Global Trailer May 2022

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INNOVATION

BUSINESS

NEWS

Low Loaders & Heavy Haulage Braking Technology Supply Chain Visibility High Productivity Vehicle Study

Executive Interview: Talbert Manufacturing In The US Market Report: Switzerland VTA State Conference

Trailer Deliveries Financial Results People Movements Acquisitions & Mergers

he US, f truck and d-leading ntire range s and ball

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GROUP COMPANIES

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EUROPE AMERICA

EUROPE

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

VALX International +31 (0)88 405 8800

valx.eu

CHINA

AMERICA

AXN Heavy Duty p: +1 502 749 3200

SINGAPORE

axnheavyduty.com

AUSTRALIA

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S I N G A PORE

C HINA

AUS TR ALIA

EUR OPE

AMER IC A

Fuwa Engineering p: +65 68631806 fuwasin@pacific.net.sg

Fuwa Heavy Industries p: +86 750 5966333 export@fuwa.cn

Fuwa K-hitch p: +61 3 9369 0000 www.khitch.com.au

VALX International p: +31 (0)88 405 8800 www.valx.eu

AXN Heavy Duty p: +1 502 749 3200 www.axnheavyduty.com

40

COVER STORY

22

STAYING TRUE TO THE MISSION US-based OEM, Talbert Manufacturing, celebrates more than 80 years in the heavy haulage trailer industry.

“TO SELECT THE RIGHT TRAILER, THE ONE THAT WILL REQUIRE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE, PROVIDE THE GREATEST LIFESPAN AND DELIVER THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, IT IS VITAL TO UNDERSTAND THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR OF ALL – CAPACITY.” Troy Geisler, Talbert Manufacturing

IN THIS ISSUE BUSINESS

FEATURES

28

34

LOW LOADERS & HEAVY HAULAGE

48

BRAKING TECHNOLOGY

MARKET REPORT

Switzerland is a landlocked country, nestled in the middle of Europe, with Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north and Austria to the east.

It is home to many international organisations and serves as an integral link in the global supply chain.

54

EVENT REVIEW

An annual conference held 2022 March near Phillip Island in Victoria, Australia, was themed around attaining post pandemic supply chain certainty and successfully tackled a broad range of topical industry issues head-on.

Several OEMs from around the world have unveiled their latest low loader and heavy haulage technologies for a variety of specific applications.

JOST and SAF-Holland are leading the braking technology space with their latest innovations.

REGULARS

60 EVENTS

04 EDITOR’S NOTE

62 MEGATRENDS

06 NEWS

63 PREVIEW

48 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 / 3

Anzeige 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

TRANSPORT IS FOR CONNECTING PEOPLE TRANSPORT SHOULD BE MADE for connecting people according to International Transport Forum (ITF) Secretary-General, Young Take Kim. This comment was preceded by deep concern about the situation unfolding in Ukraine in a statement released midMarch.

Did you know ITF played its part in rebuilding Europe after the second World War? I certaintly didn’t. This Paris-based organisation, a global body which considers all modes of transport within its purview, functions as a think tank for transport policy issues and organises annual global summits with transport ministers.

Let that sink in. A transport organisation banded together to pull a contintent ravaged by conflict out of the ashes and thrust it back into the realm of progress. Simply incredible.

These very pages demonstrate the rewards of international cooperation in our industry. The idealist in me aspires for a better tomorrow, one where every country cooperates for lack of a better term, a greater good.

And where would this ideal take root?

Well, in road transport, of course.

Freight businesses are always on the lookout for the latest truck and trailer technologies, and these come in many forms including low loaders and braking technology – all of which is

4 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 64

glorified right here in Global Trailer.

Turning our attention back to Ukraine for a moment, Direct Relief, a humanitarian organisation which distributes lifesaving medical resources throughout the US, and courier, FedEx, safely delivered 76 tonnes of critical medical aid for Ukrainian refugees to Poland at the end of March this year.

The State of California donated an emergency field hospital and other supplies such as trauma and wound care medications, chronic disease medications, oxygen concentrators, and Covid-19 antiviral tablets. Direct Relief team members were onsite for the offload and final-mile distribution to Ukraine. All of these items were reportedly provided at the request of Ukraine’s Ministry of Health.

Direct Relief and FedEx have collaborated on the delivery of critical aid for more than 28 years and continue to be successful in their missions. Since 24 February, Direct Relief has provided more than 125 tonnes of medical aid in response to the conflict in Ukraine.

It is Dr Kim’s view that the transport community should work tirelessly to bring people and economies together peacefully through global dialogue for better policies. I agree wholeheartedly.

Blake Storey

DESIGN Kerry Pert, Aisling McComiskey

INTERNATIONAL SALES

Ashley Blachford ashley.blachford@primecreative.com.au

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER

Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au

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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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NEWS INTERNATIONAL AFRICA/ EUROPE

City Logistics expands fleet with Serco.

SOUTH AFRICA Serco has built 56 Dryliner truck bodies – including 16 demountable units – for the Durban-based company, City Logistics, which is expanding its wideranging distribution fleet.

City Logistics is a leading southern African logistics service provider to retailers with a specific emphasis on apparel and footwear. With more than 100,000 square metres of warehouse space and a fleet of over 1,200 vehicles, the company provides a complete management service to several blue-chip customers and southern African retailers.

City Logistics has established a comprehensive distribution network in Southern Africa. Daily operations in distribution include deliveries to retail, industrial and automotive customers while the line-haul division operates on a 24-hour basis, providing an interdepot service for distribution and FTL deliveries for key customers.

Serco CEO, Clinton Holcroft, said City Logistics had wanted high cube load bodies, so Dryliner units built with Protec steel facings and an injected foam were offered to provide a highly durable and lightweight 6 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 64

panel construction.

“We met the customer’s requirements with a combination of 8.25m and 8.8m high cube bodies, built at our Durban factory,” said Holcroft.

“Five of the units were adapted to accommodate towing draw bar trailers and sixteen of the units were demountable bodies to enable efficient turnaround for loading and offloading.”

City Logistics Director, Anthony Naicker, and Fleet Manager, Rodney Pillay, decided on Serco’s Protec panel construction which had been proven previously, to offer improved durability and hence a longer lifespan for the vehicle bodies, while also meeting the required volumetric capacity, said they were very pleased with the builds and looked forward to continue growing the partnership.

AUSTRIA The Schwarzmüller Group achieved sales of €409 million in 2021, compared to €366 million euros in 2020 (up 13 per cent).

The number of trailers the OEM produced increased from 8,800 in 2020 to 9,966 (up 12 per cent).

“Despite the ongoing pandemic and

volatile market conditions, we have managed to break through a barrier in terms of turnover,” said Schwarzmüller Group CEO, Roland Hartwig.

For the current year, Schwarzmüller has budgeted for a turnover of €460 million.

However, this forecast is subject to the proviso that the geopolitical events in Ukraine cannot yet be evaluated. The supply of material and components as well as the price situation are still viewed as tense and subject to major fluctuations.

According to Hartwig, with these sales figures and after the minimal increase in sales in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, it was possible to return to a double-digit growth trajectory that the company has enjoyed for almost 10 years.

In 2021, 13,555 orders were received, which was 68 per cent more than in 2020 (8,053 incoming orders). The starting point for this boom was the investment backlog after the first year of the pandemic, said Hartwig. In addition, there was a trend in investments being made ahead of schedule, prompted by the incentives in place in some EU countries.

BELGIUM Tanker specialist, LAG Trailers, has designed an AdBlue discharge installation under its own approval.

To reduce wear and tear and improve servicing requirements, the LAG AdBlue discharge equipment does not feature moving parts and can also be connected to an additive pump.

Master Designer, Verstraten, said the business identified increasing demand for connecting additive pump to AdBlue dispensers.

“In order for an Adblue pump to function optimally, an additive is indispensable,” he said. “This is certainly

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL EUROPE

LAG Trailers designs AdBlue installation.

where our AdBlue installation comes in handy.”

LAG Trailers will provide its own AdBlue tankers with this option as standard.

The new unloading installation was designed entirely in-house at LAG Trailers in Bree, Belgium. The company produces and assembles the new parts entirely at its own production site in Limburg. the company also uses Belgian pumps of the brand Packo that lend themselves perfectly to pumping AdBlue.

In other news, CIMC Intermodal Equipment NL is a new subsidiary company of LAG Group.

“All types of container chassis from the well-known LAG portfolio will be assembled in the Netherlands, on the sites of the former BURG Factory of Road Transport,” LAG said in a statement. “‘Creating Intermodal Excellence’ is not just a slogan but a determined goal. LAG Trailers sees to this in every facet.”

EUROPE TIP Trailer Services has taken delivery of 10 three-axle curtainsiders which were manufactured by Wielton and fitted with running gear, telematics and lighting from BPW Group.

The ‘super-efficient trailers’ are 8 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 64

available for rent from TIP. “Together we enable vehicle operators to literally experience transport efficiency for themselves,” TIP said in a a statement. “And thus prove that solutions from the BPW Group bring in a noticeably higher added value.”

The handover took place between Ralf Merkelbach, Head of Key Account Management Large Fleets Europe at BPW and Thomas Eibelshäuser, Head of Vehicle Purchasing at TIP Trailer Services.

FINLAND Ekeri appointed a new CEO in February 2022.

Matti Laurila, who held the role for more than five years, welcomed Christian Sundqvist to the executive position on 14 February 2022.

After completing his studies in industrial management at Novia in Vaasa in 2004, Sundqvist began his career at the metal and technology firm Componenta.

“I started as a method engineer and then became production manager,” said Sundqvist. “The job assignments were very instructive; gaining insight into Volvo’s production system was especially interesting. Componenta was making parts for Volvo’s factory in

Skövde at the time.”

After a stint of four years at Componenta, Sundqvist accepted a CEO position at metalworking company, Keymet.

“What I didn’t know back then was that the financial crisis was lurking just around the corner,” said Sundqvist.

“The recession was a harsh trial, but we chose to go our own way. We bought a larger company and weathered the storm.”

When Sundqvist left the Keymet business after 10 years of service, the workforce in that organised had grown from five to 25 employees.

By May 2018, looking for change, Sundqvist joined boat manufacturer, Nautor’s Swan, in the capacity of production manager.

“We didn’t have an HR manager, so my job was quite versatile initially,” said Sundqvist. “I got to be both production manager and HR manager simultaneously. After a while, I could transition into focusing solely on being the HR manager.”

Multiple factors reportedly contributed to Sundqvist’s decision to apply for

Matti Laurila and Christian Sundqvist.

NEWS

EUROPE the Ekeri CEO position.

After 10 years as a business leader, the practicalities of the job felt familiar, while the manager position at Ekeri offered new challenges.

“I’m driven by a desire to develop, to challenge myself and at the same time help others reach their potential,” said Sundqvist. “That’s what prompted me to accept this assignment.”

The company’s values, structure, and good reputation were also reported to be crucial to his decision.

“There’s a positive atmosphere at Ekeri, and the employees like it here,” said Sundqvist. “One of my top priorities is that Ekeri will continue to be an attractive workplace in the future.”

Last year, Ekeri sold more transport solutions than ever before, and in previous years major investments were made in the expansion of production capacity.

Sundqvist emphasises that the current situation offers excellent opportunities for steady and controlled growth.

“In my assessment, Ekeri is far from done growing,” he said. “The acquisition of OF Ekeri has strengthened our market position further, but there are still possibilities for us to expand, especially on the Nordic markets.”

Environmental awareness is also one of Ekeri’s key advantages according to Sundqvist.

“Ekeri is a pioneer in sustainable development, and I believe sustainable business is becoming increasingly important,” he said. “Climate-smart solutions might eventually become a standard criterion for suppliers to major customers.”

In other news, last year, Stranraer-based haulier J Richardson singled out an ‘old-timer’ Ekeri trailer for special praise, given its age and faultless service in the family-run firm for over 13 years.

“And it was already six years old when we bought it,” said Director, Alan Richardson. “It’s a typical Ekeri trailer with the multiple side-opening doors but with a front-mounted fridge. Despite many years hard work, save for a couple of hinges, it has cost us nothing in terms of maintenance or repairs – it just keeps going and looks as good as the day it arrived.”

According to Richardson, the Ekeri trailer comes into its own on multi drops, carrying mixed loads such as cheese and sundry items, for various supermarkets in Scotland and England.

“We first got the trailer to help with return loads of 600kg bags and have used it regularly for multi-drops because the side opening doors allow us easy access to any part of the trailer for quick loading and delivery,” he said. “It has the flexibility of a curtainsider but with the strength and security of a refrigerated box van and, considering it’s pushing 20 years of age, it really has proved to be a remarkable asset.”

GERMANY The President of JOST Asia, Waltraud Matzenberger, shares her professional journey and experience as a female leader in a male-dominated industry.

Matzenberger commenced her career in the commercial vehicle industry at German automotive business, Neoplan, where she went from internal sales to management of the Austria branch.

She has also worked with truck manufacturers Scania and MAN. In 2008, Matzenberger joined businesses involved in construction and renewable energy, and by 2015 turned to JOST. Drawn to JOST, an internationally active enterprise with a non-ownermanaged structure, Matzenberger was particularly impressed with CEO

JOST President Asia, Waltraud Matzenberger.

Lars Brorsen’s work.

“I noticed that there are personalities working here who act down-to-earth, approach this with great skill, diligence and perseverance, and are proud to have created something great,” she said. “In addition to the technical task as Head of Trailer Europe and the post-merger integration of axle production, these were decisive points, that it is not only the product or the industry in which I find myself, but that I get along with the people. In January 2018, I received an offer from JOST to move to Shanghai as President Asia. As I am responsible in particular for China, India, Far East, Japan and Korea, I deal with very different markets, customers, employees and cultures. At the time, these were also the incentives why I decided to go to Asia as a manager. This also included getting to know and understand the special features of the very different Asian markets, defining and introducing new strategic directions and generating profitable growth for JOST. After more than three years, I haven’t regretted this decision and today I would do it the same way.”

One of Matzenberger’s biggest professional challenges was managing 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 / 9

NEWS INTERNATIONAL EUROPE male employees who had previously worked at the same level when she was a relatively young female manager.

“The older I have become, the more this has changed,” she said.

“Another major professional challenge was the decision to go to Asia. On the one hand, the challenge is to generate profitable and healthy growth for JOST here in Asia. On the other hand – the second big challenge – how do I manage to understand and pick up people in these foreign cultures. Before I went to Asia I had an intercultural training and that helped me that I could at least begin to understand how employees and customers think and act. The last major professional challenge so far was and is dealing with Corona. In particular, our production plant in Wuhan was very affected by the eight-week lockdown.”

Matzenberger admits the automotive industry is still a male-dominated world.

“I often experienced this myself at a young age and it wasn’t always easy,” she said. “In my mid-thirties, my experiences had brought me to the point where I had developed my way of dealing with people. Consistency, reliability, actively approaching people, the ability to work in a team and the willingness to go over the red line – you could also say sometimes over the pain threshold – have helped me to find my role in this man’s world.”

To convey important things, Matzenberger recommends thinking about how you want to convey it, stand up and say ‘this is my opinion now’.

“It shouldn’t seem like your opinion is the only correct one but stand by what you say,” she said. “Stay completely authentic – the point is to show what you want to move in the company. Then you will find your way.”

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GERMANY Technology group, ZF, generated sales of €38.3 billion in 2021, a 17.5 per cent growth year-on-year.

Despite a challenging business environment, ZF achieved its financial targets.

The 2021 sales result exceeded the 2020 figure of €32.6 billion, and above that of 2019 (€36.5 billion), while adjusted EBIT margin came in at 5.0 per cent (2020: 3.2 per cent).

Meanwhile, ZF continued its strategic orientation, focused on the future of mobility, and secured substantial new customer contracts in the three core areas of electric mobility, autonomous driving and software development.

“Despite the arrival of strong headwinds during the course of the year, we have remained firmly on course and achieved the targets we set at the start of the year,” said ZF CEO, WolfHenning Scheider.

“With their dedication, determination and team spirit, our workforce has played a decisive role in successfully tackling the challenges of these extraordinary times.

We have adapted to the new normal and have become even more agile, flexible and digital.”

The second half, in particular, demanded exceptionally high levels of flexibility in production and materials management as a result of interruptions in the global supply chain and last-minute changes in customer orders. All of this took place, of course, against the ongoing backdrop of the global pandemic.

Scheider said that ZF has reached strategic milestones and laid further groundwork for the future. By way of example, he cited the successful start of the Electrified Powertrain Technology division, launched at the beginning of the year, the integration of the WABCO acquisition into the new Commercial

Vehicle Solutions division and the cooperation with Microsoft for the creation of the ZF Cloud. The latter will digitalise, network, and provide access to all corporate data and processes worldwide. ZF has also continued structuring its product lineup to serve the electric and software-defined vehicles of the future. Indeed, the Group has already secured substantial contracts for these solutions from international manufacturers of cars and commercial vehicles, providing an excellent basis for further growth.

ZF is also striving to be climate-neutral by 2040.

To achieve this, the company is acting in many different areas. For example, via power purchase agreements (PPA) concluded in 2021 with producers of wind and solar energy, ZF plants in Germany will be supplied with up to 210 gigawatt hours of green electricity in each of the years 2022 to 2025. The agreed volumes, which correspond to the electricity consumption of 72,000 homes, will reduce CO2 emissions by 80,000 tons annually.

“We are focused on definitive measures and are securing contracts to make an immediate and demonstrable contribution to climate protection,” said Scheider.

Within the scope of its sustainability strategy, ZF was also the first automotive supplier in Germany to issue two green bonds totalling €1 billion for the first time in 2021. The basis for this is the Green Finance Framework, in which ZF has laid out its structures and criteria for sustainable financing. The income from the bonds flows into the Wind Power business unit and electric mobility.

“Our green bonds enable us to expand our circle of investors and bring our financing into line with our sustainability goals and our ‘Next Generation Mobility’

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EUROPE strategy,” said ZF Chief Financial Officer, Konstantin Sauer.

The business is also focused on change via reskilling and upskilling.

In 2021, ZF created around 3,600 additional jobs worldwide, mainly in the fields of electric mobility, autonomous driving and software development.

The company also expanded its range of options for further training and qualification. These include the ‘E-Cademy’, a wide-ranging training initiative addressing electric mobility.

The aim of the E-Cademy is to support the workforce through the technology transition. Among other things, it will enable them to gain specific

qualifications for new jobs within the ZF Group. To-date, 13,000 employees have already taken part in the various learning programs.

The second phase of qualification begins midway through this year.

“The E-Cademy gives the ZF workforce the chance to help shape the future of mobility here with us, even if they began their career in another field,” said Scheider.

To prepare the German ZF locations for the long-term future and to meet the changing needs of the industry, the first so-called ‘target agreements’ were concluded last year. They have been developed within the “Collective

Transformation Agreement” (Tarifvertrag Transformation) signed with the employee representatives in July 2020.

At year-end, on December 31, 2021, ZF employed 157,549 people worldwide (2020: 153,522).

Also, the ZF Chairman of the Executive Board will not renew his contract, which expires in January 2023, at his own request.

Wolf-Henning Scheider informed the Supervisory Board at its last meeting that he did not wish to extend his contract, which expires in January 2023.

After more than three decades in the automotive industry and reaching the age of 60, he had decided to end his active

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL EUROPE time in the industry at the end of the year, to pursue other challenges.

“Wolf-Henning Scheider has contributed decisively over the past four years, to ZF’s development into a leading supplier of cuttingedge electronic and mechatronic systems in its business fields,” said ZF Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Dr Heinrich Hiesinger.

GERMANY Equipment specialist, SAF-Holland, increased group sales by 29.9 per cent from €960 million to €1,247 billion.

The supplier of truck and trailer components recently posted its financial results for 2021 which clearly demonstrates an increase in demand for SAF-Holland products.

“We look back on a successful 2021,” said SAF-Holland SE CEO, Alexander Geis.

“We have slightly exceeded or achieved our targets for group sales and adjusted EBIT margin, which we raised last November. And this despite of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, strained supply chains and massive cost increases for steel, energy and freight.

Without the strong cost inflation, we would have achieved a higher margin.”

The business, according to Geis, is also well positioned financially.

“Our equity ratio was a very solid 36.6 per cent as of December 31, 2021. The leverage ratio – the ratio of net financial debt to EBITDA – was 1.58, compared to 2.40 a year ago. Our solid financial profile allows us to take advantage of opportunities that may arise in the market.”

Adjusted EBIT improved overproportionately by 58.4 per cent to €93.1 million (previous year €58.8 million) despite strongly increased cost for steel, freight and energy. This

corresponds to an adjusted EBIT margin of 7.5 per cent (previous year 6.1%). The significantly lower selling and administrative expenses ratio had a particularly positive effect on the margin.

In the EMEA region, sales improved by 32.9 per cent to €734.6 million in 2021 (previous year €552.9 million), mainly based on strong OE business. Adjusted for FX effects, sales grew by 33.8 per cent.

“High steel prices and high freight and energy costs had a disproportionate negative impact on the cost of sales ratio, while the share of selling expenses declined significantly,” said SAF-Holland.

“In total, this led to an adjusted EBIT of €67.2 million (previous year €52.7 million). The adjusted EBIT margin of 9.2 per cent was almost maintained at the previous year’s level of 9.5 per cent despite the cost burdens.”

In the Americas region, 2021 sales increased by 20.9 per cent to €401.8 million (previous year €332.3 million) due to strong aftermarket and truck OE business. Adjusted for FX effects, sales improved by 25.0 per cent.

“Cost increases for steel as well as higher freight and energy costs also burdened the Americas region,” said SAF-Holland. “Adjusted EBIT of €24.0 million was 78.3 per cent higher than in 2020 (€13.5 million). The adjusted EBIT margin improved significantly from 4.1 per cent to 6.0 per cent.

The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region achieved sales of €110.2 million in 2021 (previous year €74.3 million), an increase of 48.3 per cent. Adjusted for FX effects, sales increased by 47.9 per cent year-on-year.

“The main reasons for this significant increase in sales were the strong growth in OE business in India and the improved demand situation in Australia,” said SAF-Holland.

“The aftermarket business also made a

positive contribution to sales growth.

“Compared to the strong increase in sales, cost of sales have risen only disproportionately. The lower selling and administrative expenses ratio also had a positive margin effect. The adjusted EBIT improved from €-7.3 million to a positive €1.9 million. The adjusted EBIT margin was 1.7 per cent (previous year -9.9% per cent).

POLAND Trans Polonia Capital Group has strengthened its partnership of five years with semi-trailer manufacturer, Kässbohrer.

In February, Trans Polonia added eight Kässbohrer bitumen tankers to its fleet.

Trans Polonia Group is a specialised service provider of liquid fuels, and Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), liquid chemicals, liquid bitumen and liquid food products.

The company operates across Europe leading its operational management from the Polish office in Tczew as well as offices in Holland, France, Germany and Spain.

Trans Polonia Group CEO, Dariusz Cegielski and Kässbohrer Poland Country Manager, Jakub Dolaniecki, recently commented on this partnership.

“Since 2017 we have been bringing Kässbohrer K.STS bitumen tankers into our fleet,” said Cegielski.

“Recently, a further eight K.STS vehicles have strengthened our fleet. These vehicles are well equipped for the challenges of bitumen transport, and, thanks to their low tare weight, they enable lower fuel consumption and ensure efficiency.”

Dolaniecki said: “Within Europe’s widest product range, we are offering the most reliable, robust and high-quality tanker and silo vehicles in 10 product groups with more than 100 different

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Trans Polonia acquires eight Kässbohrer tankers.

by theoretical and practical training to continuously improve the quality of craftsmanship and to guarantee to manufacturing excellence at international norms. Upon completion of the program, welders are awarded with TÜV and DEKRA certifications.

“Moreover, as Kässbohrer, we find the most competent after sales points for serving our bitumen tankers. We have a competent authorised tank, silo and low-bed service in Poland named CELTECH and we are ready to offer TDT inspections, full preparation, repairs and maintenance services to our customers from this point as well.

“As Kässbohrer, we are determined

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vehicles. The sectors covered by our range include, food, raw materials, dangerous good transportation such as fuel and bitumen as well as construction transportation.

“With our heritage full of ‘Enginuity’, we are offering the lightest bitumen tanker K.STS with the tare weight of only 6.250kg and with tank diameter of 2,000mm, our bitumen tanker enables lower fuel consumption and offers operational efficiency.

“To meet the versatile working conditions, the vehicle can be equipped with fully pneumatic or remote controls, various insulation, and heating options and many more.

“Our tank vehicles are manufactured to highest quality standards. With this regard, in 2013 Kässbohrer established The Academy for Welding Technologies to train competent certified welders

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL EUROPE to continue to meet the needs of our valuable customer Trans Polonia Group with our award-winning vehicles and growing after-sales services network.”

SPAIN Logista, has acquired 70 per cent of Speedlink Worldwide Express, a specialist in express deliveries to and from Belgium and the Netherlands.

Founded in 1995 by Dennis Scheltema, Speedlink has been the exclusive agent of Nacex – A Logista company – for the Benelux region since 2006.

The company, based in Hoofddorp, near Schiphol Airport, has around 30 employees and serves growth sectors.

Speedlink has developed a unique business model, based on an asset-light structure, specialising in time-critical transport services for healthcare, high-tech, automotive and e-commerce sectors.

This acquisition enables the international expansion of Nacex’s services to Benelux, while strengthening Logista’s position in medical/healthcare distribution, and expanding its portfolio of services outside the Iberian Peninsula.

Speedlink offers its premium express delivery services mainly in Spain, Portugal, Germany and the UK. The reached agreement contemplates the acquisition of the remaining 30 per cent of the business in the next three years. It also provides for Scheltema’s continuity at the head of the company, leading the development of growth opportunities, with Nacex’s support. The transaction will be paid with cash, with a maximum amount of 18.5 million euros for the acquisition of the 70 per cent of the company, based on the achieved objectives.

“I am pleased to announce the acquisition of Speedlink, a long-standing partner of Nacex with whom we share a 1 4 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 64

similar culture based on the service we provide to our customers,” said Logista CEO, Íñigo Meirás.

“With this transaction, we are expanding our service portfolio, while also laying the foundations for Nacex’s international development.”

In other news, Logista reported a net profit of 14 per cent according to Q1 2022 financial results.

Despite the impact of the sixth wave of the pandemic, and in line with the previous year’s results, the reported numbers show growth in the group’s main income statement due to the Group’s activity and high performance.

Economic sales have grown by 2.6 per cent to 299 million euros in the first quarter of the fiscal year, due to improvements in tobacco distribution, transport and pharmaceutical distribution in Iberia, as well as in the distribution of convenience products in Iberia and Italy. Logista also noted a double-digit increase recorded in the economic sales of the distribution of convenience products in Italy.

Adjusted operating profit (Adjusted EBIT) amounted to 75 million euros, an increase of 8.5 per cent compared to the previous year.

In this first quarter, capital gains of 6.0 million euros were generated, compared to 1.0 million euros in the same period of the previous year. These capital gains come from the sale of two warehouses in Spain.

Operating profit also increased by 19.9 per cent to 68 million euros.

Logista’s financial results amount to €4 million, compared to €8 million in the first quarter of FY2021. In this previous period, it included, in addition to the remuneration obtained from the higher cash flow, the collection of interest generated by the excess payments on account of corporate income tax in Spain

in 2017 and 2018. The effective tax rate remained virtually stable at 26.8% in the first three months of financial year 2022.

Net profit increased 14.1 per cent to 51 million euros.

UK Manufacturer and supplier of pizza cheese and frozen chicken products, CK Foods, has taken delivery of a new Schmitz Cargobull trailer.

The new S.KO Cool Smart refrigerated trailer will be used to transport chilled and frozen food across the UK. The new reefer will operate in conjunction with two Volvo FH tractor units and joins a fleet of eight 26-tonne rigid trucks and three trailers. It comes equipped with Schmitz Cargobull’s TrailerConnect telematics system which provides a comprehensive overview of the trailer and its load throughout every journey.

Buyer at CK Foods, Huzaifah Bhamji, said: “In my opinion, the quality of Schmitz Cargobull’s trailers is just unbeaten – they are the best in the industry. On top of that, I can’t fault the Schmitz Cargobull team. They’ve been flexible to my business needs and their communication is excellent.”

Mounted with a Carrier Transicold refrigeration unit, the S.KO Cool Smart features a new air distribution system that enables efficient, uniform temperature control inside the body.

Constructed with Schmitz Cargobull’s shatter-proof and patented Ferroplast technology, the semi-trailer’s panels won’t absorb moisture, resulting in an energy-efficient, hygienic and age-resistant asset. It is also built on a galvanised and bolted Modulos chassis, which reduces weight without compromising on strength.

“Our business is growing and we needed a trailer that would be up

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EUROPE to the job and able to meet our busy schedule,” said Bhamji. “The trailer’s high payload is an added bonus as it has reduced the number of trips my drivers have to take, which in turn reduces our costs.”

The S.KO Cool Smart has been supplied on a full-service contract from Schmitz Cargobull and is expected to be in operation for between five and seven days a week for 10 years.

CK Foods was established 21 years ago and specialises in chilled and frozen cheese and chicken product distribution to wholesalers and retailers throughout the UK. It has two manufacturing sites, one in Hull and the other in Bradford.

UK Palletline Logistics has announced its acquisition of the pallet distribution and warehousing elements of Ningbo Palletised Distribution.

Under its new ownership, the business will operate as Ningbo Wrexham and Ningbo London which between them employ 120 staff and operate 70 vehicles.

Established in 1994 by Chris Stockton, the company transferred the skills it had accumulated while supplying and delivering nationwide contract furniture and branched out into the distribution sector – a strategic decision that allowed the company to widen its range

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of services. The company has also been a member of Palletline since 2015.

The company’s core activities include palletised distribution, walking floor bulk distribution, storage and warehousing, pick and pack, contract furniture sales and commercial property.

It is the ninth acquisition undertaken

by Palletline Logistics, which is part of the palletised freight distribution network Palletline, since it was formed in 2015 with the objective of maintaining optimum levels of service.

“We are delighted to add Ningbo Wrexham and Ningbo London to the Palletline Logistics portfolio,” said Palletline Logistics Managing

NEWS INTERNATIONAL EUROPE/ NORTH AMERICA Director, Paul Elson.

“The acquisition will provide us with a platform for growth in London and Wales and not only ensure sustainability for the business and its employees, but also our ability to continue to provide high levels of service to Ningbo’s customers.”

Chris Stockton, Managing Director of Ningbo Palletised Distribution also said: “Having spent the past 25 years growing and diversifying the business, I am delighted that Palletline Logistics will be taking over the pallet distribution and warehousing parts of the Ningbo business.

“The deal allows me to focus on walking floor bulk haulage, online contract furniture sales and commercial property rentals, and I’ve retained 40 employees to support and develop those sectors.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a Palletline shareholder member and I am confident that the Logistics team will continue to value and support our employees and our highly-regarded customer base.”

Palletline, established in 1992, operates 87 depots providing cost-effective pallet distribution to businesses across the UK and Europe.

US In February, Great Dane unveiled a brand change, one that represents the company’s focus on end-to-end solutions for the transportation industry, and a horizon defined by digital connectivity.

To complement the company’s strategic foundation, a new visual identity is being launched to support future communications—including the iconic Great Dane logo.

“Our new strategic direction builds on our strengths, while maximising our growth potential to ensure we are ready for an increasingly digital future,” said Great Dane President, Dean Engelage.

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“Great Dane’s bold, new brand design reflects our vision to seamlessly connect products, data, and services for a complete transportation solution.

“And we’re putting the people responsible for the transportation of goods at the heart of our brand.”

This new strategy highlights the vital connections found within the Great Dane ecosystem, with a future-focus on trailer and truck body innovations, telematics, and enhanced aftermarket services.

“By dedicating our resources to people, products, and data-driven services today, together, we are able to deliver on the promises of a digital tomorrow,” said Brandie Fuller, Great Dane’s VP of Commercial Excellence. “That is what this brand evolution is all about. It is what Great Dane is all about.”

Great Dane will continue to meet the demands of an evolving industry through its collective experience, highperformance products, connectivity, and custom solutions. To honour the heritage of the company, the emblems on the back of Great Dane trailers and truck bodies will remain as part of the visual identity.

Great Dane’s story encompasses 120plus years of connections. The company is reloading innovation with new ways of thinking beyond the trailer, through connectivity within an integrated Great Dane ecosystem.

US France-based contract logistics provider, ID Logistics, has agreed to acquire 100 per cent of US-based Kane Logistics.

“The acquisition of Kane Logistics represents one of the most important external growth operations in the history of the company,” said ID Logistics Chair and CEO, Eric Hémar.

“After starting in 2001 with a few large retail customers that we were able

to quickly support internationally, the company shifted to e-commerce and retail preparation in 2013 with the acquisition of CEPL. “It then strengthened its presence in Europe with the recent acquisition of GVT in Benelux. Today [14 February 2022], with the acquisition of Kane Logistics, we are opening up new prospects in North America, where we are enhancing our know-how, in particular with consumer package goods customers, and welcoming experienced and dynamic managers to our team.”

Kane Logistics, founded by the Kane family in 1930, is a value-added warehousing and contract logistics operation. The business was acquired

by Harkness Capital Partners in 2019 with the goal of building the company’s platform and accelerating growth. Over the past three years, Kane Logistics has deeply transformed itself to become a leading player in contract logistics, notably with bluechip consumer packaged goods and food and beverage manufacturers and distribution specialists.

By adding value-added services to traditional logistics services, and strengthening its overall team, Kane Logistics has grown its revenue by 20-plus per cent annually since 2019 to reach $235 million USD by 2021.

Kane Logistics now operates 20 hubs across the country (especially in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Ohio, Illinois and California) representing 725,000 square metres.

This shift was led by an experienced management team with deep operating experience, including at leading contract logistics companies such as Ryder, and Jacobson Companies (the US-based logistics business acquired in 2014

by Norbert Dentressangle). The Kane team will continue with the company

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NORTH AMERICA post the closing of the investment with a continued focus on providing worldclass customer service and growing its customer base.

“I believe very strongly that the cultural fit between the two organisations is close to perfect,” said Kane Logistics Lead Director and CEO, Tony Tegnelia.

“ID Logistics is the ideal next partner to move the company forward, to serve our customers, and to help maintain our growth trajectory.

“Their cultural values are a mirror of our values, and they also have a very strongly committed management team.”

Ted Dardani, Partner at Harkness Capital and Kane Board member said: “The

combination of ID Logistics and Kane Logistics creates a strong opportunity for continued future growth. The Kane team has done a great job in further building the business over the past few years.

We benefited from and appreciated the leadership and long heritage of the Kane family in creating a company dedicated to serving its customers. The next chapter for ID and Kane should be equally exciting.”

US El Paso is the name of the new US location of the international transport and logistics service provider Gebrüder Weiss.

Gebrüder Weiss USA Country Manager, Mark McCullough.

NORTH AMERICA The border city, located in the state of Texas, is to become a future hub for full load transports between Mexico and the US. This is the logistics provider’s response to the growing flow of goods between the two countries and the resulting high demand for transport capacity.

“Mexico’s position as a production location for the US automotive, steel, and textile industries is becoming increasingly important,” said Gebrüder Weiss USA Country Manager, Mark McCullough.

“With our new location in El Paso, we can now offer our customers cross-border transport services with a focus on full loads.”

With a population of around 700,000, El Paso is the sixth largest city in Texas and a major border crossing point for goods traveling between Mexico and the United States. Its largest industries include textiles, automotive, biomedical and electronics. The city is conveniently located for traffic-related purposes, on Interstate 10, which runs from the west to the east coast of the United States. Some of the largest hubs in the United States – including Chicago, the Dallas/Fort-Worth metropolitan area and Los Angeles – are just a short flight away from El Paso airport.

Gebrüder Weiss has been active in the US with its own national company since 2017. From this date, the logistics provider has established itself stably on the market and continuously expanded its network.

A total of eight locations now offer transport and logistics services for air & sea, land transport and warehouse logistics: Chicago (head office), Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, El Paso, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

US Wabash has released its Q4 and fullyear 2021 results.

For the fourth quarter 2021 net sales were $479.3 million USD as supply chain challenges persisted.

Operating loss was $(18.6) million USD. On a non-GAAP basis, adjusting for a non-cash impairment of trade names and trademarks, operating income was $9.7 million USD or 2.0 per cent of net sales. Net loss was $(25.3) million USD, or $(0.51) per diluted share.

Adjusting for debt transactions costs and non-cash impairment of trade names and trademarks, fourth quarter net income was $3.7 million USD, or $0.07 per share on a non-GAAP basis.

For the full year 2021, revenue totalled $1.8 billion USD with operating income of $33.5 million USD. On a non-GAAP adjusted basis, operating income was $60.0 million USD or 3.3 per cent of sales. Net income was $1.2 million USD or earnings per diluted share of $0.02. On a non-GAAP adjusted basis, net income was $29.1 million USD or earnings per diluted share of $0.56.

Operating EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure that excludes the effects of certain items, for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $22.8 million USD, or 4.8 per cent of net sales, and full year operating EBITDA was $117.0 million USD, or 6.5 per cent of net sales.

Total Company backlog as of 31 December 2021 was approximately $2.5 billion USD as new order activity continued to outpace shipments during the fourth quarter. Backlog rose 31 per cent compared to September 2021 and was 70 per cent above December 2020.

“After two years of accomplishments in our re-organisation, new customer acquisition, and strategic growth as

One Wabash, the culmination of our efforts is how we go to market with a powerful brand strategy designed to carry all of our legacy brands into the future,” said Wabash President and CEO, Brent yeagy.

“Last quarter we communicated the modification of our corporate name to Wabash and today we’re excited to follow on to announce the streamlining of our product brand architecture to further leverage the Wabash brand name. Moving to Wabash-branded offerings while retiring legacy product brand names will serve as the external manifestation of our One Wabash structure.”

As for the business’ outlook, Wabash has issued guidance of approx. $2.3 billion USD in sales for the full year ending 31 December 2022.

“As our guidance suggests, we remain optimistic about 2022 as our One Wabash organisation has executed meaningful cost recovery within our order backlog, which grew to another record level during the fourth quarter,” said Yeagy.

“While our financial outlook assumes no improvement in supply chain conditions, other known changes including hiring activity and the initiation of passthrough pricing on commodities ensure a new level of margin stability and EPS certainty for Wabash in 2022.

“Longer-term we remain focused on bringing new products and technologies to market, building out adjacent revenue streams and growing beyond the equipment cycle.”

The OEM shipped 45,365 new trailers, 16,560 new truck bodies and 95 used trailers for the 12 months ended 31 December 2021.

Wabash also confirmed it will no longer go to market as Wabash National or with certain trade or brand names

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SCHW_F

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NORTH AMERICA that it acquired over the last 16 years, including Benson, Brenner, Bulk Tank, Supreme, Transcraft and Walker. The company and its industry-leading van trailers, platform trailers, tank trailers, truck bodies, process systems, and parts and services will be rebranded and marketed as Wabash.

“The decision to rebrand the company and our family of brands was a strategic choice that will help the company in its long-term growth strategy,” said Yeagy. “There is a momentous transition happening in transportation, logistics, and distribution as the industry adapts to a compilation of forces. At Wabash, we see a different future reality than

our competition, and we’ve chosen to go down a substantially different path to re-shape the industry and pull that future forward for our customers. This rebrand reflects our own transformation and unites our legacy brands as ‛One Wabash’—the visionary leader in transportation, logistics and distribution that is making sweeping changes to prepare our customers for a very different world.”

The rebrand comes after nearly four years of organisational change that includes rallying the organisation around a new purpose of Changing How the World Reaches You™; leveraging the Wabash Management

System to scale excellence; reorganising into a customer-centric operating model; and aligning the company’s financial reporting structure with the new organisational design and go-to-market strategy.

In addition to the rebrand, Wabash is also introducing the brand name for its proprietary molded structural composite used in refrigerated transportation: EcoNex Technology.

EcoNex Technology, formerly referred to as MSC Technology, is one of the most environmentally conscious materials in the transportation market, designed to advance sustainability throughout the transportation,

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21.03.22 16:42

NORTH AMERICA/ OCEANIA

Amaggi orders 300 Rodotrains from Librelato.

logistics and distribution industry.

This technology has already been recognised in the industry with several awards for advancing sustainability in commercial transportation.

BRAZIL Librelato, has agreed to supply 300 premium dumper Rodotrains to Amaggi, an agribusiness with a logistics arm.

The order is expected to be delivered in June 2022.

Last year, Amaggi produced approx.

1.3 million tonnes of grain and fibre, including soy, corn and cotton. It sold about 17.8 million tonnes of grain and fibre worldwide.

Amaggi also has a commercial relationship base of about 6,000 rural producers in Brazil.

“Being the choice of a giant like Amaggi further reinforces our commitment to the quality, safety and profitability of our customers,” said Librelato Commercial & Marketing Diretor, Silvio Campos.

“It is a driving force for us to always 2 0 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 64

innovate and deliver the best solution to the market.”

Agribusiness, according to Campos, is a great business driver for Librelato.

“The renovation of equipment in the field is driving sales and the agricultural area is already responsible for 65 per cent of our commercial agreements in Brazil,” he said.

The dusting Rodotrains will reportedly be used to transport Amaggi grains and will be part of a logistics operation that will cover mainly the states of Mato Grosso, Rondônia and Pará.

Librelato’s premium tilting Rodotrem model was developed with ultrastrength steel and coupling by fifth wheel and brings as a great differential the tilting angle of 40 degrees, which brings great productivity to unloading operations.

“Special steel is highly resistant to abrasion and impact on the cargo box lining, and has up to three times the service life compared to traditional steel,” the OEM said in a statement.

“In this way, it is possible to achieve

a reduction in fuel consumption, delivering better performance and profitability for the customer. In addition, it has a modular box, which allows you to recover the equipment in the event of an accident, with lower cost and more agility.”

“The tipping trailer has been increasingly sought after by Brazilian agribusiness,” said Campos.

“Precisely because the implement is made of lighter and more resistant steel and is fully enclosed, the loading and unloading operation became faster. The tipper also has the advantage of reducing grain loss during transport, avoiding waste, which results in better cost-benefit for the carrier and the customer, optimising the results of the entire logistics chain.”

AUSTRALIA Several industry bodies are investigating dynamic loads on the couplings on heavy high productivity freight vehicles and PerformanceBased Standards (PBS) combination vehicles.

The safety of couplings project is funded by the Australian Federal Government through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, and will fill a gap in knowledge and provide evidence to update relevant Standards and Rules.

The ARTSA Institute, Australian Trucking Association (ATA), Truck Industry Council (TIC) and Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) are leading this investigation.

“The current Australian Design Rules cover heavy coupling requirements but they do not provide any guidance beyond a road train Gross Combination Mass (GCM) of just 125

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OCEANIA tonnes,” said ARTSA Institute Chair, Martin Toomey.

“As increasingly higher productivity vehicle combinations enter the Australian heavy vehicle fleet, evidence-based guidance is required to support engineers, regulators and fleet managers, so that couplings can be safely specified, inspected and maintained.”

HVIA CEO, Todd Hacking, said: “Coupling failure on high productivity vehicles has the potential to lead to death and injuries, major traffic disruption and reduced public confidence in heavy vehicle safety.

It is important for regulators and industry to be confident in the relevance and integrity of the Standards that guide the safe selection of components.”

TIC CEO, Dr Tony McMullan said: “Australia has always pushed truck equipment to its limits, doing what no one else does anywhere in the world.

Couplings are a prime example with quad trailer Road Trains exceeding 150 tonne GCM. This project will help define coupling safety factors and requirements for multi trailer configurations around the world.”

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the joint investigation will help accelerate the introduction of new safety technologies to support safe and securely loaded heavy vehicles.

“The NHVR is proud to support this project that will help mitigate the safety risks posed by non-compliant couplings and enhance the safety of vehicles operating under higher productivity schemes,” he said.

The project will conduct investigations of coupling dynamic forces using on road testing and follow-up laboratory testing to confirm the strength of the couplings. Couplings to be validated

in the project include fifth wheel and automatic pin couplings used in heavy combination road trains including the various innovative quad road train combination types.

Because of the complexity of the project, Wayne Baker has been appointed project manager as he has significant subject matter expertise and extensive industry experience. A working group from ARTSA-I, TIC, ATA and HVIA has been formed to provide project guidance.

The project is expected to be completed by June 2023.

Christine Holgate.

AUSTRALIA Toll Global Express CEO, Christine Holgate, has announced a DHL executive is set to join the team later this year.

Accomplished leader, Ken Allen, is expected to retire from DHL later this year and then take up a position at Toll Global Express.

“Ken has had many successes, but he is renowned for leading the global transformation of DHL Express, with revenues of €15 billion,” said Holgate.

“When Ken took the helm, the business had lost €2.2 billion. Within three years he had returned them to profitability and after 10 years, profits were €2 billion, transforming them into one of the world’s greatest businesses, with customers and employees at the heart.

“Ken will also be very vested in our future success, as he has chosen to personally become a shareholder.

“I am looking forward to introducing Ken to many of our customers and employees when he arrives.”

Allen, a former DHL Express CEO, was reported to be instrumental in ensuring the company’s success following several key

business merges.

Back in 2002, Deutsche Post acquired DHL with the aim of becoming a global logistics player.

While DHL has always been an international express business, Deutsche Post brought a new strategy that aimed to make the company a global ‘one-stop shop’ for logistics, requiring further expansion into domestic markets. For the US market, this involved acquiring Airborne Express, which was the country’s third-largest player in domestic package delivery at that time. However most of the Airborne Express management team left shortly after, taking their skills and knowledge with them.

This is where Allen stepped in, according to DHL, transforming the company’s staff, strategy and bottom line.

“Serving as CEO of DHL Express from 2008 to 2018, he played a crucial role in the company’s turnaround,” said DHL. Allen is expected to head up a new eCommerce Solutions division for DHL in the meantime.

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STAYING TRUE TO

THE MIS S

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COVER STORY

S SION A US-BASED OEM, TALBERT MANUFACTURING, CELEBRATES MORE THAN 80 YEARS IN THE HEAVY HAULAGE TRAILER INDUSTRY.

N orth American leader in specialised heavy-haul solutions, marks more than 80 years in business. Austin Talbert started the company in 1938 as a heavy haul, crane rental and construction equipment business in Lyons, Illinois. He quickly became known as a pioneer in heavy-haul trailer safety with his invention of the industry’s first gooseneck model with removable rear suspension. Since then, the Talbert name has become synonymous with multiple other industry innovations, including removable goosenecks and beam Troy Geisler. deck units.

“We’ve been in this business for a long time,” said Andrew Tanner, Talbert Manufacturing President. “But we’ve always stayed true to that same mission Austin Talbert had in 1938 when he set out to change the heavy-haul industry: To design and build safety, quality and durability into every last detail of our trailers.”

Talbert offers a comprehensive approach to trailer design, bringing in representatives from each department during client consultations. This allows the entire organisation to understand each customer’s needs and how every part of the design and manufacturing processes will contribute to solving clients’ challenges, including bridge laws as well as over height and overweight issues.

Talbert offers a wide variety of base model trailers, such as 10- to 30-tonne tag-a-longs, hydraulic tails, oilfield, heavy hauls and traveling axles.

In addition to a wide variety of custom units Talbert has been counted on by the US Army to build M872A4 flatbed trailers that have been designed to adhere to climate around the world.

The company has also built thousands of custom units and prides itself not only on the relationships that it has nurtured along the way, but also on the trailers’ durability and longevity; 92 percent of the Talbert Trailers built since 1985 are still on the road today.

“We have never been a take-it-or-leave-it manufacturer,” said Tanner. “If our

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customers have a need, we listen and then we fulfill it. It’s how Austin Talbert made Talbert Manufacturing what it is today.”

Talbert designs and builds its trailers at its facility in Rensselaer, Indiana — the same facility Austin Talbert purchased in 1957 when he sold his crane rental and heavy-haul divisions to focus solely on trailer manufacturing. This is when Talbert Construction Equipment Company became Talbert Manufacturing. Austin Talbert passed away in 2010 at the age of 97.

Calculating true capacity – Between the road and the load

Long before a single load is booked or any wheels turn, someone – usually a fleet manager – needs to determine exactly what is going to separate the road and the load.

There’s a lot riding on this decision, according to Talbert Manufacturing Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Troy Geisler, because, as much as some would like to think otherwise, a trailer is never just a trailer. It can be manufactured to many different specifications, with multiple raw material options, dozens of load and geographical considerations, various top speed requirements and hundreds of possible axle configurations coming into play. And it all comes down to one objective – the ideal trailer for an operation’s specific loads.

“To select the right trailer, the one that will require the least amount of maintenance, provide the greatest lifespan and deliver the highest possible return on investment, it is vital to understand the most important factor of all – capacity.” he said.

“There are five contributors to capacity ratings. They apply to any kind of open trailer, from flat and step decks to low beds, and each can be varied to meet a carrier’s specifications.

“It begins, of course, with the materials used to build the trailer, specifically their sizes and weights. From there, capacity encompasses the overall weight that a trailer can carry, the area of the deck in which it can carry that weight, the speed at which the trailer will generally travel and the safety factor.

“To make an apples-to-apples comparison, consider one 50-tonne low bed alongside another 50-tonne low bed. Because, just as a trailer is never just a trailer, not all 50-tonne low beds are created equal.”

There are reported to be more than 50 manufacturers of low bed heavy-haul trailers in North America, and they apply several methods of rating the capacity of their trailers. Since there is no industry-set or government-mandated system, it’s up to every buyer to be in tune with the method each manufacturer uses before making a purchase decision.

“A key difference between manufacturers’ ratings comes in load concentration, or the length of the deck that can handle the rated weight,” said Geisler.

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Austin Talbert.

“Obviously, a 26’, 50-tonne low bed can haul 50 tonnes. But how much of the deck those 50 tonnes occupy is just as important as the weight itself. Whereas one trailer might need the entire length of the deck to be rated at 50 tonnes, another can be rated for 50 tonnes in a 16’ span, and another can handle that same weight in half the deck length. For example, a 26’, 50-tonne low bed might be rated for the trailer’s entire span with equal weight distribution. In that case, the trailer would need to be hauling materials that run the entire length of the trailer, such as long steel poles, lumber or concrete culvert sections.

However, if the payload is a 100,000-pound excavator that’s only 13’ long, a trailer rated for the entire deck length, or even for 16’, won’t be right for the load. Even though the load is only 50 tonnes, that trailer will be overloaded because the weight will not span the entire length of the deck; making it too concentrated for the area the excavator covers.

For a trailer that’s rated at full deck length or

COVER STORY

16’ to safely handle the excavator, it would likely need to be rated at 55 or 60 tonnes.

“So again, using the 13’, 100,000-pound excavator as the payload, the ideal trailer will be one rated at half the deck length. Trailers rated for half the deck length can carry a specified load in just that, half the length of the deck. These ratings give a more realistic indication of the concentrated loads the trailer will be able to handle safely and without structural failure.

“In addition, manufacturers who build trailers with half-deck ratings often do so with a two-point rigid load base specifically for the tire spacing, or hot spots, of large equipment and heavy machinery.”

Also, how a load is distributed over the deck and the axles can be just as important as the overall weight rating. However, even though the trailers will be operating in the United States, the states are not very united when it comes to axle weight laws and regulations.

“All across the country, the laws and regulations related to weight change from

state to state,” said Geisler. “Companies operating in Indiana deal with one set of laws and regulations, but when they cross the border into Ohio they run into entirely different set of regulations. Pennsylvania has yet another distinct collection of rules of the road and so on along the truck’s route.

Fleet managers, according to Geisler, need to be aware of, and plan for, variances between states and regions where their trailers will be used.

“It’s important to have the proper trailer configuration to make the load distribution work for a fleet’s particular area of operation,” he said. “Manufacturers bear some responsibility, too, and should work with buyers to define not just the best trailer for the cargo those buyers will be carrying, but also the best axle configurations for maximising the load in every one of the states they’ll be hauling through. Clearly, it’s impossible to max out a trailer’s capacity in every state, but the goal of most interstate heavy-haul carriers is to get a trailer as close to the maximum as possible across all the states where the carrier intends to operate.”

Geisler said there are many ways to achieve the best possible weight distribution over the axles. It may be as simple as adding a fourth flip axle or as complicated as adding two or three axles and spreading them apart to make sure they can each accept an equal amount of weight from the payload. And there are other possibilities in between depending on the specific state’s regulations and the nature of the load.

“For example, carriers can vary gooseneck lengths in the front to achieve the proper steer weight and drive axle weight,” he said. “Carriers also can alter the distances between axles and axle groups to hit max weights and remain in compliance with various state laws. With an East Coast trailer, for example, they can add shims to a rigid spread bar or, if the trailer has a nitro version of a spreader bar, use hydraulics to vary the weight distribution. Yet another way is to move the load closer to one end or the other to properly distribute weight over the axles. And, finally, a carrier can use a jeep dolly to add extra axles, thereby lowering the per-axle weight distribution.”

Another capacity determinant, according to Geisler, is speed.

“While some manufacturers rate their trailers at 55mph, others rate them at 65 mph. The slower a rig travels, the less added weight or stress is placed on the trailer. That’s due to the fact that, while road dynamics such as potholes, railroad tracks and so on still come into play, the impact on the trailer decreases along with the speed. However, sometimes a 55 mph rating is not as realistic for a carrier as

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a 65 mph rating. The key is to purchase trailers that will perform at a fleet’s normal operating speeds.

A trailer’s safety rating also comes into play when discussing capacity.

Without understanding the safety rating, it’s difficult for a carrier to get a clear, comprehensive picture of true capacity.

“A safety rating is an indicator of how much stress a trailer can safely handle,” said Geisler. “It encompasses the strength of the raw materials and components that a manufacturer has put into the trailer’s design and construction, how the beams and cross members are configured and so on.

“A widely accepted average magnification of payload weight on a trailer due to road dynamics is 1.8 to 1 ratio. When a driver is rolling down the road, the truck is hitting chuckholes, bouncing over bumps and crossing railroad tracks along the way.

On average, the stress placed on a 50-tonne-rated trailer by a 50-tonne load when the rig hits those bumps, chucks and tracks equals 1.8 times 50 tonnes, or 90 tonnes.

“It’s important to keep in mind that the 1.8 multiplier is only an average. On any given haul, the stress placed on the trailer can go above that level multiple times. If no cushion is built in to the trailer to handle those spikes in stress, there will be more potential for long-term, progressive structural damage.

“Since there is no universally prescribed level for safety ratings, they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. They range from a safety factor of 1.8 to 1, which allows for no margin, to an industry high of 2.5 to 1, which is considered an ample cushion for even the most extreme road dynamics a trailer might encounter.

“Not only does the safety rating tell a carrier how strong his trailer is, it’s also a very good indicator of potential life. The greater the difference between the static design safety factor, be it 2.5 to 1, 2 to 1 or some other factor, and the dynamic 1.8 average multiplier, the longer one can expect a trailer’s useful life expectancy to be.

“Most trailer manufacturers do not like to advertise safety ratings, often for good reason.

To understand why, it’s helpful first to comprehend what a safety rating is

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not. A safety rating should never be used to determine how much weight can be added over the capacity rating and still keep the load, the driver and other drivers safe. In other words, a 2.5 to 1 safety rating on a 50-tonne low bed should not be used to justify loading a trailer with 125 tonnes of cargo.

Just as the deck rating indicates, that trailer can safely handle a 50-ton payload under dynamic conditions.”

Also, safety factors are strongly related to the quality of the components incorporated into the trailer, and that gets down to the nitty-gritty of the steel and the deck material.

“Manufacturers have several options when choosing steel,” said Geisler. “For the most capacity and smallest impact on the trailer weight, some manufacturers use a T1 material with 100,000 psi minimum yield. T1 not only has maximum strength versus ductility, but also equates to a lighter, stronger trailer frame over other materials.

“A trailer’s decking is continually exposed to the elements, making durable decking with a long wear life also crucial. Apitong decking provides a tougher, longer lasting wood in comparison to other varieties, such as oak or pine. Tightly woven and incredibly dense, apitong is less susceptible to chipping and cracking and provides some amount of traction in comparison to a smooth metal surface.”

Sometimes trailer owners or operators

COVER STORY

don’t completely understand the capacity rating and mistakenly put more weight on the trailer than it is built to handle, or more weight in a concentrated area than it can handle.

“Overloading a trailer once is not likely to make it break,” said Geisler. “Overloading it twice probably won’t either. But do it consistently over time and eventually it will likely fail. When a trailer breaks, the manufacturer hears about it. But often the complaint will be that a 50-tonne trailer broke when it was hauling less than a full payload.

For example, a 50-tonne trailer might break when it’s only hauling a 40-tonne payload.

The reason is not in that 40-tonne load, but the number of times the trailer previously was overloaded and by how much each overload exceeded the yield strength of the trailer’s load-bearing beams and cross members.

“Yield strength refers to the amount of stress that the steel can withstand and still return to its original shape when unloaded.

The first time a trailer is overloaded, the steel will return to something close to the shape it was in when it came off of the manufacturing line, but not exactly to that original shape.

Each time it’s overloaded, the steel will return to something less than the shape it was in the time before. Eventually, the steel, and therefore the trailer, will break.

“So in our example, even though the trailer

only carried a 40-tonne payload, it is likely that it had been overloaded to some extent at one or more points in its past. That’s when the damage was done, and that is what ultimately caused the failure. The steel got weaker and weaker and, on the day the trailer failed, it happened to be rolling with 40 tonnes on the deck.”

It can be tempting to look at a trailer’s capacity rating and stop there. But for a true sense of how much a trailer can handle and how it will hold up under the stresses of a specific operation, with its individualised loads, geographies, weights and other variables, fleet managers need to consider everything that goes into that rating.

“Purchasing the right trailers for updating a fleet can be complicated and, clearly, the decision is an important one but there is help available,” said Geisler. “Many manufacturers have sales people who know capacity from top to bottom and can help fleet managers select exactly the right trailer with the optimal combination of load concentration, load distribution, speed and safety rating for specific applications and load types. And having that knowledge about each specification will help ensure an investment that leads to a long, smooth ride.” www.talbertmfg.com

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THE

SWISS

CONFLUENCE SWITZERLAND IS A LANDLOCKED COUNTRY, NESTLED IN THE MIDDLE OF EUROPE, WITH ITALY TO THE SOUTH, FRANCE TO THE WEST, GERMANY TO THE NORTH AND AUSTRIA TO THE EAST. IT IS HOME TO MANY INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND SERVES AS AN INTEGRAL LINK IN THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN.

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ogistics firm, Dachser, opened for business in Switzerland 55 years ago and has played a role in facilitating the timely movement of freight via various modes for the Alpine Republic. In 2017, Dachser said Swiss precision was legendary, referring to the construction of the Gotthard Base Tunnel which was 57 kilometres in length, completed a year early and was at the time considered to be the longest train tunnel in the world.

Due to its centralised location in Europe, Switzerland, the country has always, Dachser claims, faced special logistical challenges.

With the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel five years ago, freight transportation via an efficient rail corridor through the middle of the Alps ensured goods running from Rotterdam to Genoa could do so with minimal environmental impact.

In addition to rail, road infrastructure is also important which accounted for 62 per cent of all transport routes in 2014 whereas as rail accounted for 38 per cent.

Dachser has been active in the Swiss market since 1967, servicing the country from multiple locations. It has since grown from a small freight forwarder initially focused on transportation between Switzerland and Germany.

Last year, Dachser Chem Logistics accelerated its expansions strategy in Switzerland.

Selina Hipp, a Business Development Manager for Dachser Chem Logistics, aims to establish her arm of the business as a preferred logistics partner for local chemical companies. Over a five-year period, with support from head office, her team is focused on market analysis and helping the sales organisation with queries about all aspects of chemicals as well as evaluating

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MARKET REPORT

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and preparing training courses.

In addition to her responsibilities, Hipp continues to look after the Idea2net innovation program in Switzerland together with an eight-person ideas committee. All employees can submit their ideas for improving the Dachser world. For example, in Switzerland work is underway on tutorials designed to help trainees with their day-to-day learning processes. One employee idea that is currently being developed by the Head Office in Germany relates to the technical aspects of customs clearance information.

There is another issue that lies close to Hipp’s heart. In the future, she would like to see more women pursue a career in logistics: “I’m often the only woman at the table, and I can imagine that a female point of view would be a major asset in many cases.”

At Dachser, women in key positions are still in the minority, but they are not a rarity. The company’s Grevenmacher branch in Luxembourg is managed by a team of young women. And other country organisations—in Europe and in Asia—also have women in management positions.

Acquisitions, record parcel delivery: Swiss Post

Swiss Post has long been active as a logistics provider in the healthcare industry and supports medical service providers with sustainable, integrated and efficient logistics solutions. In March 2022, Swiss Post took over the healthcare logistics company, MW Partners Holding SA. It is expanding its competencies and its range of services for the healthcare industry. With this takeover, Swiss Post is expanding its geographic coverage for sterile goods processing and logistics in French-speaking Switzerland. This is a further step so that Swiss Post can ensure

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full logistical supply for the Swiss healthcare system in the long term.

MW Partners Holding SA was founded in 2008 and comprises Stericenter SA, Mediwar AG, Marcel Blanc & Cie SA and Resot.Care SA. With its 55 employees, MW Partners Holding SA takes over the entire logistical and medical value chain for medical practices, hospitals and clinics. This enables hospitals and medical practices to concentrate fully on their core task, the medical care of patients.

“With MW Partners Holding SA at our side, we can also provide optimal support for the healthcare industry in western Switzerland in the future and take the load

FAST FACT A fully electric car transporter entered service in Switzerland earlier this year.

Transport company, Galliker, trailer OEM, Kässbohrer, and e-truck maker, Designwerk, jointly developed the project. The transporter is expected to deliver new vehicles covering up to 450 kilometres a day.

MARKET REPORT

off of logistics activities from A to Z,” said Johannes Cramer, member of the Group Executive Board and Head of Logistics Services at Swiss Post.

Last year, the carrier smashed an all-time record delivering more than 200 million parcels. Swiss Post employees processed 202.1 million parcels. Compared to the previous year, that is 9.6 per cent more packages. The downward trend for letters continued in 2021: Postmen delivered 1,811 million addressed letters last year. That is 3.3 per cent fewer letters than in the previous year. Over the course of 2021, Swiss Post created 809 additional full-time positions in logistics. It is thanks to the great commitment of all employees that Swiss Post was able to maintain its services even in these challenging times of the pandemic.

Parcel volumes continued to rise in the second year of the pandemic. The reasons for the significant increase are the booming online trade, also driven by corona restrictions and working from home. In 2021, Swiss Post employees processed 202.1 million parcels

in the sorting centres and delivered them to all corners of Switzerland and abroad. That is another 9.6 per cent more parcels than in the first year of the pandemic (2020: 184.4 million parcels). Compared to 2019, there are even around 35 per cent more packages. For the first time in its history, Swiss Post has processed more than 200 million parcels within one year – an achievement that was ultimately only possible thanks to far-sighted planning and the tireless efforts of Swiss Post employees throughout Switzerland.

Swiss Post expects parcel volumes to continue to rise in the future. Accordingly, it continues to invest in its logistics: The aim is to double the sorting capacity by 2030. Specifically: Swiss Post will invest around 1.5 billion francs in its sorting and delivery infrastructure by 2030. This includes the expansion and modernization of the existing centres, but also the construction of additional regional parcel centres . With these investments, Swiss Post is securing existing jobs and is expected to create around 1,500 additional jobs by 2030.

A look at Swiss road safety

The International Transport Forum released an annual report on the development of road safety in 2020. Switzerland was one of the participating countries and the report details how the pandemic has affected mobility patterns and impacted the number of road fatalities.

Switzerland recorded 187 road fatalities in 2019, representing a 19.7 per cent year-on-year decrease. The proliferation of e-bikes has caused safety concerns in Switzerland. The current national road safety strategy (Via Sicura) was evaluated in 2017. Four measures, in particular, contributed towards a substantial decrease in the number of road casualties: The ban on alcohol for new and professional

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drivers, the compulsory use of daytime running lights, legislation governing extreme speeding offenders and certain infrastructure measures.

On 16 March 2020 Switzerland introduced lockdown measures in response to Covid-19 which affected the movement of people and goods and in turn the exposure to road incidents.

Compared to the average 2017-19, number of road deaths decreased by 33 per cent in March 2020 according to preliminary data and there was no change in April.

Interestingly, the cost of road crashes in 2017 was 17 billion francs which represented 2.4 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This estimate of the total economic burden is based on a willingness-to-pay approach. The estimate includes non-reported crashes.

The responsibility for the organisation of road safety sits with several agencies.

Due to Swiss federalism, many organisations are involved in and responsible for road safety, including local and cantonal authorities, special interest groups and insurance companies. The leading roles in road safety are taken mainly by three organisations: the Fund for Road Safety, the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU) and the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). The Swiss Federal Council regulates the national road safety policy and is responsible for the Via Sicura road safety program.

Switzerland’s road safety action program Via Sicura was adopted on 15 June 2012 by the Swiss Federal Council. A range of safety measures has been

progressively implemented since 2013. No quantitative target was set under the Via Sicura program.

The Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) has proposed setting a target of no more than 100 deaths and 2,500 serious injuries per year by 2030.

An evaluation of Via Sicura was completed in 2017. The evaluation concluded that three years after the first measures entered into force, Via Sicura had had a positive impact on road safety. Four measures, in particular, contributed towards this positive result: the ban on alcohol for new and professional drivers, the compulsory use of lights during daytime for motor vehicles, the legislation governing extreme speeding offenders and certain infrastructure measures implemented in 2016.

Sustainable transport solutions for combined food transport

Railcare relies on Schmitz Cargobull W.KO swap bodies with electrically operated cooling units The Swiss transport specialists for combined transport have been using the Schmitz Cargobull W.KO swap body, which has been specially adapted to their transport needs, for unaccompanied combined food transport within Switzerland for many years. The vehicle was developed in 2016 in an international project together with Schmitz Cargobull according to Railcare’s specifications at the Lithuanian Schmitz Cargobull plant in Panevežys. The equipment includes, among other things, large threewing doors for loading from both sides, as well as a special load securing system.

An S.CUe electric cooling unit developed

by Schmitz Cargobull is also used. The electric cooling unit is installed on the bulkhead of the W.KO, and provides improved and sustainable local pollutant and noise reduction by cooling the goods without producing emissions. Schmitz Cargobull designed the fuel-powered Schmitz Cargobull S.CU cooling unit, which is built for consistently high refrigeration capacity, as a modular system right from the start, so that only the diesel generator set is omitted

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MARKET REPORT

Swiss transport operator, Railcare, takes delivery of Schmitz Cargobull trailers.

for the S.CUe on the swap body. This means that, in general, many identical components can be used within the cooling unit, resulting in advantages in terms of service and the supply of spare parts, as no special parts have to be kept in stock. For sustainable electrical

FAST FACT Schmitz Cargobull has been represented by its own subsidiary in Switzerland for many years. Here, the customer can find reliable and innovative solutions for his transport tasks. In addition to the sale and leasing of new and used Schmitz Cargobull trailers, the Swiss location has its own workshop.

Here the qualified team takes care of maintenance and repair, including the repair of accident damage or MVI (motor vehicle inspection) preparation, so that trailers are ready for use again as quickly as possible.

Customers can also rely on a 24/7 cooling unit service within the framework of Schmitz Cargobull’s Full Service contracts, which includes maintenance and wear-and-tear work. This minimises both downtime and idle time. The OEM’s own local spare parts offering completes the service.

Numerous original components and chassis and wear parts are always in stock and therefore quickly available.

cooling of the swap body, all relevant components, such as the compressor and fan are operated electrically.

The electricity is supplied using the standard CEE three-phase connection, for example at rail connections or via a generator on the truck. The respective further developments of the W.KO and the electric cooling unit have greatly simplified the operational use of swap bodies.

The swap bodies are all equipped with the Schmitz Cargobull TrailerConnect telematics system, and are available with Full Service contracts for repair and maintenance. The telematics system is used in all Schmitz Cargobull W.KO swap bodies in the Railcare fleet. As the GPS transponders in the steel box and curtainsider swap bodies belonging to Railcare are integrated into the system from Schmitz Cargobull Telematics, Railcare now monitors a large part of its fleet via the Schmitz Cargobull TrailerConnect telematics portal.

“Schmitz Cargobull products facilitate our operational business,” said Railcare CEO, Philipp Wegmüller. “The standardised swap bodies in particular simplify and speed up maintenance, repair and spare parts procurement. Due to the user-friendliness, we can keep instruction and training times for employees within reasonable limits and the practicality provides for safety and increases the availability of the equipment.”

The logistic company’s headquarters are located in Härkingen in Switzerland.

It has been operating for more than ten years and has 429 employees. In addition to conventional road and rail logistics, Railcare’s expertise lies in the active transfer of traffic from one transport mode to another through unaccompanied combined transport. The entire transport chain, including road and rail transport, terminal functions and operator and forwarding tasks, is offered by one provider.

Railcare has been part of the Coop Group since 2010. www.globaltrailermag.com

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Completed in June 2019, Kässbohrer’s low bed factory has capacity to produce 2,500 vehicles per year, operating according to Industry 4.0 principles.

ROBUST A N D RELIABLE AS A RESULT OF ITS ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE, KÄSSBOHRER OFFERS A COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION PRODUCT RANGE INCLUDING FIXED, EXTENDABLE, HYDRAULIC LOW BEDS, LOW LOADERS FOR HEAVY-DUTY TRANSPORTATION, AND FIXED AND EXTENDABLE LOW BED PLATFORMS.

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ith more than 30 different robust low bed vehicles, Kässbohrer is a top choice for operators across the European heavy transportation sector. To apply its engineering excellence to customers’ needs and to enhance its success in the low bed segment, the OEM has developed its product range in terms of extension, steering type, the number of axles, main dimensions such as platform length, width, and height as well as custom made solutions to better accommodate the needs of its customers in more than 55 countries.

To overcome specific freight challenges, Kässbohrer presents a complete low bed range for loads under 100 tonnes. The range also includes more than 30 vehicles that can be configured from two- to six-axle options.

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For versatile heavy haulage transportation Kässbohrer has a fixed and extendable low bed series, Low-Loaders for heavy-duty transportation, and fixed and extendable lowbed platforms.

K.SLS fixed low beds for heavy goods and machinery

There are several options for kingpin and axle capacity, lateral extension brackets, pillars, and pillar pockets as well as lashing ring

LOW LOADERS & HEAVY HAULAGE

options designed for optimal load distribution.

For the transportation of heavy goods and heavy machinery, K.SLS is, according to the manufacturer, a reliable choice with its lighter chassis design for maximum payload.

K.SLS also features hydraulic gooseneck access ramp and more than 40 ramp options for ease of applications as well as robust flooring options including steel grids hardwood, and rubber. The fixed low bed series is available with either three or four axles.

K.SLA extendable low beds for long and heavy loads

For the transportation of long and heavy loads, Kässbohrer K.SLA is an ideal choice

with up to 6,200mm extendable chassis design with 500mm increments, threestep side extension and more than 40 different sliding ramps, as well as two pairs of wheel recesses. Equipped with advanced security features and up to 32 lashing rings, each with a capacity of six, eight, 10 or 13.4 tonnes, K.SLA series offers every option for the fast and safe transportation of goods. K.SLA series is available with wither three, four, five or six axles.

Hydraulic low beds for the harshest road conditions

The K.SLH series is engineered for extreme heavy haulage transportation delivering peak performance even at the narrowest corners.

K.SLH is designed to comfortably transport all goods by optimal weight distribution, hydraulic steering axles.

The series comes in three or four axle configurations with extendable and non-extendable options that are easily manoeuvrable by progressive hydraulic steering, wireless remote steering control, and auto-alignment systems under the toughest road and working conditions while prolonging tyre life and performance.

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Shifting high and heavy goods with low loaders

Kässbohrer’s low-loader semi-trailer series K.SLL is engineered for the demanding requirements of high and heavy goods transportation and includes low-loaders with two to three axles, equipped with hydraulic steering and pneumatic suspension.

With a special platform height, the K.SLL series enables transportation of heavy goods within 4,000mm total convoy height limitation.

Versatile, robust low bed platforms

The low-bed platform series K.SPA is suited for long and pointy loads and is available with either three and four axles.

K.SPA enables robust and safe transport solutions for heavy, flat, and long goods with up to 6,900mm extension supported by its rigid central chassis.

While K.SPA X series with three or four axles is compatible with standard trucks, K.SPA M series is engineered to couple with two axle and three axle trucks with a coupling height of 900mm to 1,250mm.

Meanwhile, the fixed low bed platform semi-trailer K. SPS H series is reported to be the finest example of heavy-duty engineering including three or four axles as well as coupling options with standard and mega trucks for the transportation of point loads.

K.SPS H series provides flexible and safe transportation solutions for heavy, long, flat, and even ballast loads with its strong and flat chassis, variable container positioning combinations, and different load safety options such as Code XL certified front panel which is resistant to up to 22,5-tonne longitudinal loads.

The best fit for construction machinery transportation

The K.SLA R 4 extendable low-bed semi-trailer with four axles is engineered for the transportation of construction equipment, farming, and foresting machinery.

Kässbohrer’s low-loader semi-trailer with two axles K.SLL 2 is the perfect solution for heavy-duty applications and is an ideal choice of bulk and high-load haulers with its robust and strong construction that enables secure transportation.

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K.SLA R 4 provides safe transportation of loads with its robust chassis made of S700MC steel and enables higher payload and fuel-saving on unloaded journeys with its low tare weight of 13,250kg.

Available with wheel recess as standard, K.SLA R 4 can be offered with various lashing rings with five to 10-tonne capacity, 3 x 2 rows of vertical pillar pockets, and pillar pockets on side raves to enable multifunctional and flexible transportation.

Moreover, the vehicle can be equipped with options such as steel-supported wheel recess that make the platform straight, axle lifting, metallisation, rear ramps, and gooseneck ramps.

The K.SLL 2 for the lowest loading height

Kässbohrer’s low-loader semi-trailer with two axles K.SLL 2 is the perfect solution for heavy-duty applications and is an ideal choice of bulk and high-load haulers with its robust and strong construction that enables secure transportation.

With the ground clearance of just 100mm, K.SLL 2 is the lowest low loader and accommodates the maximum height on heavy-haulage transportation.

LOW LOADERS & HEAVY HAULAGE

K.SPA M, an extendable low bed platform semi-trailer with three axles, a fine example of heavy-duty engineering, provides flexible and safe transportation solutions.

The vehicle enables flexible transportation of tall and heavy goods with its special pool length of 6.810mm and king-pin capacity of up to 24 tonnes and does not require for additional permission for excess height.

The vehicle is offered with a detachable gooseneck shortening the time needed for loading operations of construction and work machines while enhancing operational safety with the front-loading capability.

Lowest, strongest extendable low bed platform

K.SPA M, an extendable low bed platform semi-trailer with three axles, is a fine example of heavy-duty engineering. It provides flexible and safe transportation solutions for heavy, long, flat, and ballast loads thanks to its extendable, strong, and flat chassis, variable container positioning combinations, and different load safety options such as Code XL certified front panel which is resistant to up to 22.5-tonne longitudinal loads.

Adaptable to mega trucks, K.SPA M enhances operational flexibility with its extendable chassis up to 6,900mm and

sliding platform features. Moreover, the metallisation coating technology, provides maximum durability against corrosion and rust perforation.

Behind the scenes of Kässbohrer low bed manufacturing

Kässbohrer has invested in a low bed and special vehicles factory that is reported to have the highest installed capacity across Europe.

Completed in June 2019, Kässbohrer’s factory has capacity to produce 2,500 vehicles per year. The factory is built on a total area of 60,000 square metres and all manufacturing processes are completed in a single hall. The facility operates according to Industry 4.0 principles with RFID latching crane systems, barcode positioning technology, robot-assisted chassis welding, and painting, as well as automatic surface blasting and metallisation, carried out in the integrated coating and paint shop facilities. Also, Kässbohrer established a roll test centre which is an essential test process in the final stages of production.

Outstanding aftersales support and financing

Kässbohrer is also constantly expanding its aftersales service network and has reached 652 locations.

In addition to its services including aftersales services and spare parts, the manufacturer has also established partnerships with leading leasing companies via its K-Finance program. In 2021, the OEM established a new partnership with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions in Spain and France and EFL in Poland which is applicable to Kässbohrer’s entire product range. www.kaessbohrer.com

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LOW LOADERS & HEAVY HAULAGE

(A

S

I P

TO THE

EXTREME

IT TAKES QUALITY TOWING HITCHES AND FIFTH WHEELS TO MAXIMISE HEAVY DUTY FREIGHT APPLICA-TIONS. JOST PROVIDES BOTH AND SO MUCH MORE.

T

owing hitch RO*58: Perfect solution for extreme heavy haulage

ROCKINGER has been part of JOST World since 2001 and is the world’s only manufacturer of an automatic towing hitch for trailer loads of up to 1,000t. The towing hitch RO*58 is the right solution for highest demands in the special transport segment – there is nothing you can’t tow with it! 300 kg net weight reflects the exceptional robustness of the towing hitch. It can be operated easily via the hand lever and is a tried-and-tested heavy-duty hitch with approval for use in road traffic!

quirements, the functional dimensions and the highest international safety requirements. www.jost-world.com

JSK 52: Heavy Duty Fifth Wheel Coupling for extreme applications

JOST offers the Heavy Duty Fifth Wheel Coupling JSK 52 for extreme applications such as mining in many parts of the world, e.g. Australia and South East Asia.

It has a fifth wheel load of 74 tonnes and D-value of 400kN and a pin bearing with optimum tipping angle with the proven safe JOST locking mechanism. The coupling has a special robust construction to cope with this heavy-duty application.

Moreover, the fifth wheel is prepared for a connection to a central lubrication system which facilitates maintenance. JOST selects special material properties. It’s manufactured from forged, quenched and tempered and crack-tested blanks to meet the high-quality requirements. Also, the fifth wheel is designed to meet all re-

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ROCKINGER towing hitch.

(A joint stock company incorporated in the People’s Republic of China with limited liability)

Stock Code :1839 (H Shares) / 301039 (A Shares)

INNOVATION, EVOLUTION, PRUDENCE

TOTAL FLEXIBILITY AUSTRIA-BASED OEM, SCHWARZMÜLLER, DESIGNS AND MANUFACTURES A RANGE OF HEAVY COMMERCIAL VEHICLES INCLUDING LOW LOADERS FOR SPECIFIC INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS.

S

chwarzmüller Group is a family-owned enterprise based in Austria with 21 locations in Central and Eastern Europe. In addition to providing a broad range of trailing equipment options, the OEM also provides optimised solutions for almost every industry. More than once, the premium manufacturer and innovation leader has set the pace regarding payload and handling and is decidedly adding value to everyday applications.

A key consideration for transport operators is the longevity of the equipment investment. Fleets are generally looking for hard wearing and quality trailers that will endure rigorous, long term use. The lifetime of the vehicle is something Schwarzmüller takes into consideration which is why the manufacturer provides other services such as maintenance, spare parts as well as rentals and leasing options to ensure optimal fleet uptime.

Schwarzmüller builds special purpose vehicles from its headquarters in upper Austria. Standard and near-standard vehicles are made in the Czech Republic and Hungary, while skip container vehicles roll out of Neustadt/Dosse.

This manufacturing output is supported by approx. 350 service centres which are strategically located along major European transport routes to ensure transport businesses can keep moving.

Since 1871, Schwarzmüller has been working to win and retain industrial innovation and technology leadership based on the competency and knowhow of its employees. Lightweight design and its benchmarks set by Schwarzmüller for over 25 years is but one example.

Other areas include construction, metal structures or welding where Schwarzmüller periodically kicks off new developments or often is the first supplier using new vehicle manufacturing technologies. This is how the OEM turns innovation into mass production.

Intelligent solutions

Low-loader vehicles from Schwarzmüller are generally considered to be quite versatile in their application. They can transport construction machinery with a weight of up to 60 tonnes – but also timber, containers and other bulky goods.

Each low-loader vehicle is characterised by optimum transformability which allows it to adapt to a wide range of requirements.

Schwarzmüller low-loader vehicles are designed with the robustness, durability

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and optimum flexibility that you would expect from premium products: they have more to offer and last longer. The unique pallets for approx. 30 different vehicle groups, with axles ranging from two to five, various platforms, components from different manufacturers and diverse range of extra equipment serve only one purpose: Overcoming any challenge in the transportation of construction machinery or building materials.

Schwarzmüller offers drawbar, central-axle and semi-trailer vehicles in two to five-axle configuration and with various different steering axles. The platforms are available in straight, offset or even removable designs.

Equipping these with stanchions for timber transportation or with twistlocks for containers

LOW LOADERS & HEAVY HAULAGE

expands the range of usage possibilities even more. Hydraulically lowerable platforms make it possible to achieve added loading height where required.

The Schwarzmüller intelligent concept includes an extensive range of configuration details and equipment options to further optimise use by sector and cargo. The rear loading ramp is for instance also available in a two-part configuration and is height-adjustable as standard. There is also the option of vertical and horizontal hydraulic ramp actuation.

An accessory compartment and optional toolboxes ensure sufficient stowage space.

Pull-out warning signs and warning beacons complete the legally stipulated configuration for special transportations. It is not just the loading process that offers added value; greater stability, easier handling and increased safety for the driver are also key factors.

“Schwarzmüller’s low-loader vehicles are permanently on the move because they adapt to many different uses,” said Schwarzmüller CEO, Roland Hartwig. “This is our promise.”

Since the low-loader vehicles supplied by Europe’s largest niche manufacturer not only carry heavy construction machinery but also laminated timber, steel girders, containers or special machines, their service time increases by up to 40 per cent. A hydraulically lowering low bed and laterally extending load carriers further increase their versatility. The vehicles

feature two to five axles on numerous variants with different drawbar, central axle and semitrailer configurations.

There are 14 quality features that characterise a standard configuration Schwarzmüller low-loader vehicle.

The offset platform ensures a low loading height in the low bed to enable the transportation of higher vehicles.

The foldable single-piece drive-up folds downwards to allow driving onto the loading surface.

Laterally-sliding ramps can be slid sideways manually so that vehicles with different track widths can be loaded without an issue.

Folding supports on the ramps extend automatically when the ramp opens – these prevent the trailer from shooting up the front during the loading process.

Pull-out extensions or load carriers can be extended up to a width of three metres for the transportation of wider vehicles.

Storage compartments for the widening boards are mounted underneath the loading surface.

Pull-out warning signs come as standard and are ideal indicators for facilitating safer transportation with excess-width vehicles.

A warning beacon with bracket serves as warning for other road users most commonly used with special transportation.

Pockets in the outer frame can house formed pipework and there are also lashing mushrooms and rings for optimal load restraint.

The loading surface is typically fitted with a larch wood floor– hardwood flooring is also available.

There are also storage compartments for accessories at the front of the platform and for increased manoeuvrability the trailers are also designed to incorporate steering axles. www.schwarzmueller.com

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CHANGING

THE GAME

THE WORLD’S LARGEST AND MOST PROLIFIC TRAILER MANUFACTURER, CIMC VEHICLES, SHEDS SOME LIGHT ON WHAT HEAVY HAULAGE LOOKS LIKE IN CHINA.

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he ever-industrious CIMC Vehicles is supporting local industry with its tried-and-true portfolio of trailing equipment. In particular, the Chinese manufacturer’s low bed trailers are in active service, facilitating the safe and timely movement of heavy machines such as diggers to and from infrastructure development sites.

CIMC Vehicles said low bed trailers are very efficient in terms of transporting non-detachable machinery or ultra-large parts such as wind turbine barrels.

Providing transport operators and supply chain partners with quality trailers that enable incredible gains in efficiency and utility is absolutely crucial for China’s ambitious infrastructure plans.

CIMC Vehicles is the main manufacturer of low bed trailers in the Chinese market.

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“Our products competitive advantages are known for high-tensile stainless steel, KTL and powder coating technologies to benefit our customers with better life cycle management and lower Total Cost of Ownership,” the OEM told Global Trailer.

Although, there is another market segment that CIMC Vehicles is innovating in which has given rise to a new trailer design concept.

China’s e-commerce retail space continues to boom as shown in the financial

LOW LOADERS & HEAVY HAULAGE

figures that Alibaba Group – the parent company of logistics company, Cainiao Network, released in March. Revenue grew 23 per cent year-over-year to more than $3.0 million USD which was reported to be primarily driven by the growth of fulfillment solutions and value-added services provided to China commerce retail businesses as well as the increase in revenue from third-party merchants of cross-border and international commerce retail businesses. During the December 2021 quarter, 67 per cent of Cainiao’s total revenue was generated from external customers. The daily average package volume delivered through its global delivery network exceeded five million for the reported period.

So, CIMC Vehicles’ latest innovation – the low-saddle van trailer – is a compliant build that ensures maximum space for package and parcel delivery most notably due to the lowered design of the saddle

which provides more space for the van part of the vehicle while adhering to legal height limits – original height at 1,200mm with around 86 square metres, new design height at 960mm with around 100 square metrea, 16.3 per cent cargo space increased. Considering the package and parcel distribution industry in China and around the world is anything but slowing down, the low-saddle van trailer has potential to gain traction in the global market.

Interestingly, despite pushing the new low-saddle van concept, there is currently minimal uptake of this build.

“It is a very limited and stable market segment,” said CIMC Vehicles.

“Low saddle van trailers, if laws and regulations were implemented more rigorously, this product will have the largest space for compliant products, and it can be popular among package parcel transport and express companies.

The market demand of low saddle van-trailer in China is currently at the early stage, therefore similar types of products are not commonly seen in the market. “ China is proceeding with a number of large-scale infrastructure projects including express road routes, high-speed train networks and wind turbine generation to move forward on its commitments toward carbon neutrality.

To support this environmental consideration, CIMC Vehicles is developing advanced aerodynamic designs for low fuel consumption, tyre-monitoring systems, GPS, a cargo-spacing monitoring system and even a 360°monitoring system. www.cimcvehiclesgroup.com

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INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS FOR

SOPHISTICATED SERVICES

TO COMPLEMENT ITS LOW LOADER SEMI-TRAILER TECHNOLOGY, MEUSBURGER TURNS TO BPW FOR RELIABLE AND ROBUST SWING AXLES.

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eusburger is a family business headquartered in Altstätten, Switzerland, and has been producing special commercial vehicles since 1992. Over the years the OEM has expanded its production area from a 4,200-square-metre site in Lower Bavaria to a 60,000-square-metre hall complete with state-of-the-art machinery and tooling.

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Per annum, an average of up to 1,500 vehicles roll off the production line where each one is adapted specifically for the needs of the client.

The internationally active Meusburger

LOW LOADERS & HEAVY HAULAGE

Group also includes Meusburger Novtruck in Novgorod (RU), which was affiliated in 2009, Kotschenreuther Fahrzeugbau in Wallenfels (D), which was acquired in 2014, and the company M-Technika s.r.o. in Prachatice (CZ).

Thomas Meusburger is one of the founders of the business. As of 2016 he remains the sole owner of the group and does everything from sales to production.

“We have worked with BPW since 1992 and they deliver about 95 per cent of our special axles,” he said. “BPW is a reliable

FAST FACT Meusburger specifies BPW drum and disc brakes, axles for various tyre types as well as self-steering and hrydraulic steering axles and swing axles.

supplier and partner with whom we can develop new products.”

Meusburger uses BPW running gears for its two- and three-axle drop deck semi-trailers fitted with sliding tarpaulins. The OEM specifies seven tonne swing axles with small BPW drum brake ECO Drum for 17.5” or 19.5” tyres and narrow track. This results in an axle load of 12 tonnes per axle line (two swing axles side by side). Meusburger complements the chassis with a hydraulic suspension for lifting and lowering functions and axle load compensation. A hydraulic forced steering system enables steering angles of up to maximum of 60 degrees.

In order to be able to maximise the flatbed design of a drop deck semitrailer, the running gear must be suitable for particularly narrow installation spaces. At the same time, the trailer must remain manoeuvrable, especially if it is a telescopic design.

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Here, swing axles offer a good compromise between minimum installation space requirements, very high lift requirements, high axle loads and large steering angles.

When designing the chassis for Meusburger’s drop-deck semitrailers, the challenge was to position the brake cylinders of the swing axles in such a way that the installation space above the swing axle and the brake cylinders remained free.

In the compressed state, the brake cylinder of the swing axle was not allowed to touch the turret bearing slewing system, the hydraulic cylinder or the vehicle frame. At the same time, the brake cylinder was not allowed to touch the roadway when the swing axle was rebounded. It was therefore necessary to find and implement a suitable position for the drum brakes in the swing axle. As support for mounting the brake cylinders, the base plate was adapted and the brake cylinder was placed against the direction of travel.

The safe and reliable interaction of drum brakes, brake cylinder and slack adjusters had to be guaranteed without restriction.

In close cooperation, BPW was able to realise a swing axle for Meusburger that meets all of its stringent requirements.

Ideal balance under all conditions

With swing axles, low loaders can master any critical ground and difficult terrain. This is because the highly flexible equaliser bearing compensates for uneven ground and thus always ensures optimum grip on the ground and thus greater safety for the driver and the load. With swing axles from BPW, operators benefit from reliable, maintenance-friendly and space-saving technology from large-scale production. Swing axles offer a good compromise between minimum space requirements, high stroke requirements, high axle loads and large steering angles. Maximum steering angles require narrow track widths. With a track width of only 519mm at an axle load of six tonnes – swing axles from BPW are real space savers.

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LOW LOADERS & HEAVY HAULAGE

FAST FACT As a manufacturer of low loaders throughout Europe, Meusburger can adapt to the needs of its customers thanks to the variety of axles that BPW supplies.

High lateral stability with hydraulics

During transport, high and heavy loads have a particular influence on the driving characteristics of a low loader. The high centre of gravity of the load can be a challenge for the driver and the low-loader.

Added to this are the large compensating strokes required for long low-loaders and uneven ground. Here, hydraulic axle balancing is the solution. In this case a

hydraulic axle equalization is the best solution. Robust BPW axles - rigid or steered - are combined with customer-specific suspension elements from BPW and hydraulic cylinders provided by the customer to create a very stable running gear for low-loaders. www.bpw.de

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BRAKING TECHNOLOGY

JOST DO IT EQUIPMENT SPECIALIST, JOST, PRESENTS ITS LATEST BRAKING TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS.

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OST presents new 19.5″ brake DCA U6

JOST’s new DCA-U6 disc brake for 19.5“ applications is designed for maximum payload through a weightsaving construction. A weight saving of 15 kilograms per three-axle unit enables an increased payload and makes operation significantly more economical and efficient. An optional wear sensing system (BWI) ensures sustainable control of tyre wear. The use of a closed bearing system provides better protection against the external environment. Both trailer manufacturers and fleets benefit from a lower weight, higher payload, optimised ease of maintenance as well as highest quality and reliability.

JOST’s new brake DCA U6: Blue brake pads from JOST

Brake pads are exposed to the most adverse weather and road conditions. This all has a challenging and massive impact on the performance of brake pads.

Extensive field test become inevitable. More than 1.500.000 km of road testing

with all kinds of commercial vehicles, from long distance transport to construction vehicles, show the better efficiency of JOST pads: higher longevity and an optimised wear behaviour of both pad and disc. www.jost-world.com

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REIMAGINING T H E S U P P LY C H A I N

PROUD PARTNER

Department of Transport

S U P P O R T I N G S PO N S O R

24-26 AUGUST

M E L B O U R N E C O N V E N T I O N &

FINAL STANDS REMAINING SECURE YOUR STAND NOW One of the first trade expos post-COVID, MEGATRANS is the critical event for the freight and logistics supply chain to get your brand in front of customers again.

M E G AT R A N S . C O M . A U

CONFER ENCE SPO N SO RS

ASSO CIATIO N PART NERS

E H X H I B I T I O N C E N T R E

E N V I R O N M E N TA L LY F R I E N D LY W I T H

SAF TRAKr

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BRAKING TECHNOLOGY

THE SWISS FREIGHT FORWARDER, GALLIKER, INVESTS IN SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS. THIS INCLUDES ALTERNATIVE VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS THE SAF TRAKR REGENERATIVE BRAKING AXLE FROM SAF-HOLLAND, USED BY THE FAMILY-RUN COMPANY SINCE THE END OF 2021.

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alliker has evolved from a small cartage business founded in 1918 to an internationally active logistic company with 17 branch offices in five countries. The fully family-owned company is run by the family in the third generation and has 3,300 employees throughout Europe. The headquarters in Altishofen in the Swiss canton of Lucerne are home to divisions such as Cargo, Car, Healthcare, Frigo and Food Logistics.

SAF TRAKr for refrigerated semi-trailers from Galliker

The fleet features over 1,100 tractor units and around the same number of trailers. A refrigerated semi-trailer has been equipped with the SAF TRAKr regenerative braking axle from SAF-Holland since late 2021. “We already have a number of electric tractor units, so it seemed logical to electrify the trailer as well,” said Felix Felder, Head of Fleet Management at Galliker.

The refrigerated vehicle has already driven more than 20,000 kilometres with the electric axle, exclusively on Swiss roads so far. “We are very happy with it so far. This is a new technology which we are examining very closely, looking at the economic benefits as well as sustainability.”

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Using an electric axle is new territory for the environmentally conscious logistics company. And the manufacturer SAF-Holland also continues to gather experiences with its electric technology and keeps optimising it: A total of 50 vehicles were equipped with the SAF TRAKr regenerative braking axle in 2021, and 50 additional units as well as series production are planned for mid 2022.

Refrigeration units run fully on electricity from regenerative braking

The SAF TRAKr uses regenerative braking to generate additional electrical energy to lower the emissions and fuel consumption of the entire combination.

The recuperated energy can be used to run the refrigeration units in the Galliker semi-trailer fully on electricity.

The drivers also benefit, as running the refrigeration units on electricity alone

significantly reduces the noise generation.

Felix Felder can confirm this: “You hear virtually nothing – that means significantly more comfort for the driver, in particular on long journeys or during the night.”

Respect for nature and the environment: ‘Green Logistics by Galliker’

The Swiss family-run company cares not only about the wellbeing of their employees, but also places a special focus on a respectful approach to nature. The company has established ‘Green Logistics

by Galliker’ to reduce its harmful impact on the environment. The focus is on sustainable actions, energy efficient infrastructures and environmentally friendly transport and logistics solutions. The aim is to become CO2 neutral by 2050.

The SAF TRAKr is one element in the environmentally conscious approach of the internationally active forwarder. The electric axle from SAF-Holland is designed for axle loads from nine to ten tons and is available with different disc brakes for 19.5” and 22.5” wheels. The axle uses a high-voltage

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BRAKING TECHNOLOGY

generator module for electric regenerative braking, with a maximum power of 26 kW. Maintenance work on the axle is simple and cost-efficient: The drive unit does not have to be removed for uninstalling the wheel ends and wheels. The spare parts supply is also uncomplicated, as wear parts such as brake pads or brake rotors are identical to the components for the non-

driven SAF-Holland axles.

The field service of the suspension specialist is also actively involved in the processes concerning the first regenerative braking axle at Galliker. Felix Felder feels well looked after by his contact Alexander Ledig and approaches him when any questions arise. Based on the positive experiences with the SAF TRAKr so far, the Swiss forwarder Galliker is certain of where it wants to take this: Nine additional vehicles are scheduled to be equipped with the electric axle from SAF-Holland. www.safholland.com

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H E A D A B O V E W AT E R

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator CEO, Sal Petroccitto.

AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE HELD 20-22 MARCH NEAR PHILLIP ISLAND IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, WAS THEMED AROUND ATTAINING POST PANDEMIC SUPPLY CHAIN CERTAINTY AND SUCCESSFULLY TACKLED A BROAD RANGE OF TOPICAL INDUSTRY ISSUES HEAD-ON.

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he Victorian Transport Association (VTA) hosted a record number of 190 delegates at its state conference earlier this year. Speakers included regulators, government and other key stakeholders and they engaged in a series of informative keynote presentations and panel discussions covering everything from infrastructure, industrial relations, taxation, training and education, safety and technology.

For Australian heavy vehicle operators and transport businesses, higher fuel costs and rising inflation and interest rates came under the gun at the VTA State Conference 2022.

VTA CEO, Peter Anderson, welcomed delegates with remarks that acknowledged how operators and the transport industry had been rocked by successive challenges, with conflict in Eastern Europe adding to the pressure.

“Labour shortages, disruptions to fuel and engine additives, difficulties obtaining parts for servicing vehicles, are just a few of the supply chain difficulties that have created such uncertainty in the business and the general community,” Anderson said.

“And when you factor in inflation and the likelihood of interest rates going up, higher costs of doing business just adds to the uncertainty and the

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stresses it creates on budgets for businesses and consumers.”

Anderson said the sad irony is that the economy was edging towards a post pandemic recovery of sorts when tensions began flaring in Eastern Europe.

“Russia’s war with Ukraine is adding to supply chain uncertainty, with sanctions creating supply issues on commodities the world economy needs,” he said. “Reduced supply is leading to higher prices for most goods and services, prompting businesses to make difficult decisions to remain sustainable.”

The recent conflict in Ukraine also exacerbated issues with the supply chain and concerns about the rising costs of fuel.

“As an industry group, our phones are

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A view of Phillip Island, Australia.

ringing off the hook with members and operators desperate for advice on how to respond,” said Anderson.

“On one hand, operators are sensitive to raising their prices to recover higher costs and are loathe to disenfranchise customers facing similar pressures. But on the other hand, absorbing costs is akin to kicking the can down the road, and ultimately will be to the detriment of already stressed operators.

“Our advice is simple – operators must act on rising business costs. They cannot wear higher diesel and other prices forever and must factor it into their cost models, which will lead to higher consumer prices.

There are few parts of the economy that will be exempt from higher prices because transport is a factor in every commodity, and when transport becomes more expensive, everything becomes more expensive.”

Anderson said operators need to understand the impact rising costs will have on their business and act.

It was also crucial that they communicate clearly, effectively and regularly with customers.

“In a broader sense, we as a nation need to think seriously and take steps to protect our supply chains and make us less reliant on certain imports for resiliency in our supply chains.” Anderson said.

“At stake, unless governments do more to support the transport industry’s pivot to attaining supply chain sovereignty, is our ability to supply basic community needs,” he continued.

“Only by attaining higher rates of supply chain sovereignty will Australians be able to have greater certainty that our economic security and living standards can be upheld. We need regulatory and legislative settings to identify the risks that inhibit us from standing on our own two feet when it comes to things like labour and fuel security.

“A growing workforce, sufficient reserves of fuel and energy, and the inputs necessary to keep road, rail and sea transport supply chains intact, are the basics we need for supply chain sovereignty and certainty as we recover from the pandemic.”

Technology, training and reform

Assistant Federal Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport, Scott Buchholz conceded he was channelling former US Secretary of State Colin Powell in his opening address at the VTA State Conference.

“There are known certainties that we have moving forward, and there are unknown certainties,” Buchholz told his audience.

Addressing post-pandemic supply chain certainty, Buchholz identified a number of issues including the need for reforms.

“The challenge for us moving forward with the National Heavy Vehicle

Assistant Federal Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport, Scott Buchholz.

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Regulator (NHVR) is to loosen up some of the antiquated and very restrictive parameters which it has to work with,” he said.

“Our fundamentals are very simple. As government we want to get out of your way, we want less administration and we want you to be profitable.”

Buchholz also urged the industry to further take advantage of modern technology.

“Anyone in the room who is not embracing technology at every level is doing themselves and their business an injustice.

“Technology is going to drive our future, whether it be through the prism of safety, through seeing-eye technology, through driving efficiencies and looking for new opportunities with technology.”

On the subject of rising fuel costs Buchholz provided this strong advice: “Unless you understand your business with absolute granular clarity and where your expenditure is, and you have a mechanism to pass that on to your clients, if you’re not going to do it you will not be in this conference room next year.”

He acknowledged that the fuel price hike will place inflationary pressures on the entire supply chain and alluded to some concessions which may be included in next week’s Budget.

“The only lever we have available to us is with fuel excise which is miniscule compared to the increases in fuel that we have seen across the country at the moment.”

Buchholz spoke about other financial mechanisms put in place in response to the pandemic.

“When we created the instant asset write off which encouraged industry to go out and buy more capital equipment which they could write off 100 per cent in the first year, that was done in an environment where inflation was about 1.0 per cent and it’s now 3.5, which is outside of the Reserve Bank’s range of between 2.0 and 3.0 per cent. So we have to create fiscal settings that keep one eye on inflationary pressures and that we don’t continue to add to those burdens, because the cost to our business by not managing that is diabolical.”

Recommendations, according to Buchholz, have come from his own office to the Treasurer’s office to change the timing of the application of the tax concessions so that access to the instant asset write off occurs at the time of the order, rather than upon delivery of the equipment.

“What we have recommended, because of the time delay in getting those pieces of capital equipment into the yard with 12 or 18 months lead time for some equipment, I’ve asked for consideration be given to allow the deductions to happen when you place the order.”

On another issue confronting the transport and logistics industry, Buchholz was supportive but cautious about the potential of driver and worker apprenticeship programs.

“It’s not a silver bullet, it’s not a panacea when we try to attract that next generation of employees into our workforce,” he said. “From a Federal Government perspective we have made commitments to take Certificate III’s out and put them into a fully trade recognised (category) so we are able to get federal funding. That way when parents tell their kids ‘go and get yourself an apprenticeship and get that security behind you’, now they can be a part of a fully recognised trade apprenticeship in the transport and logistics sector and be recognised with the same skill set and be held

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in the same regard as every other tradie in Australia.”

Prior to his political career Buchholz was involved in the freight and courier industry and was a director of Central Queensland Express Holdings and Toowoomba Express Couriers.

“On the upside I’m very bullish about the sector,” he said.

“I know we have uncertainty at the moment because of the geo-political outlook with Ukraine with reference to fuel, and the pressures that brings to the uncertainty of the supply chain out of China.

“Boardrooms all around Australia at the moment are looking for ways to make investments that will give them security in their supply chain, so they’re looking for alternative suppliers even if it costs them a little bit more to head back into Europe to make those capital acquisitions.

“We just need to have in the back of our mind that the freight task is going to double over the next couple of decades and there is an opportunity for each and every one of you to take advantage of that. If you’re going to be around for the next couple of decades and take advantage of that growth, control your costs and stay profitable.”

Unpacking the challenges of post-Covid recovery

Speaking at the recent Victorian Transport Association (VTA) annual conference, Executive Director, Freight Victoria at Department of Transport, Praveen Reddy, opened his address by saying he wasn’t going to talk about Covid this year.

“The last two-and-a-bit years have been unprecedented in terms of the resolve, flexibility and adaptability of those in the freight and logistics industry in responding to the Covid scenario,” said Reddy.

“I want to acknowledge the tireless efforts of a workforce that has operated at elevated levels and under extreme pressure in order to keep things on track during this extremely difficult time.

“This has taken its toll on the mental health of many, so I want to encourage

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Touching on the level of infrastructure upgrades and the progressive nature of the industry, Reddy said the general public needs to be made aware that this industry is modern and efficient and one of the greatest contributors to economic growth.

“Victoria really is the heartland of freight in this country and having an efficient freight system is paramount – it’s really important we continue to focus on the things that allow us to have a sustainable freight sector,” he said.

He mentioned the north Melbourne industrial precinct where there’s been a significant challenge over the last few years and where the NorthEast Link is being improved to help alleviate the bottleneck to freight movement in the area.

“As we look to re-establish export markets, we need to look at the whole supply chain from regional economies where goods are produced through to the overseas buyers and make sure all measures are in place to ensure the flow of goods is as efficient as it can be.”

Executive Director, Freight Victoria at Department of Transport, Praveen Reddy.

everyone to look after each other and to seek help if things are getting too much to deal with.”

With that he moved to the topic of diversity in the industry, saying it was important to open the door to as many people as possible in order to meet the burgeoning demand.

“We know the freight task is increasing, along with e-commerce, and will continue to do so for at least the next 30 years, so we need to continue encouraging people from all walks of life to join the growing workforce,” he said.

He also highlighted the complexity of the supply chain with its multi-facetted modes of transport including ships, trucks and rail.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is the sheer volume of freight that needs to be delivered from our metropolitan to regional areas,” said Reddy.

“With the return of workers to offices and workplaces in Melbourne it will take a while before public transport is fully utilised, with many people using their private cars to commute which adds congestion to the roads and in turn affects freight movements.”

He said the Department of Transport is currently undertaking a study in conjunction with Australia Post to determine how loading zones can be better utilised to help freight movements.

Flagging a new approach to risk management

Meanwhile, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) shared a glimpse into its future approach to fatigue management and meeting the ongoing challenges around the permit process for access networks.

In a keynote address, the NHVR CEO, Sal Petroccitto, said a new approach to risk management was currently underway in consultation with the industry.

“The latest evidence we’re starting to see really needs to look at those issues around quality not just the quantities,” said Petroccitto.

“A lot of factors impact on the individual that might be driving their truck and also the working environments and conditions play a key role.”

Petroccitto recognised a modern approach would be required to tackle the issues around driver hours as the current system in place had proven flawed for many road transport operators.

“In some cases the current fatigue laws when operators are compliant are unsafe and when you’re non compliant you’re actually safe,” he said.

“We need to shift that focus of counting hours with providing you, as an industry, the flexibility that your drivers need so they can rest when they are tired and not when someone tells them to do so,” said Petroccitto.

“Obviously that needs to be done within those hour limits. None of you are asking for more hours. You’re just asking for that flexibility within those hours.”

Technology would, as it does now, play a vital role in the way the regulator recognised and utilised fatigue detection technology.

Petrocitto was hopeful he had the ear of policymakers when it came to implementing improvements to the current approaches.

A strong commitment, according to Petroccitto, was needed to challenge the current approaches and the reform of what was an onerous and unworkable

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system when it came to providing access permits.

“I know that we normally cop the brunt of a lot of complaints. As I’ve said many times before we facilitate access. Our ability to control what a road manager does and doesn’t do is as limited as yours,” he said.

“What we both can agree on is the current system has to be fixed because it is not sustainable,” said Petroccitto.

At present some 150,000 permit applications will be processed through the NHVR office this year alone.

That amounts to around 12,000 a month.

“Analysis tells us that 94 per cent of those applications get approved,” said Petroccitto.

On that front he was dedicated to putting forth an approach involving operators and the NHVR working together on a national reform of which the outcome would assist in overcoming the access and productivity challenges that stakeholders and industry face daily.

Networks would open up, under this model, based on knowing and understanding the infrastructure capacity while identifying clear no-go zones that are supported with an investment approach.

“There’s no point having an HVNL network full of red dots if no one can get through those red dots,” Petroccitto said.

The formal adoption of the NHVR’s strategic local government asset assessment program and its national spacial mapping work, together with additional funding from the federal government, were cited by Petroccitto as a way forward.

“Now in its third year that project is actually assisting local government road managers understand the condition of their bridges,” he said.

“They can make those informed decisions.

Close to 400 assessments had taken place across local government areas with Round 2 set to commence shortly.

San Remo bridge is a gateway to Phillip Island.

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It was likely to include another 1000 assessments.

To date, there was 24,000 assets operating on local government networks.

“What we need to do is look at those critical assets on those critical freight routes and really get a genuine understanding of the condition to allow local governments to make those informed decisions to keep you productive,” said Petroccitto.

“We are dedicated to working with those road managers to improve the system that opens up those productive networks.”

The information collated through the management of the local government asset program feeds into the NHVR’s single national spacial access map and enforceable heavy vehicle network map on one central repository.

“The mapping system will have googlebased functionality [and] will really allow industry and road managers to better plan their journeys and manage access conditions en route and will contain critical physical infrastructure information as well,” said Petroccitto.

Dynamic routing on the map will enable industry to enter the vehicle dimensions and systems will automatically snap them

EVENT REVIEW

An island sanctuary is the perfect place to talk transport.

to a preferred group and identify if further assessments are required.

The system will be built upon the work that has already been done in Tasmania. At a state level Tasmania will be expanded to a national system to ensure it works across all the jurisdictions the NHVR work with.

Achieving that national consistency was one of the largest hurdles for the NHVR but it was well underway despite the immensity of the challenges inherent in a national reform project.

By the middle of 2022 the NHVR projects it will have transferred the NSW services for heavy vehicle compliance over to it.

That will see the NHVR almost double in size.

It will, according to Petroccitto, bring with it more complexities and also more capabilities. That program has been three years in the making.

The reform agenda, Petrocitto maintained, was right and too important to give up on.

“We have to embrace reform in a faster and more productive manner if we are to remain truly competitive,” he said.

“We know when we do transition one of the greatest benefits for the industry will come in that consistent risk-based

regulatory functions that we undertake.”

What Petroccitto called the ‘inform, educate and enforce’ approach was proving effective as the NHVR began to shift away from heavy handed onroad compliance activity to a focus geared around engagement.

He denied, however, that the change in focus would bring about a softer regulator.

“We’re still using the powers that we have when we need to,” said Petroccitto.

“But our view is if we don’t bring you along the journey with a consultative and educative process we’re not really changing the agenda.”

The accumulation of data, for instance, was pointless if the regulator had no way of using it as part of the education process.

“We’re looking at how we can start to share that information and we want to share that information back with you. This way we believe that you can manage your safety in a more timely manner,” Petroccitto said.

In the coming weeks the NHVR will begin a trial with several road freight operators who will be given access to company compliance information through the portal. If that proves successful the intent is for the NHVR to share more information it has captured with industry.

Petroccitto is hopeful it will deliver more functionality for heavy vehicle operators by facilitating a greater responsibility that will in turn lead to a proactive application of how they manage their fleet.

In this way the NHVR will get to use some of the other regulatory provisions it has in its toolkit.

“We’re considered quite unique because we’re both a productivity and safety regulator,” continued Petroccitto.

“I fundamentally believe the two are critical and need to go hand in hand.

The more productive a business is the more it can invest in safety,” he said.

“The safer a business is the more productive it can be.” www.globaltrailermag.com

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WORLD EVENTS

TRANSPORT LOGISTIC CHINA 2022 15-17 JUNE Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China Transport logistic China 2022 attendees can expect transport logistic China, one of Asia’s biggest trade fairs, to showcase the entire spectrum of logistics products, technologies and services.

ELMIA LASTBIL 2022 24-27 AUGUST

Jönköping, Sweden The national and international venue for the haulage and transport industry at Elmia, Jönköping. www.elmia.se/en/lastbil

www.transportlogistic-china.com

MEGATRANS2022 24-26 AUGUST

Melbourne, Australia MEGATRANS returns in 2022 as an important industry event, facilitating cross-industry collaboration in a multidimensional and integrated conference and exhibition for the freight and logistics industry. The event will showcase the latest in artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, automated racking, telematics and route optimisation, warehouse automation, intelligent fleet systems, blockchain, Internet of Things, big data and advanced analytics. www.megatrans.com.au

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IAA COMMERCIAL VEHICLES SHOW 2022

22-25 SEPTEMBER Hannover, Germany One of the world’s leading trade fairs for mobility, transportation and logistics. www.iaa.de

KEEP A LOOK OUT InnoTrans 2022 20-23 September Berlin, Germany www.innotrans.com

INTERNATIONAL CROSSBORDER ECOMMERCE SUPPLY CHAIN FAIR 2022

22-24 SEPTEMBER

Shenzhen, China The first exhibition began in 2015 and focused on crossborder e-commerce, covering mainstream cross-border e-commerce platforms and upstream and downstream service providers.

Fenatran 7-11 November Brazil www.fenatran.com.br Transport Scandinavia 2023 20-22 April Herning, Denmark www.transport-messen.dk

www.ciefair.com

BAUMA 2022

24-30 OCTOBER Munich, Germany The Bauma trade fair is dedicated to innovations in the construction, mining and agriculture industries. www.bauma.de

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 / 6 1

M E GATR E N D S

PARTNERSHIP TO ENHANCE

SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY ASSET TRACKING AND CLEVER USE OF SENSORS IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE HOW THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY MANAGES PHYSICAL GOODS.

K

uehne + Nagel and Chorus, a moonshot project at X, Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory, are partnering to offer select Kuehne + Nagel Road Logistics customers real-time solutions and granular, prescriptive insights into the health and state of their global supply chain and logistics operations.

Chorus is developing new sensor and orchestration technology designed to radically improve our understanding of where physical goods are located, where they are needed, what state they are in, and how they are used. The technology will be integrated into Kuehne + Nagel’s digital road service offering, eTrucknow, to provide its Road Logistics customers unique solutions, such as the ability to track the real-time location and condition of goods, with the goal of providing enhanced visibility. Through the partnership, Kuehne + Nagel and Chorus aim to generate learnings and insights that guide the development of additional solutions.

Tracking goods in real-time will improve service in the supply chain.

Recent challenges in the global supply chain have illustrated the extent to which lack of real-time intelligence leads to unsustainable levels of wastage, inefficiencies, and revenue loss. Kuehne + Nagel and Chorus are working together to address these long-standing global supply chain challenges in road logistics.

With Kuehne + Nagel’s century-long experience in logistics and Chorus’ radical new technologies, the two companies have started to develop unique solutions for supply chain management.

Stefan Paul, Member of the Management Board of Kuehne + Nagel International AG, responsible for Road Logistics and Sales, said: “We are focused on developing solutions for some of the toughest global supply chain problems. Our partnership with Chorus will enhance our capabilities to build innovative solutions, further enriching eTrucknow offering. By combining visibility with intelligence we aim to provide our customers more accurate, actionable and data-driven insights into the overall health of their supply chain down to carton level.”

Chorus General Manager, Suresh Vishnubhatla, said: “Supply chains are the backbone of the global economy yet the industry still lacks important tools and insights, leading to terrible waste and inefficiency.

Disturbances in the systems lead to shortages, scarcity and unavailability of critical resources.

We are delighted to be partnering with Kuehne + Nagel as these challenges cannot be solved alone and require strong strategic partnerships with organisations that possess deep expertise to improve systemic resilience. Together we hope these tools can help businesses be more sustainable, efficient, and productive.” www.globaltrailermag.com

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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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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 ]

M

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

HUMAN

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

ALEXANDER DOBRINDT, GERMAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 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.

W W W. G LO BALT R AI L E R M AG. C O M / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / 5 9

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