterkipp semi-trailers with Hardox round troughs have been valued as robust all-purpose vehicles in construction logistics for many years. Reason enough to present this classic in Karlsruhe.

At the QuickSilver booth of Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials, Reisch presented an innovative customer vehicle – a rear dump semi-trailer with light aluminium round body equipped with a wear-resistant QuickSilver plastic bottom.

The revised three-way tipper from Humbaur made an appearance at NUFAM 2019. On all three-way tippers of the HTK model series, the chassis was weight-optimised to allow more payload. At the same time, a lighter bridge was used as a base, so that the loading bridge also contributes to weight savings. The HTK 14 also uses new axles. The front wall of the three-way tipper now has a through-loading function, the tailgate with an automatic locking mechanism, so that the tailgate can be opened to swing when tipping backwards. The trailer now comes standard with spring-loaded cylinders and electronic braking system (EBS).

Humbaur’s multifunctional high loader HBT 10 has also been fundamentally redesigned: The vehicle has been optimised in terms of weight, especially the chassis weight has been reduced. This results in a significantly

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higher payload with the same overall weight.

The loading height of the HBT 10 has been lowered by around 60mm, while the hinged ramps have been extended by 200 mm at the same time. This results in a significantly lower Auffahrwinkel that facilitates loading and unloading. Another highlight of the new HBT 10 is its frame profile: this has a large number of lashing options. Geometrically, the profile is designed so that straps can be hung in the frame profile, even with closed side walls. The corner stanchions on the front of the trailer have been improved, too.

Bolstering the carbon-emission-free delivery market, Humbaur offers the FlexBike which is the result of a cooperation with mobility specialist, Bayk. The basis of the FlexBike is the cargo bike Bayk Bring, which is supplemented by a FlexBox Dry in fibreglass lightweight construction. There is space for 1.4-metrescubed of cargo, the base area is enough for a Euro pallet where 260kg payload is possible.

The cyclists are supported by a TQ midengine with PinRim transmission and a maximum torque of 120 Nm, and a traction help of up to 6 km / h is integrated. Safety features include a Husqvarna differential gearbox on the rear axle, a Brembo hydraulic disc brake and an LED light with brake light function.

The Humbaur FlexBike is approved as Pedelec25 (EPAC standard in the EU) and certified by DEKRA. The 48V Li-Ion battery has a capacity of 2000 Wh (with integrated battery management system). In four hours, the battery can be fully charged.

Rytle also brought its inner-city ‘final mile’ electric cargo-carrying bicycles to the event.

At its exhibition stand, Kögel displayed two Kögel Truck Trailer (KTT) models for the forwarding and construction industry to demonstrate the results of a questionnaire given to professional drivers at the Truck Grand Prix, the Wolfsmeile festival, and at motorway service stations. The questionnaire asked what makes the perfect trailer for truckers. For Nufam 2019, the exhibited Kögel Trucker Trailer, based on the payloadoptimised and weight-optimised frame and body of the NOVUM-generation Kögel Lightplus, was equipped with the Kögel

FastSlider quick opening and closing system. In addition to responding to driver requirements for shorter loading times, Kögel has also made loading and unloading faster, simpler and safer. Many other optional helpful functions round off the NOVUM-generation trailer, which has been adapted in line with driver requirements.

Like the similarly named Kögel Trucker Trailer, the Kögel Trucker Tipper has been optimised in line with the requirements of drivers using custom equipment.

A high degree of user-friendliness in day-to-day use and an increased payload are said to be the main focal points of this tipper trailer. This KTT is based on the payload-optimised and weight-optimised frame, and a tipper trough made from a clever matrix material. The three-axle tipper trailer with 24m³ loading volume is the variant with a 4-mm-thick floor, made of tempered Hardox 450 steel, side walls made of a highly wear-resistant, 5-mm-thick aluminium sheet, and a back wall made from the same highly resistant material with a thickness of 7mm.

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German OEM, Kässbohrer, also brought a tipper model to NUFAM 2019 – a robust two-axle K.SKS B spec’d for the construction sector. This tipper can carry a 26-tonne payload with only 9-tonne axles – one tonne more than a conventional two-axle tipper. This feature is reported to enhance the service life of the axles by distributing the load through the kingpin.

The upper structure and chassis integration of the K.SKS B is said to be further enhanced by assistant frame and body fix structure, preventing vibration and noise by increasing vehicle stability. This tipper is also optimised for easy material flow and efficiency loading/unloading.

Kässbohrer has introduced a new load loader to its product range, K.SLL B 2, which is suited for the transportation of tall and heavy agricultural machines.

It features a strong central chassis, a pool length of 6,600mm and a kingpin capacity of up to 18 tonnes.

The K.SLL B 2 has a ground clearance of only 100mm and loading height of 400mm. The low loader is equipped with hydraulically-steered axles for maximum manoeuvrability even under the toughest working conditions and at narrow curves with increased technical axle capacity of 12 tonnes and a turning angle up to 42̊.

At NUFAM 2019, Kässbohrer showcased its brand-new, lightest ADR tipping silo K.SSK 60 ADR that is designed, analysed and tested for uncompromising safety with full compliance to ECTA/DOW recommendations and ADR regulations.

It is suitable for dangerous powder or granular materials transportation such as carbide, coal, ashes and chips. The K.SSK 60 ADR’S tank construction is also

manufactured with automatic welding that provides optimum elongation augmenting driver and environmental safety for dangerous good transportation.

NUFAM 2019 was also host to a broad range of vehicle and product premieres.

Meiller presented the ZSK-ti thermally insulated three-sided tipper body to the public for the first time. The ZSK-ti is reported to be optimally suitable for asphalt transport and other transport tasks.

Meanhwhile, Kempf exhibited tippers spec’d for agricultural, construction and freight forwarding applications.

For use in logistics and in the municipal sector, the Bavarian quality manufacturer Günzburger Steigtechnik offers a wide range of industrial grade climbing technology solutions. These include safe and costeffective constructions such as modular and scaffolding truck de-icing systems, steps, ladders, landings and stairs, as well as work and maintenance platforms.

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“Already in our extensive standard range there are many products that are perfectly suited for daily use,” said Günzburger teigtechnik Managing Director, Ferdinand Munk. “Whether aluminium work platforms, sturdy steps, platform stairs, loading ramps, standing and multipurpose ladders or even rolling and folding scaffolds: with their innovative climbing technology solutions, Günzburger Steigtechnik offers products with added value, which enable rapid access to and to the vehicles and above In addition, the occupational safety significantly increase.”

The BPW Group is one of the pioneers of networked transport and is systematically expanding its lead: the market research institute Berg Insight has confirmed the BPW subsidiary Idem Telematics with 65,000 active units in the market as the undisputed European market leader in trailer telematics.

Idem Telematics is also the preferred partner for trailer rental companies and OEM manufacturers.

In Karlsruhe, for example, BPW presented the award-winning ‘iGurt’, a smart load securing system that displays the tension of the tensioning belt when lashing the cargo and constantly monitors it while driving. The handy sensor solves a huge problem: deficient load securing is considered to be the main cause of transport damage amounting to 1.2 billion euros - as well as 25 to 30 percent of traffic accidents in heavy goods traffic.

Another benefit for safety, environment and cost efficiency is the new ‘AirSave’ system. It regulates the tire pressure fully automatically and thus prevents dangerous tyre bursts and premature wear. AirSave pays off in the first year: In a three-axle vehicle with a mileage of 120,000 kilometres per year and an average pressure deviation of 10 per cent, transport companies save more than 700 euros per year through the fuel savings (around 250 litres) and the longer service life of the tires. The savings of time, nerves, vehicle and delivery failures is not included. As a result, a three-axle system with AirSave system relieves the environment of 655 kilos of CO2 per year - and the freeway edge of remnants of burst tires.

An uncomplicated integration of vehicle

and freight is made possible by TC Track & Trace, whose heart is a handy and robust mini telematics box. With the system, freight forwarders can easily locate their vehicles and recognise their estimated time of arrival. The device does not require power, SIM card or antenna, but is simply attached to the vehicle or just put in - done. In this way, even expensive carriers, construction vehicles or other expensive assets can be easily located and tracked: Thanks to an innovative wireless technology, the system is surprisingly affordable, the battery of the sensor lasts several years.

The central interface of the networked transport is the telematics portal ‘cargofleet 3’, which Idem Telematics demonstrates in Karlsruhe. As a system-open integration platform, cargofleet 3 collects all the data from the driver, freight and vehicle and presents it to the user in the best way possible for a wide range of end devices: for example for the driver, the dispatcher or the transport company.

The system can also integrate data from third-party providers and communicate with telematics platforms from truck manufacturers.

This system openness also applies to the on-board computer ‘TC Trailer Gateway PRO’, which Idem Telematics presented at NUFAM: The device supports all radio standards so that sensors and terminal devices in trucks and trailers can be connected wirelessly for the first time. Fewer cable clutter means a considerably simplified installation - even with retrofitting: this is how fleet operators can flexibly and individually design their way into networked transport.

Equipment specialist, SAF-Holland, unveiled new models of the SAF Hercules landing leg series and a new steering concept from the SAF INTRA vehicle range.

Meanwhile, JOST has innovated new brake pads featuring unique premium friction material, a steel backplate, a slot for reliable dirt extrusion, a green coating to aid the conditioning process between pad and disc (even with used discs), an underlay for safe connection between friction material and backplate and a retaining bracket for a stable position in the brake carrier.

Junge Fahrzeugbau unveiled its latest body body with side sliding tarpaulin, Lightstar, which features adaptable lateral loading and unloading for last mile applications.

Lamberet Group and its subsidiaries Kerstner showcased their latest refrigerated

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transport solutions for delivery at NUFAM 2019 including the Frigoline Expert 12 – a new 7-12-tonne refrigerated truck body and a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter panel van with a new Kerstner Easyfit cooling system and Kerstner Kerstner electric cooling system.

Frigoline Expert 12 is the first refrigeration unit Lamberet has developed exclusively for the light motor vehicle segment. It brings decisive advantages in terms of design as well as robustness, insulation, weight and ergonomics according to Lamberet. The Frigoline Expert 12 can achieve up to 10 percent more payload. The smooth rear and the CX profiles on the front end improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle, all-aluminum profile strips also provide an aesthetic look of the structure.

Safelight Ramp LED spotlights are integrated in the rear portal for improved operator safety, while the recessed ‘Frigo’ door handles are reported to be easy to operate and also improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

The Frigoline Expert 12 is available with side swing and sliding door. Options include variable interior widths of 2,100, 2,210, 2,310 or 2,460 millimeters. In addition, the innovative construction in every offered width is compatible with the automatic rolling door Distri +.

The Kerstner refrigerated truck based on the MercedesBenz Sprinter is equipped with the Kerstner Easyfit insulation removal system. Due to digital 3D construction and close cooperation with vehicle manufacturers, the Easyfit technology developed by Kerstner ensures that the typeConcept art of the self-sufficient Park Safety Fix. specific insulation panels fit optimally into the body of the van. This ensures the best possible insulation quality while preserving the usable interior space according to the OEM. The smooth, impact-resistant surface is particularly easy to clean and HAACCP compliant. The expansion also complies with the ATP standards for the minus cooling area (class C) and the plus cooling area (class A), even with a sliding side door.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Transport Europe is also committed to producing refrigerated transport equipment that combines environmentallyfriendly and optimal efficiency.

The use of the all-electric cooling system TE30, operated with the environmentally friendly refrigerant R410A, is reported to reduce particulate pollution and carbon emissions, lower life-cycle costs and run silently.

The low-maintenance cooling system TE30 adjusts to the requirements of the vehicle and consumes as little energy as possible despite maximum power, providing a cooling capacity of 100 per cent - regardless of the speed of the vehicle engine.

The all-electric Mitsubishi TE30 is powered by an additional generator,

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which is installed in the engine compartment of the vehicle. In start-stop operation, the all-electric refrigeration unit automatically accesses the power supply of the additionally installed battery storage, so that it functions completely independently of the energy supply. Depending on the operating situation, the TE30 can work autonomously with the battery storage for up to one hour. This can be used in extreme cases, such. In traffic jams, the charge can be further controlled reliably. The TE30 is operated with a very small amount of refrigerant, so the annual leak test is not

necessary. A user-friendly remote control with multi-lingual LCD display is standard.

Winter Fahrzeugtechnik, which specialises in the development, manufacture and assembly of vehicle interior linings for temperaturecontrolled vehicles, has identified emissionfree drives, urban logistics and the rapidly increasing mobility as key key influences that will shape the market. The company’s NUFAM 2019 stand featured a all-electric refrigerated vehicle with Winter’s selfsufficient battery system.

Celerity DRS was front and centre at NUFAM 2019. In 2017, Celerity DRS was granted the exclusive European distribution

SHOW REVIEW

Visiotech uses modular lighting to project signs and other visual guides in real-time.

rights for Pressure Systems International (PSI) Tyre Inflation System for commercial trailers. The PSI system is capable of inflating tyres while driving, maintaining the correct pressure even when a puncture is present. Expanding its portfolio of drag reduction systems, the company this year was appointed exclusive distributor in central and western Europe for Airtab.

Karlsruhe-based company, Pneuhage Tire Renewal Technology, focused on its mobile tyre assembly and onsite international coverage services (Pneunet). In the Pneuhage Group, more than 400 service vehicles expand the operating range of the 94 Pneuhage tyre services, 28 stations of Ehrhardt Reifen + Autoservice and 47 First Stop locations.

Numerous independent partners of First Stop as well as companies of the in-house franchise chain ‘Reifen1plus’, which are also specialised in commercial vehicle tyre service, support this. Through the Pneunet cooperation, almost 600 independent specialist companies throughout Europe are now providing tyre service and breakdown assistance for commercial vehicles in transport, on the construction site, in agriculture or in intralogistics. The brand-independent network was founded 5 years ago by Reifen Helm, Reifen Günther and Pneuhage.

Complementing NUFAM’s total tyre care concept, Bridgestone brought its latest

generation of fuel-efficient Ecopia tyres as well as its retreads and premium tyre range. Bridgestone’s portfolio of tyres With innovative tread design and a novel rubber compound, the Ecopia H002 is reported to enable a reduction in the total cost of ownership of long distance fleets - without compromising mileage. The Ecopia H002, according to Bridgestone, is characterised by the best fuel efficiency in its class, achieves outstanding performance in wet conditions, is suitable for winter use and offers full comfort throughout the year due to full compliance with European winter regulations.

Aspöck Systems’ business partners SUER GmbH & Co. KG as well as Hofmeister & Meincke demonstrated a variety of Aspöck lighting systems at NUFAM 2019 including the Ecoled II. Shining a light on commercial vehicle innovation, Hella unveiled its Intelligent Battery Management System (IBS) and remote control system at NUFAM 2019.

The IBS is reported show a precise determination of battery state variables such as current, voltage and temperature values.

The Hella radio remote control enables vehicle operators to ‘comfortably’ unlock the cab door. With an additional control unit, which generates up to four different output signals, other functions include automatically opening the engine compartment or tool containers.

Hella also presented its self-sufficient Park Safety Fix (PS-Fix) parking lighting system, Visiotech projection capabilities and portfolio of modular tail lights and similar products.

Overall, the suite of technologies on show at NUFAM 2019 highlight the incredible work that is taking place throughout Europe. Engineers, in general, are committed to perfecting trailer design and continue to find better ways to address specific freight tasks.

The paperless approach to aftersales support, for instance, is just one example of the commercial road transport industry embracing digitalisation. Enhancing these customer support apps with telematics data and leveraging the perks of track and trace technology for road transport fleet operators is not only raising the bar but also breaking ground for a more efficient era of productivity.

Demand for more sustainable inner-city distribution equipment is encouraging industry to invest in electrified bicycles or at least to be mindful of their carbon footprint. Similarly, the refrigerated segment is producing thermal and energy efficient cooling systems and freezer van materials in the interests of improving the bottom line of temperature-sensitive freight hauliers.

Tyre pressure management, and the growing number of players in this niche, demonstrate how front-of-mind safety and total cost of ownership is for transport businesses. As more trailer OEMs push for their own in-house TPMS, it will be interesting to see how the specialists adapt to the market to emphasise their own points-of-difference. www.nufam.de

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HUMAN-MACHINE

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FACTORY TOUR

PRECISION FARMING DEMANDS ROBUST, EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT. BPW’S ENGINEERS IN HUNGARY, POOLING ALMOST A QUARTER OF A CENTURY OF LOCALISED INNOVATION, ARE SET TO REVOLUTIONISE THE WORLD.

B

PW develops and produces the key components for road and agriculture transport worldwide: in Germany as well as in Denmark, Russia, South Africa, China, Australia and Hungary. In recent years, BPW has transformed itself from a metalworking group to an innovation leader in the transportation industry, spearheading technologies that take efficiency to the next level. The subsidiary in Hungary, which specialises in agricultural technology, adds to BPW’s strategic edge in this respect: The agricultural sector is regarded as the future laboratory of the transport industry; many technologies start in the fields long before they hit the motorways.

The BPW Group – via wholly-owned subsidiary BPW-Hungária Ltd. – has

manufactured agricultural vehicles and machines in Szombathely, Hungary, 100km to the east of Graz, since 1991. The site has a floorspace of 330,000 square metres, with approximately 1,500 employees and produces at an annual capacity of 150,120 axles. BPW-Hungária Kft. manufactures highquality running gears and suspension systems, the product portfolio ranges from two-tonne trailed axle stubs and single axles through to the complete tri-axle running gear with frame, including suspension and installed brake system with an axle load above 30-tonnes.

Besides on-road running gears productions the farm machinery product development is

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are connected to undulating thrust bearings via pivot points. Depending on vehicle specifications, a steer axle can greatly improve a vehicle’s turning circle radius and help reduce vibration across the suspension system.

One of the latest innovations to leave the factory is the BPW Agro Hub which is a running gear computer that can determine the weight of a load using a new type of sensor via a hub wirelessly transmitting data from a drawbar trailer directly to end devices and an ISO bus interface to the truck driver’s cab. This technology allows freight businesses to invoice transported quantities by weight.

This weighing system was developed and adjusted in consideration of the characteristics and behaviour of the axle beam according to BPW. The strain gauge is specially mounted to avoid sensor movement., ensuring a stable signal can be sent. The AGRO Hub algorithm was also developed to equalise impacts caused by road bumps for dynamic measurements.

The equipment specialist this year also introduced a new generation of Ermax tail lights for commercial and agricultural vehicles – Ermax TM11 – built for ‘tough’ applications. It combines seven functions in one highly shock-resistant polycarbonate housing with a depth of 47mm. Functions include: indicator and brake light failure check and the control system for the side market light indicator. The unit features LED lamps and ‘Superseal’ connections hermetically sealed against water and dust.

BPW’s Szombathely site is home to product innovation and specialisation.

The hollow axle beam, for example comprises two rolled U-profiles that are welded together internally and externally with more material at the corner radius and less material in the upper and lower areas. This is how BPW-Hungária ensures low inherent weight and excellent rigidity for bigger payloads and maximum service life.

The axle stubs are butt-welded for a secure connection. Again, this process, according to BPW, along with material selection and KTL surface protection, ensures maximum service life through an optimally shaped axle.

The AGRO Hub in action.

also based in Szombathely. Five per cent of those axles are shipped to Australia.

There are more than 50 engineers, according to BPW, whose task is to ensure further development of the existing running gears and to develop the new, practiceand customer-oriented solutions for the agricultural sector. New developments and running series are examined on test benches and in driving tests to ensure a consistently high-quality level.

BPW-Hungária is certified according to ISO 9001:2008. This certification covers design and manufacture of agricultural axles, axle accessories, brake components, axle units, drawbars and overrun hitches. BPW was also the first company in the sector to introduce certified environmental management system – ISO 14001:2005.

Junior staff development has always been the highest priority for BPW. BPW-Hungária‘s technical training centre is the central place of vocational training for more than 40 trainees and 50 pupils and students.

The core product range that BPW-Hungária produces includes axle stubs, drawbar assemblies, axles with reversing mechanisms as well as trailer and brake axles, steering axles and various suspension units but the tailor made/specific axles needs is increasing which suits to the local operating condition, like in Australia which are different to Europe.

BPW has a unique solution of self-steering axle where the axle beam and the axle stub

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FACTORY TOUR

These engineers go so far as to coat zincphosphating in the hollow spaces of the component. This minimises rust creepage in the event of surface damage from stone or other chipping.

A standard BPW axle beam design has been square from the very beginning due its extreme stability and reliability characteristics. In combination with BPW brakes and suspension systems, the square axle beam is reported to provide a stable basis for a long vehicle service life. Along with the well-tried solid axle beams, BPW has also been manufacturing hollow axle beams for decades.

As a result, axle cross sections are reinforced at the points where the load is applied and are optimally shaped to cope with the load.

BPW axle tubes are available with various axle cross-sections and wall thicknesses to suit individual axle loads and operating conditions. The forged BPW axle stubs are quenched and tempered and have two stepped bearing seats.

Even the running gears that BPW-Hungária produces offer robust technology. An important quality feature of these products is cataphoretic dip-coating with zincphosphating (KTLZn), a special surface finish that is said to provide five times more effective corrosion protection than the conventional painting processes. From axle to the complete suspension with frame, all products from BPW receive a series KTL-coating. During the cataphoretic dip-coating, the KTLcoating pigments (positive charge) deposit on the electrically conducting components (negative charge) with a uniform thickness.

Subsequently this layer is burnt in.

BPW focusing much stronger of their customer needs and this reflects on its new organisation change where BPW-Hungária Ltd. responsible for customised Solutions on the on-road and offroad BPW axles.

To ensure optimum mobility of trucks and trailers BPW rely on an extensive worldwide service. BPW subsidiaries in over 50 countries worldwide are excellently networked and familiar with the product and service requirements of the local transport and farm machinery industry. www.bpw-hungaria.hu

Testing vehicle behaviours without a steering axle.

A TIMELINE OF EVENTS • Established in 1991, BPW-Hungária commenced manufacturing heavy duty running gear products.

• Quality assurance system ISO 9001 was introduced as well as the manufacturing of support wheels and legs.

• By 1994, the factory started producing running gears and drawbar assemblies for agricultural vehicles. The manufacturing of agricultural products was gradually moved by BPW from its plant in Padernborn to Szombathely as a new investment.

• A fully automated welding robot was installed in 1995. An integrated corporate governance system was also implemented.

• Two years later, in 1996, the factory manufactured suspension systems for agricultural vehicles. Agricultural support systems, drawbar assemblies and running gear designs shortly followed. With an investment of HUF 50 million a new assembly line was put into operation with 130 running gears rolling out every shift.

• Suspension system design for agricultural vehicles commenced in 1997.

• A further HUF 500 million investment in 1998 launched the biggest cataphoretic painting system in Hungary. The immersion painting equipment represented cuttingedge technology.

• At the agricultural fair in Hannover, 1999, BPW presented a new product range: heavy load rigid running gears that achieved a weight reduction of up to 70-129kg and significant cost reduction.

• B PW-Hungária started manufacturing axle nuts in 2007. The plant in Szombathely supplied all BPW assembly lines with axle nuts including the parent company.

• Between 2008-2011 progress was made with in-house training initiatives and additional quality system certifications.

• The Szombathely facility would take on manufacturing of single axles (2010), W suspensions (2011), own a patent to manufacture one-cylinder steering axles for agricultural vehicles and heavy load 16-tonne running gear for agricultural vehicles (2013).

• B PW engineers in Szombathely developed the AGRO Turn steering axle, protected by a Hungarian patent, in 2015. The same year, the Logistics Centre, with a floorspace of 12,150-square-metres was built using an EU grant of HUF 483.66 million.

• B PW-Hungária celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2016 by carrying out endurance and loading tests on various running gear components as well as opening a development centre to boost efficiency.

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THE NEXT

GENERAT NINATRANS FROM THE HISTORIC FLEMMISH TOWN OF LEUVEN IN BELGIUM IS AT THE FOREFRONT WHEN IT COMES TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN ROAD TRANSPORT. MANAGING DIRECTOR, BENNY SMETS, ELABORATES ON THE BUSINESS’ RAPID GROWTH AS WELL AS ITS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS. [ Story by Tim de Jong ]

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inatrans was the first trucking company in Belgium with a Lean & Green Star, running a Euro 5 prime mover followed by a Euro 6.

It also took the lead in the market with its long and heavy 25.25m LNG-driven combination.

“We took an option on buying a Nikola Tre hydrogen truck,” Smets said.

The company is among others specialised in air freight and Smets is glad to be based just south of Leuven, which is close to Brussels airport and not far from airports in Paris, London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.

“None of these is further away from here than 500 kilometres,” he said. “That is exactly the distance of which the European Union would prefer to see that it will no longer be covered through the air. That is good news for us.”

In Europe, many air freighters also use trucks to shift goods between airports.

Ninatrans is one of the respected specialists in this business.

Smets is impressed with the move of Iveco parent company CNH Industrial to acquire a stake in Nikola Motors, the American start-up developing hydrogen trucks. Smets follows the hydrogen development closely, especially as Nikola also announced that it would develop a network of hydrogen fuel stations in the US. “We prefer trucks running on LNG right now,” Smets said.

“We operate them from Iveco and Scania. We have educated our drivers to deal with this gaseous fuel to reach the effect that there’s practically no difference in driving an LNG truck or a diesel truck. With an intensive use of the trucks, we can operate them profitably.”

Smets has much respect for Iveco, too. “They were the first to reach Euro 6 levels without the use of EGR,” he said. “This technology took a while for their competitors to master.”

Smets explained that in acquiring new trucks he only looks at the total cost of ownership where fuel consumption is of high influence.

“We think that the differences between trucks are marginal,” he said. “We are very glad that we run trucks on LNG and that we have a new LNG fuelvstation

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just around the corner, close to the E314 motorway. This will help to convince more of my colleagues to start using a cleaner fuel than diesel.”

Smets is aware that modern trailers can be very useful in reducing carbon emissions as well. In his fleet we find airfreight trailers from Talson, Van Eck, Van Hool, Moeyersons and Schmitz Cargobull.

Ninatrans was one of the first companies to use side skirts of Ephicas, a small company that was later purchased by WABCO. But the sideskirts still do their job like they should.

“They are useful when you exceed a certain average speed,” Smets said. “In our case, they still prove to be useful.”

Smets also operates British Don Bur trailers with their tapered roofline. “This means of

FLEET FOCUS

ION course that you have a lower door at the back of the trailer,” he said. “We use this trailer with customers who don’t have a problem with that.”

Long and Heavy vehicle combinations are relatively common in the Netherlands, but in Belgium, Ninatrans is still being seen as a pioneer operating such a combination.

“It took years before we could put it into use,” Smets said. “However, with a new set of requirements, there are still only a few Belgian companies who can really benefit from these long vehicle combinations.”

He knows exactly what causes the reluctance of other Belgian companies to start working with a longer, heavier and more sustainable combination.

“Belgium consists of three provinces who have separate jurisdiction on road transport

and infrastructure,” Smets said. “They differ of opinion on longer and heavier vehicles. Brussels, which is apart from the capital, also a separate province, does not allow LHV on the ringroad. However the ringroad runs through all three provinces. This means that practically spoken the ringroad is useless for traffic with LHV. This is a real pity.”

Smets operates his truck-trailer combination between two beer breweries: one in his hometown of Leuven and the other Liège, in the east of the country.

A distance of just 83 kilometres.

“But two permits are mandatory, as the road crosses two provinces,” Smets said. He does not expect that the political situation changes in a way that infrastructure and traffic matters are dealt with on a federal basis.

Ninatrans is a specialist in time-critical transports where extra safety is required, which according to Smets, is where the business adds value.

Ninatrans also operates 85 refrigerated trailers which can also be followed form their homebase at any given moment. Here, Ninatrans uses software from Trimble.

“Customers want to stay informed about the status of their cargo and we can inform them more quickly after unloading and we are quicker and more

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relation with European law. Therefore, I expect that in Europe, drivers will always have to be present in their trucks, even though all trucks will be perfectly able to do all things by itself.”

Smets expects many changes to be just around the corner. Especially in the second half of the upcoming decade when we will switch from LNG to hydrogen. Diesel will play a less dominant role and renewable energy will be much better accepted in road haulage.

“Our customers understand is and they value us more when we try to stay in front,” he said. “That motivates us to improve even more on our job.” www.ninatrans.com

Inside Ninatrans’ workshop.

transparaent when it coms to invoicing,” Smets said, adding that Ninatrans is involved in a new project where all administrative jobs are paperless.

Smets has observed that cities are striving for emission-free transportation.

He studies possibilities when he realises that historic towns like Leuven seem inclined to ban fossil fuel trucks from the streets within a couple of years.

“We are located close to the E314 motorway, and from our position we can ride into town Nina and Benny Smets. easily,” Smets said. “So, to reload goods from long-distance trucks onto smaller, electrically driven trucks, to drive into town is a possibility we are looking into now.”

Ninatrans also has its own workshop.

“We built it here when we moved to his place in 2012,” Smets said. “When operating your own workshop, you get maximum flexibility, especially when there’s a fleet comprising different kinds of trailers.”

Ninatrans maintains a service-interval for all vehicles of just 30,000 kilometres. Oil services are executed every 60,000 kilometres. When it comes to maintaining trailers, mechanics investigate the electrics and the brakes. With a fleet of 300 trailers and 200 trucks, the workshop is always sufficiently occupied.

Apart from hydrogen, Smets is closely following autonomous truck developments.

“I really wonder in what ways the profession of driver will change,” he said. “I expect autonomous technology to be in a tense

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FAST FACT Together with his sister Nina, Benny Smets forms the third generation to lead the company. “Back in 1986 we had some ten trucks. In 1992, my sister, who is responsible for human resources, took over the company form our father. We wanted to grow steadily. Thanks to a loyal workforce, we have done pretty well.

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ON THE QUEST TO BECOMING THE FIRST TRULY GLOBAL ORGANISATION IN THE HISTORY OF TRAILER MANUFACTURING, CIMC VEHICLES HAS LEARNED THAT STAYING TRUE TO A GRAND VISION DOESN’T PRECLUDE STRATEGIC FLEXIBILITY.

PERSE VERANCE D [Story & Interview by Sebastian Grote]

avid Li, General Manager of CIMC Vehicles, the trailer building arm of China’s International Marine Container (CIMC) Group, isn’t quite what you’d expect of a man who has built a €1.93 billion industrial empire from the bottom up.

Distinctly humble in his bearing and refreshingly unpolished in his language, the industry veteran is enveloped in an aura of authenticity and adventure that is much more Silicon Valley than Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (the official jargon for a giant business incubation area the Chinese government has set up across the bay from Hong Kong to help local businesses connect more easily with the western world).

As such, there is nothing imperious about Li laying out his plan to build the world’s first international trailer building company – only genuine excitement in an idea so captivatingly grand that it would arguably suit an intrepid start-up more than an asset-rich manufacturing firm operating FAST FACT in a time of extreme economic volatility.

CIMC Vehicles’ US subsidiary, Understanding the phenomenon that is Vanguard, is currently finalising CIMC Vehicles is therefore not so much a construction of a second factory in question of mapping out the business itself Trenton, Georgia. The €32 million as it is one of getting to know the man manufacturing plant will eventually employ 400 people and produce behind it – a scenario akin to US start-up 10,000 semi-trailers annually.

Tesla, which is largely dependent on the

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MIND

A KEY TALKING POINT OF THE 2014 IAA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SHOW, THE BRUISED RUSSIAN ECONOMY HAS FAILED TO TURN ITSELF AROUND IN TIME FOR THE NEXT EDITION OF THE ICONIC EVENT. WILL IT STILL CONTINUE TO OWN THE CONVERSATION, THOUGH? [ Story by Sebastian Grote ]

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uddling through the longest recession since the turn of the century, Russia has racked up a sizeable budget deficit and is on track for yet another year of negative growth. Meanwhile, the prospect of fiscal relief is growing distant, with oil in a bear market after closing below $40 a barrel in August – theoretically making for a highly dramatic narrative in the lead-up to the largest transport industry gathering on the planet.

But if you ask Denis Krivtsov, head of Russian OEM, Tonar, the country’s fragile economic state doesn’t necessarily mean it will become as prominent a topic as it was in 2014, when the Ukraine conflict and the annexation of Crimea were still fresh in mind and the European Union (EU) put an abrupt hold on west-east trade.

According to Krivtsov, much of the western trailer community has since found

new growth potential in the heart of Europe and the still-sprawling east of the continent, leaving Russian businesses alone in dealing with what could be the most severe market slowdown in a decade or two. As a result, he says it is now up to the domestic transport equipment community to consolidate ahead of the parliamentary election in mid-September, which is hoped to give the battered economy a much-needed boost.

“The Russian economy hasn’t really improved much since the last instalment of IAA. In fact, many local businesses have since folded as they simply refused to learn from the last crisis,” he explains – pointing to the EU’s recent decision to prolong economic sanctions against Russia until 31 January 2017.

In August 2016, the Financial Times publically wondered whether Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was intending to drive everyone else in US retail crazy. The reason: Bezos is on a mission to re-define the classic concept of retail logistics. Instead of outsourcing the whole process, he set up a complex in-house transport network that has been aggressively expanding its reach, capabilities and capacity in the logistics and distribution arena over the past year or so. As part of the process, the Seattlebased company is now operating thousands of trailers emblazoned with Amazon’s logos acrosss North America. In Europe, Amazon is expanding rapidly as well, potentially making it a key talking point of the next IAA.

PEOPLE TO WATCH

THE

ALEXANDER DOBRINDT, GERMAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

ELEMENT ALBEIT A SUBSTANTIAL BUSINESS EXPENSE, VISITING A TRADE SHOW LIKE IAA IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SOME OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN COMMERCIAL ROAD TRANSPORT IN THE FLESH – A KEY ADVANTAGE IN THE DIGITAL AGE. [ Story by Sebastian Grote ]

F

rom wireless connectivity to electric mobility, the digital world is slowly infiltrating every aspect of commercial road transport. Yet although high technology is expected to dominate the conversation at this year’s IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Germany (see page 52), it will be people that ultimately set the narrative. In fact, there is a distinct irony to the rise of technology in the manufacturing, according to best-selling US author, Daniel Pink, who has found that forging personal relationships is becoming ever more important as skill-sets evolve and demand more cognitive proficiency.

So-called ‘thought jobs’, as Pink puts it, require a higher level of creativity, problem-solving prowess and out-of-the-box thinking, meaning that in order for a business to be successful, leveraging the unique human element behind each employee is key.

FAST FACT According to Russian Economy Development Minister, Aleksey Ulyukaev, the country’s economy is set to grow in the near future, as “the situation in the real sector of economy is improving and the dynamics of industrial production are positive”.

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As such, he says fostering personal relationships in real life, for example in the context of a trade show, will ultimately help businesses become more profitable.

In line with Pink’s assumption, Global Trailer has selected ten prominent individuals that have the potential to put their mark on the 2016 edition of the largest global transport industry gathering – either by attending it or as the subject of intense discussion. www.globaltrailermag.com

Germany’s Federal Minister for Transport and Digital Infrastructure, Alexander Dobrindt, is slated to officially open the 66th IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover.

Dobrindt recently made headlines in Germany when he proposed self-driving vehicles in Germany should be fitted with a black box that is able to record specific details of an accident, much like in the aviation industry. According to newswire, Reuters, his proposal would require drivers to stay seated in front of the steering wheel, even tough they may not have to pay attention to traffic or actually steer. Despite that cautionary measure, Dobrindt approved six German cities – Hamburg, Munich, Ingolstadt, Düsseldorf, Dresden and Braunschweig – to become testing grounds for self-driving vehicles as part of a US$89 million (€80 million) project.

İIFFET TÜRKEN, KÄSSBOHRER As the Executive Board Member responsible for Business Development at German OEM Kässbohrer – which is part of the Tirsan Group, the largest trailer manufacturing company in Turkey – Türken is considered one of the most influential personalities in European trailer building, and one of the most powerful women in the global transport equipment industry. The now 44-year-old joined the Tirsan Group in 1996 after graduating from Bogaziçi University in Istanbul and has since been stirring up Europe’s trailer building landscape – helping establish the Kässbohrer brand amongst the top ten in Europe.

PETER SIJS, TIP TRAILER SERVICES Overseeing the procurement processes for a 71,000-unit strong fleet that covers some five billion kilometres every year, Sijs, Services and Sourcing Operations Leader Europe at TIP Trailer Services, is considered one of the most influential people in Europe’s transport equipment industry. Having to replace up to 15,000 trailers annually, TIP Trailer Services spends an average of €30 million per year on parts alone – prompting Sijs to work closely with component suppliers and OEMs to leverage the latest in technology and develop new strategies to create competitive advantages. Most recently, he collaborated with German braking specialist Knorr-Bremse on the development of the company’s awardwinning iTAP system with FleetRemote functionality.

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WORLD EVENTS

SOLUTRANS 2019

19-23 NOVEMBER Euroexpo, Lyon, France Now in its 15th edition, Solutrans remains a benchmark event for technological innovation and transportation solutions in France. It is not only a forum for the entire commercial transport industry, but a meeting place for all industry professionals associated with road haulage and urban transport. www.solutrans.eu

BREAKBULK

MIDDLE EAST 2020

25-26 FEBRUARY Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE Conveniently located in Dubai, Breakbulk Middle East will attract more than 1,700 companies representing the full industrial supply chain from over 70 countries.

It has, according to event organisers, become the place to meet these decision makers. And because of strong gatekeeping systems within Middle Eastern companies, this event is one of the few ways to make direct contact with them. www.middleeast.breakbulk.com

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION FOR

TRUCK, TRAILER, TIPPER, TANKER, TYRE OEM & ALLIED INDUSTRY 2019

22-24 NOVEMBER

CIDCO Exhibition & Convention Center, Mumbai, India Truck, Trailer and Tyre Expo has been instrumental in providing an apt platform to the industry players and OEMs to explore the market potential for their products in India, according to the event organisers. The Expo is set to showcase a complete range of commercial vehicle technologies and products as well as provide B2BÂ networking opportunities. www.trucktrailerntyreexpo.com

THE WORK TRUCK SHOW

3-6 MARCH 2020

Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, US Produced annually by NTEA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Association for the Work Truck Industry, The Work Truck Show is a once-a-year chance to see all of the newest industry products, choose from dozens of industry-focused training courses, and gain access to technical engineering representatives from hundreds of exhibiting companies. Attendees can interact with thousands of industry professionals, set up meetings with current suppliers or customers; find solutions to resolve technical issues, and talk shop with industry peers at special events and receptions. www.worktruckshow.com

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KEEP A LOOK OUT MEGATRANS2020 1-3 April 2020 Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Melbourne, Australia www.megatrans.com.au

TRANSPORTERTAGE

BERLIN

13-15 MARCH 2020 Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany The TransporterTage Berlin is the established trade fair for trade visitors from industry, trade, commerce and the municipal sector as well as a meeting place for decision makers and executives of the commercial vehicle industry.

The ‘Transporter day’ Berlin is reported to be dedicated to, among others, vans and commercial vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes as well as services related to the topic of fleet management. www.transportertage-bb.de

FOR Logistic 2020 12-15 May 2020 Prague, Czech Republic www.forlogistic.cz CEM 2020 13-15 May 2020 Kraków, Poland www.ilmexhibitions.com/cem/ Transport Logistic China 16-18 June 2020 Shanghai, China www.transportlogistic-china.com Elmia Lastbil 19-22 August 2020 Jönköping, Sweden www.elmia.se/en/lastbil IAA Commercial Vehicles Show 2020 24 September – 1 October 2020 Hanover, Germany www.iaa.de

INTERMODAL ASIA

17-19 MARCH 2020 Shanghai, China The Intermodal Asia exhibition and conference will bring together the leading international decision-makers from over 90 different countries, from all areas of container transport and logistics, making it the most important industry annual meeting point in Asia according to the event organisers. www.intermodal-asia.com

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M E GATR E N D S

GHOST IN THE SHELL A CENTRAL PLATFORM THAT USES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, MACHINE LEARNING AND DATA ANALYTICS FOR HUMANITARIAN AID PURPOSES COULD ALSO BE HARNESSED FOR A RANGE OF OTHER APPLICATIONS SUCH AS PREDICTING FREIGHT MOVEMENTS.

E

arlier this year, in September, Chinese e-commerce and technology conglomerate, Alibaba Group, and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced the launch of ‘Hunger Map LIV’, a global hunger monitoring system that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning and data analytics to predict and track the magnitude and severity of hunger in over 90 countries in close to real-time.

Hunger Map LIVE is reported to bring together streams of publicly available information on food security, nutrition, conflict, weather and a variety of macro-economic data to show a holistic picture of the food security situation.

It uses machine learning technology to make informed predictions on food security even in areas where data is currently limited.

Advanced data visualisation tools then convert the resulting analysis of food insecurity at the global, country and subnational levels, and display it on an interactive map.

By having the most up-to-date information on food security on one central platform, WFP, the broader humanitarian community and global leaders can monitor progress and identify negative trends early, ultimately enabling better informed decision-making to improve efficiency in response time and curtailing costs.

“The Hunger Map LIVE is a visual wake-up call every day, showing us a real-time snapshot of the problem and reminding all of us that we must do more to defeat hunger,” said WFP Executive Director, David Beasley, speaking at an event with Heads of State, civil society and technology industry leaders on the sidelines of this year’s UN General Assembly in New York. “The Hunger Map LIVE demonstrates WFP’s commitment to digital transformation, working strategically with partners like Alibaba to use technology in ways that help us become more efficient and effective.”

Underlining WFP ’s renewed commitment to digital transformation, he added: “We started this strategic partnership with Alibaba in 2018 because we know that in the digital age, cooperation with the technology sector is critical.

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We need to continuously explore the latest technologies, newest ideas, and build lasting synergies with partners to help us reach those furthest behind.”

The same technology could be adapted for the global logistics supply chain in the interests of predicting freight movements and identifying efficiency issues ahead of time.

If the information that shippers and freight forwarders use was to be decentralised – including everything from operational timetables and customer requirements to route planning and cargo volumes – and made available for analysis, imagine the critical insights that such a treasure trove of data could yield.

Even on a smaller scale, a near real-time projection of a business’ transport network from warehouse to port and vice versa could serve as an effective guide for operators. How accurate would such a system be? It would need to be put to the test. www.globaltrailermag.com

Efficiency runs in the family.

THE IDEAL SOLUTION FOR EVERY TRAILER WHEELEND: THE ST7 AND THE ST6.

With their potential to reduce weight and minimize downtimes, wheelends can play a valuable part in making your fleet even more efficient. With the trailer-specific two-piston ST7 brake, Knorr-Bremse set new standards in the 22.5-inch wheel segment. The identically designed ST6 version for compact wheelends is extending the success story to 19.5-inch applications. Tipping the scales at less than 32 kilograms, the ST6 is a real lightweight, enabling you to save fuel and/or increase the payload. | www. knorr-bremseCVS.com |

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