Global Trailer September 2021

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www.globaltrailermag.com ISSN 1839-5201

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INNOVATION

BUSINESS

NEWS

Krone Telematics Kässbohrer Silos, Tankers Valk Welding FlexLED & RDC

Executive Interview: SERCO Industries Market Report: Austria Special Report: Food Security SAF-Holland’s NUFAM Preview

Global OEM Ranking List CIMC Vehicles On The Rise Wielton’s Green Focus Trailer Deliveries

,

and ing ange ball

GROUPED FOR

GROUP COMPANIES

.

ASIA

AUSTRALIA

EUROPE AMERICA

UROPE

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

nternational 0)88 405 8800

alx.eu

CHINA

AMERICA

AXN Heavy Duty p: +1 502 749 3200

SINGAPORE

axnheavyduty.com

EUROPE

AUSTRALIA

Combining decades of experience 4/10/17 5:04 PM gathered in Asia, Australia, Europe and the US, global manufacturing powerhouse Fuwa has forged the strongest network of truck and trailer component specialists in the world.

USA

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Merging local expertise with world-leading manufacturing prowess and an irrevocable commitment to innovation, our entire range of axles, suspension systems, landing legs, couplings, king Combining decades of experience gathered in Asia, Australia, Europe and the US, pins, fifth wheels and ball races have beenhas designed global manufacturing powerhouse Fuwa forged the strongest network of truck and for one goal only to guarantee your success. trailer component specialists in the world. Merging local expertise with world-leading manufacturing prowess and an irrevocable commitment to innovation, our entire range of axles, suspension systems, landing legs, couplings, king pins, fifth wheels and ball races have been designed for one goal only -- to guarantee your success.

GROUP COMPANIES

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SINGAPORE

CHINA

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p: +86 750 5966333 fuwa.cn export@fuwa.cn

SINGAPORE

C HINA

FUWA ENGINEERING FUWA HEAVY INDUSTRIES p: +65 68631806 p: +86 750 Industries 5966333 FUWA ENGINEERING Fuwa Heavy

AUSTRALIA AUS TR ALIA

FUWA K-HITCH p: +61 3 9369 0000 Fuwa K-hitch

p: +61 3 9369 0000 khitch.com.au www.khitch.com.au

EUROPE EUR OPE

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

AMERICA

AMER ICA

AXN Heavy Duty p: +1AXN 502Heavy 749 3200 Duty

p: +1 502 749 3200 axnheavyduty.com

www.axnheavyduty.com

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COVER STORY

32

SERCO INDUSTRIES CELEBRATES 40-YEAR MILESTONE

Clinton Holcroft – CEO of SERCO Industries in South Africa – says the only thing we can say about the future with certainty is that there will always be more crises, it’s how we respond and adapt that determines if we will come through stronger or not.

IN THIS ISSUE BUSINESS 36 MARKET REPORT

Austria is keeping pace with domestic manufacturing and parcel delivery, while Schwarzmüller Group prepares for the next phase of international growth.

42 GLOBAL OEM RANKING LIST

Another year of Covid-19 and market volatility has seen some seismic shifts in how these leading OEMs operate under challenging and ever-changing conditions.

66 SPECIAL REPORT

Ongoing political instabilities caused by supply chain disruptions and draconian government lockdowns are proving a perfect storm for the rise of food security risks globally.

70

EVENT PREVIEW

Axles, TrailerMaster and vehicle components will be on show at NUFAM 2021 according to SAFHolland.

FEATURES 48 KRONE

Krone Telematics presents an open digital strategy for road freight logistics.

50 VALK WELDING

Valk Welding delivers a specialised welding robot system to VDL Containersystems which involves automated guided vehicles.

54 CIMC VEHICLES

China’s largest and most successful trailer manufacturing group in the world, CIMC Vehicles, has emerged stronger than ever from the disruptions of Covid-19 and the monumental shifts in market demand.

“SERCO’S VEHICLES ARE RELIED ON BY MANY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA’S TRANSPORT AND LONGDISTANCE HAULIERS TO CARRY EVERYTHING FROM ICE CREAM TO DAY-OLD CHICKS, FROM BEEF TO BREAD – SAFELY AND HYGIENICALLY ... THE COMPANY HAS AN ENVIABLE NATION-WIDE REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND INNOVATION IN TRUCK BODIES AND TRAILERS AND AN UNRIVALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE ETHIC.” Clinton Holcroft, SERCO Industries

58 KÄSSBOHRER

Combining engineering excellence and customer centricity, Kässbohrer offers the most robust, efficient and highest quality road transport equipment. The OEM’s portfolio of tankers and silo vehicles support a range of sectors from fuel and bitumen to dangerous goods, food and raw materials.

60 ASPÖCK SYSTEMS

Flexible lighting strips, FlexLED, are the latest products to join Aspöck Systems’ range.

62 WIELTON

Wielton Group is committed to reducing CO2 emissions in the transport industry buy only a synergy of measures will lead to the OEM’s ultimate goal.

REGULARS

69 PREVIEW

04 EDITOR’S NOTE

72 EVENTS

06 NEWS

74 MEGATRENDS

70

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

COFFEE’S FOR CLOSERS ONLY ALEC BALDWIN DELIVERED THAT line in the 1992 film, Glengarry Glen Ross, with such intensity that even I paused between sips. He plays a corporate trainer who is sent into a sales office to ‘motivate’ the sales team. One of the rules that he enforces is that only closers can drink coffee in the workplace.

It’s something us connoisseurs of the roasted bean may take for granted – a salesman even scoffed at the notion onscreen. But it wasn’t a joke as far as the trainer was concerned. Coffee really is for closers only.

So, what was it about this line of dialogue that stuck with me? Recently, there has been a focus in my office (albeit working remotely from home) where there is an emphasis on achieving collective results rather than thinking only about the immediate concerns of the individual. This line of reasoning reinforces teamwork and smashing the goals of the company as a group rather than tackling tasks with an agenda that only serves you.

With reference to Baldwin’s quote, coffee, during business hours, goes from being an essential beverage to becoming a reward for a good day’s work.

How many cups of coffee do you drink in a day? Maybe you drink tea instead? Does this ritual disrupt your productivity? Now, nothing against taking a break where it’s due, but

4 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

sometimes the act of making a coffee can be a form of procrastination – especially if you’re downing more than the number of hours you’ve currently worked.

Pay attention to your habits, particularly if you’re working remotely from home.

You might surprise yourself by how frequently you visit the kettle for a hot drink.

A report found the global caffeine market, of which a large source of caffeine ingredients is coffee, to be valued at $14.88 billion USD in 2019.

Now, it is expected to exceed more than $23.22 billion USD by 2027, showing a compound annual growth rate of 7.4 per cent across the forecast period of 2020 to 2027. Coffee consumption has reportedly increased across South and East Asia, with this emerging market expected to drive demand for caffeine.

Busy lifestyles and longer working hours in most Asia Pacific countries have also contributed to an increased consumption of caffeine to drive away drowsiness and fatigue. This market is also expected to grow significantly in Europe but mostly due to a rise in energy drinks.

Meanwhile, another study linked coffee consumption with lower brain health and dementia. Maybe it’s time we started opening up?

Blake Storey

DESIGN Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty

INTERNATIONAL SALES

Ashley Blachford ashley.blachford@primecreative.com.au

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER

Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au

HEAD OFFICE

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ARTICLES

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

COPYRIGHT

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

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

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL AFRICA / ASIA KENYA Platform and tipper sets were recently shipped from Brazil to Kenya to be assembled and commercialised by Randon’s agent.

Randon Implementos signed a strategic partnership with JAP Africa, a subsidiary of Portuguese conglomerate JAP, for the implementation of a CKD (Completely Knocked Down) assembly unit in Kenya.

In the Kenyan market, this new partnership shall include the assembly of semi-trailers in conjunction with the new local partner.

Randon expects continuous growth in terms of market share in the next few years, reaching neighbouring countries such as Tanzania and Uganda.

“Our operation in Kenya is important to the company and is recognised by our customers,” said Randon Implementos General Director, Sandro Trentin.

“East Africa is expanding rapidly as a whole, and we seek to maintain a leading role in this region with consolidated strategic partnerships.”

With a history spanning over 100 years, Grupo JAP started its internationalisation process in 2010 in Angola; it is now present in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, and developed its CKD assembly project in Kenya in 2019.

“This is a strategic partnership for Grupo JAP’s project in Africa, meeting the needs expressed by this market and our customers for quality products and services in this segmen,” said Diogo Pinto, Vice President of Grupo JAP. “Randon Implementos brings not only products that are highly adaptable to the difficult conditions of the territory as well as recognised as premium products by the African market, but also a level professionalism and easy 6 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

dialog with its teams, all of which has made this partnership possible.

Together, we aim to lead the market in the near future.”

During the month of June there was the first of a series of product deliveries, which is the result of the new partnership with JAP Africa.

Randon Implementos has been operating in Kenya for 17 years now, exporting approximately 3,000 products during this time.

CHINA Dairy co-operative, Fonterra, has sold two joint venture farms in China.

The farms in Shandong province will be sold to Singapore-based AustAsia Investment Holdings for $115.5 million USD (approx. €96.9 million).

The transaction closed on 30 June 2021.

Fonterra CEO, Miles Hurrell, said the sale is another important milestone for the business and aligns to its strategy of prioritising New Zealand milk.

“The sale of the JV farms allows us to focus even more on our farmer owners’ milk and follows the sale of our two wholly owned China farming hubs earlier this year.

“Greater China continues to be one of our most important strategic markets. We remain committed to our China business, bringing the goodness of New Zealand milk to Chinese customers in innovative ways and partnering with local Chinese companies to do so. We are well placed to continue to grow our business in Greater China.”

Fonterra sold its two wholly owned China farming hubs in Shanxi and Hebei provinces to Inner Mongolia Youran Dairy in April for NZD $552 million NZD (approx. €327.3 million).

CHINA ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, based in Israel, will extend its cooperation agreement with Chinese technology conglomerate, Alibaba Group, for two more years.

This collaboration is reported to help Alibaba’a e-commerce business offer customers more affordable transit alternatives to airfreight via a user friendly website.

ZIM’s extensive network of lines, particularly the recently introduced dedicated e-commerce express lines, provide Alibaba customers reliable, fast, high quality freight services, as well as product support and system optimisation.

The successful cooperation has been in place since 2020 and the significant growth of e-commerce and demand for freight capacity in the last year have led the parties to deepen their collaboration.

“Since we launched the initial agreement with Alibaba, it has proven to be a highly successful and mutually beneficial partnership,” said ZIM President & CEO, Eli Glickman.

“We continue to position ZIM as a leading e-commerce service provider while creating significant advantages for customers.

“It is part of our innovative strategic vision, and we are very proud to extend and expand this partnership with Alibaba to enhance the customer experience and further capitalise on growing e-commerce trends.”

Kuo Zhang, General Manager of Alibaba added: “We are happy to continue our collaboration with ZIM to enhance our ecosystem designed to bring the best services to global customers quickly. In the next phase of the collaboration, we can offer global buyers more options and

NEWS

ASIA As a fully owned foreign entity, Toll began to merge and streamline its extensive network of logistics distribution centres, cross-dock and depot facilities to 21 strategically located distribution centres across China. Toll now operates in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Wuhan, Urumuji and other key Chinese cities to service over 50 customers.

Victor Tan, Toll Executive Vice President – Asia, has worked for the company for more than 25 years, including more than seven years managing Toll’s operations in China.

Tan started his career by joining the family logistics business in Singapore

— delivering goods, operating trucks and working closely with customers.

Throughout this time, he saw the business through numerous changes including a strategic venture with a Singapore Government Linked Company, being listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange and, finally, being acquired by Toll in 2007.

In 2010, Tan was asked to oversee Toll’s operation in China and accepted the opportunity and challenge without a second thought. With support from his leadership team, he has since transformed the business to operate to global standards by introducing best practice from the group’s

9376

choices to manage and optimise their supply chains, and to thrive and succeed in the massive global B2B e-commerce opportunity.”

CHINA China’s rapid economic growth over the past century has created many opportunities for both local and international businesses according to Toll Group.

In 1995, Toll entered the Chinese market beginning operations in South China via a joint venture.

Toll partnered with Singapore Government-owned SembCorp Logistics and would go on to acquire the business in 2006.

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL ASIA global operations, implementing lean management and building and growing a high-performing team.

“China is a very competitive market,” said Tan. “As a foreign company operating in China, Toll needs to provide the best value to our customers in order to be successful. After seven years and with more than 1,200 people working at Toll in China we have transformed the business into one that focuses on continuous improvement, innovation and value creation.”

Toll, like many foreign businesses operating in China, have encountered cultural and language barriers.

“China is very big and dynamic, with a very promising economy,” said Tan. “Risks, barriers and challenges can be found in every country, and I consider these opportunities. At Toll, we focus on having an in-depth understanding of these factors, and overcoming them.”

All Toll employees are educated in local business practices that fully comply with Chinese regulations as well as Toll Group’s global compliance policy.

Mindful of their competitors, Toll focuses on meeting customer expectations and creating value for clients in addition to focusing on price.

“By providing independent and widereaching distribution services across the country, Toll cares, responds and delivers to ensure goods arrive punctually and safely,” said Tan. “Toll cares about our customers.

“We have open discussions with them about their business concerns, and can offer flexibility and tailored solutions to help their businesses grow. To cater for our customers’ requirements, we run our business according to the local calendar and successfully manage peak seasons like the Spring Festival and other public holidays. We continually invest in technology and innovative 8 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

track-and-trace systems to ensure punctual and efficient delivery.”

Safety is also a top priority for Toll.

“We spend a lot of time working on safe workplace practices to prevent people from being injured in the business,” said Tan. “We also improve our operations by focusing on our people in the workplace to measure and improve their productivity and operational excellence.”

Customer satisfaction, according to Tan, is also a serious matter for the business.

“At Toll, we want to learn more about our customers: what they want, their values and the changing landscape of their businesses,” said Tan. “We deliver efficiently and on time, and we also invest in advanced technologies and innovation, which help us improve visibility and track-and-trace systems.

Furthermore, customers in China can use our customised app to track their orders using their mobile devices.”

INDIA German manufacturing company, ZF, is consolidating its business in India to drive growth over the next decade.

The ZF Group, according to Dr Holger Klein, ZF Member of the Board responsible for Asia Pacific and India, believes there is long-term growth potential in the region which is why the business is launching a four-point strategy, Refresh India.

ZF is investing €200 million to aid growth through product launches, manufacturing, footprint expansions, hiring and other developments.

Via its global portfolio, ZF is poised to shape the future of e-mobility and nextgen tech in the Indian market.

ZF is partnering with Mahindra Racing for Formula E supplying silicon carbidebased power electronics alongside the electric motor and transmission.

This partnership is reported to

herald endless possibilities for future introduction of such advanced technologies in the region as these technologies get tested under the harshest conditions.

In the commercial vehicle space, the acquisition of WABCO bolsters ZF’s manufacturing and engineering capabilities to increase the content per vehicle. In this next phase of growth, the business will also continue to leverage India as a global sourcing hub across four areas: R&D majorly focusing on software development, IT & Digital Innovation, Manufacturing and Material Sourcing, Dr Klein emphasises.

Refresh India focuses on four key areas: Readapt, the introduction of advanced global tech solutions at an affordable value for the Indian market; Reinforce, the establishment of a global R&D hub, a new manufacturing facility in Chennai along with plans to increase utilisation in other facilities; Retain, investing in the development of its people; and Restructure, integrating WABCO into the ZF Group. To meet the Anti-Trust guidelines of CCI, post the acquisition of WABCO, ZF Group divested its shareholding interest of 49 per cent in Brakes India.

INDIA Two logistics and supply chain companies will join forces to unlock India’s international trade potential.

FedEx Express and Delhivery have entered into equity and commercial arrangements. The transaction is subject to closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

“India is a strategic priority for FedEx,” said FedEx Corp. President and CEO, Raj Subramaniam.

“This strategic alliance will support our long-term vision to grow our India business and serve customers seeking

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL ASIA / EUROPE and delivery services across India.

FedEx will transfer certain assets pertaining to its domestic business in India to Delhivery.

Additionally, Don Colleran, President and CEO of FedEx Express will be nominated to join the Delhivery Board of Directors as a further sign of collaboration between the two companies.

Dr Holger Klein, ZF Member of the Board responsible for Asia Pacific and India.

to expand in or enter the Indian market, as well as provide opportunities to develop product and technology solutions together with Delhivery for the benefit of our customers.”

Commenting on the announcement, Sahil Barua, co-founder, and CEO of Delhivery, said: “We are excited to partner with FedEx and look forward to the synergies created between Delhivery’s capabilities in India and FedEx’s global network. Our aim is to bring new products and opportunities to Indian and global businesses and consumers through unique access to our networks, and our technology and engineering capabilities.”

As part of the collaboration, FedEx will make a $100 million USD equity investment in Delhivery, and the companies will enter into a long-term commercial agreement.

FedEx Express will focus on international export and import services to and from India, and Delhivery will, in addition to FedEx, sell FedEx Express international products and services in the India market and provide pick-up 10 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

DENMARK US-based cold chain specialist, Lineage Logistics, is strengthening its end-toend service capability in the Nordic region.

Lineage Logistics aims to acquire the cold storage division of Claus Sørensen Group, a renowned cold storage operator in Denmark.

Founded in 1926, Claus Sørensen is headquartered in Esbjerg, Denmark and operates nine cold storage facilities that are strategically located in relation to major fishing ports and food production facilities. The total capacity of Claus Sørensen’s facility network exceeds 800,000 cubic metres, with a freezing capacity of approximately 1,800 tonnes per day.

“At Lineage, we actively look for opportunities to strengthen our leading facility network and deliver strategic value to our customers by connecting more dots within their supply chains,” said Lineage Logistics President and CEO, Greg Lehmkuhl. “Our acquisition of Claus Sørensen will amplify our reach in the Nordic region and will add a highly capable team to our European organisation.”

“Lineage’s dedication to both innovation and service perfectly aligns with our longstanding commitment to being a preferred partner for our customers,” said Jesper Toft Mathiasen at Claus Sørensen. “We are excited to join a

company that shares our same values and to join forces with Lineage’s team in the region to innovate for our customers and to help them grow their businesses.”

“Like many companies that have joined Lineage, Claus Sørensen is a family owned and operated company with a long legacy and strong entrepreneurial culture,” said Mike McClendon, President of International Operations & EVP of Network Optimization at Lineage. “We are very excited to partner with Jesper and the team at Claus Sørensen cold storage and I am confident in our combined teams’ ability to succeed on behalf of our customers.”

The acquisition follows Lineage’s recently announced agreement to acquire Kloosterboer Group and contributes to the strategic expansion of Lineage’s facility network across Europe. Lineage’s global footprint currently spans over 2.1 billion cubic feet of temperature-controlled capacity in 15 countries across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and South America.

EUROPE Temperature-controlled logistics specialist, Lineage Logistics, has appointed a Senior Vice President to oversee all of the company’s European operations.

Harld Peters has assumed the role and will report to Mike McClendon, Lineage’s President of International Operations and EVP of Network Optimization.

He brings extensive experience leading technology-driven transformation and accelerated growth, most recently serving as President of Northern Europe for global workforce solutions company, ManpowerGroup. He also spent more than two decades at UPS where he

NEWS

EUROPE held key leadership positions across Europe and Asia, most recently as President of UPS China and previously as President for West Europe.

“We are thrilled to welcome Harld to the One Lineage Europe family, and I am confident he is the right leader for this critical position,” said McClendon.

“Harld has an impressive background in deploying intelligent growth strategies in Europe, which is particularly important for Lineage as we continue to expand regionally and with customers across our dynamic European facility footprint. I look forward to seeing the incredible impact he is going to make on our European operations and on the

Company as a whole.”

Peters’ appointment is a part of Lineage’s larger structure enhancement strategy for Europe, focused on evolving the organisation to better meet the needs of Lineage’s regional customers.

Part of that strategy is engaging world class leaders who have the skills and passion to continue to grow Lineage’s European network as well as developing sophisticated functions to serve as the backbone to support that network.

“I’m excited to join the world’s leading cold storage logistics solutions provider, particularly at such a transformative time for the company and its European operations,” said Peters.

“I look forward to working with this talented team to build Lineage’s brand presence in the region and provide the industry’s best, most comprehensive customer experience.”

NETHERLANDS Rental company, TIP, has taken delivery of a Schmitz Cargobull S.KOe semitrailer for emission-free and quiet delivery to Albert Heijn supermarkets in the Netherlands.

Representatives of the companies TIP, Albert Heijn and the transport logistics provider Cornelissen recently met at Schmitz Cargobull in Vreden for a vehicle handover of a special kind.

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL EUROPE There, a prototype of the S.KOe electric semi-trailer was collected, which will be used to deliver to Albert Heijn supermarkets.

When it comes to transport, the Dutch food logistics company, together with the rental company TIP, leaves nothing to chance, so both work closely with Schmitz Cargobull.

“We chose this vehicle because most of our transport takes place in inner-city distribution traffic and we also serve routes between different distribution centres,” said Peter Leegstraten, Transport Manager Expertise at Albert Heijn.

“In many Dutch cities, distribution transport is characterised by “Zero Emission Zones” in the inner cities which will be active from 2025 on.

Schmitz Cargobull offers a solution with its all-electric S.KOe refrigerated box, so that we can continue to drive into the inner cities without any problems with the electric refrigerator, in combination with a zero-emission tractor unit.”

The Cornelissen Group takes care of the transport logistics at Albert Heijn and is responsible for the continuous supply of the food markets.

“The issue of sustainability is at the forefront for us. We are therefore very excited about the results that the distribution trips will give us,” said Cornelissen Group Fleet Manager, Marco Pikkemaat.

“Our driver was made aware of the special features of the vehicle during the pick-up and trained accordingly.”

The vehicle is a S.KOe COOL SMART with an electric axle and an electric refrigeration unit with integrated power electronics and battery system. The all-electric S.CUe refrigeration unit is designed for emission-free cooling and heating of the load. This is reflected in the cooling (up to 15,900 W) and 12 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

Schmitz Cargobull S.KOe semi-trailer in practical testing.

heating capacity (9,100 W) without restriction. Instead of the diesel tank, batteries are installed on the support windmill for this purpose.

In addition, the vehicle is equipped with an electrified Schmitz Cargobull trailer axle which, among other things, recuperates energy during braking processes and thus reduces the recharging times of the battery via the power grid. On a vehicle without an electrified axle, the battery is not recharged during the journey. A vehicle with an electrified axle, however, already recharges the battery during the journey, so that recharging the battery via the mains at the distribution centre can either be omitted or at least minimised.

Of course, this also shortens waiting times at the distribution centres.

Schmitz Cargobull’s TrailerConnect telematics system is integrated in the vehicle as standard, which can be used to monitor the battery’s state of charge, the remaining range and the remaining charging time via the telematics portal.

Albert Heijn is part of the global Ahold Delhaize Group and is the market leader in food retailing in the Netherlands.

The company has made a name for itself with innovative and sustainable transport solutions in supermarket

distribution.

TIP is a manufacturer-independent rental company and integrated service provider for the transport and logistics industry. The offer covers the entire life cycle of a vehicle; from procurement, maintenance and repair to the resale of used units. With over 120 locations in 18 European countries and Canada, as well as a large number of service partners, TIP has a close-knit branch and workshop network.

For more than 90 years, Cornelissen has been offering intelligent and sustainable transport solutions and has thus become an integral part of logistics in the Netherlands. This includes transport, storage, pallets and climatecontrolled solutions in both the retail and pharmaceutical sectors.

NETHERLANDS Cargo control specialist, LoadLok, has launched LayerLok, a new double decking system for any truck and trailer configuration.

LayerLok XP, LayerLok AF and LayerLok SC are reportedly designed to maximise the space utilisation and payload of trailers, combining lower system weights and higher system performance. This results not only

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Hendrickson Trailer China No.1668 North Section of Chunbo Road, East New Dist of Jinan High Tech Industrial Development Zone, Jinan, 250104 Shandong, China +86 21 5876 5710 Fax +86 21 5876 1577 china.hendrickson-intl.com

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Hendrickson is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of mediumand heavy-duty mechanical, elastomeric and air suspensions; integrated and non-integrated axle and brake systems; tire pressure control systems; auxiliary lift axles systems; parabolic and multi-leaf springs; stabilizers; bumpers; and components to the global commercial transportation industry.

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL EUROPE in easier handling, but also in higher loading efficiency, and lower cost-ofownership for the vehicle owner.

A double decking solution, according to LoadLok, is ideal in situations where cargo can’t be stacked directly on top of each other such as a pallet with boxes. Creating a second deck enables the end customer to use the complete capacity and maximise payload of the vehicle. LayerLok solutions can be used even with mixed loading heights to use the full potential.

The three LayerLok double decking solutions were completely reengineered, focusing on innovative ways to reduce weight and track profiles, without any compromise on performance. The engineering team have managed to reduce track weights up to -40 per cent and beam weights up to -30 per cent. The LayerLok XP fully recessed track for example has an ultra-low profile depth of 9,25mm, significantly lower than other fully recessed tracks available in the market.

“We challenged our engineers to make significant performance improvements on our double decking solutions,” said LoadLok Board Member and Head of Product & Technology, Sean Spelman.

“We understand that every millimetre and kilogram is valuable in a vehicle configuration, by incorporating higher strength-to-weight materials combined with innovative design and manufacturing changes, we have managed to increase the efficiency for the end user.

“LayerLok XP is our flag ship product.

Reducing the profile depth of the track improves reefer insulation performance and opens new opportunities for builders to consider recessed tracks even in thinner walled vehicles.

“And with LayerLok SC, the full system weight has been reduced 14 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

LoadLok launches double-deck cargo system.

by 78kg based on a typical SWAP body configuration. At our Centre of Excellence in Hirwaun, we are able to create tailored solutions to customer requests. Creating the ultimate solution in double decking for both bodybuilders and transport companies.”

SPAIN Trucking company, Trans Ogueta, has invested in 50 new Lecitrailer semitrailer to modernise its fleet.

The new trailers feature mega lightened chassis with multipoint canvas bodywork and are expected to provide more durability with less maintenance.

Trans Ogueta has entrusted the manufacture of its semi-trailers to Lecitrailer for 31 years.

In addition to the tarpaulin semi-trailers, the transport company is incorporating Evolution refrigerated semi-trailers in several different versions.

Headquartered in Álava, Trans Ogueta has modern and renovated facilities, with a 35,000-square-metre storage warehouse in which a part is equipped with a cold room. It also has a large parking lot, refueling service, wash and repair capabilities for its vehicles.

SWITZERLAND Rising worldwide demand for transport and a focus on pharma and e-commerce fulfilment saw Kuehne + Nagel more than double its earnings in the first half of 2021.

The continued recovery of the global economy led to strong demand for logistics services in the first half of 2021, the company reported.

All business units significantly exceeded prior year earnings.

At 13.3 billion CHF (approx. €12.3 billion), the Group’s net turnover for the first six months of 2021 was 35 per cent higher than in the same period of last year while EBIT more than doubled to 1.0 billion CHF (approx. €923,079,148).

“This year, we are experiencing uniquely high consumer demand combined with supply chain uncertainty,” said Kuehne + Nagel International CEO, Detlef Trefzger.

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of our employees, a successfully implemented strategy and our agile logistics solutions, we have once again met the increased service requirements of our customers in a challenging market environment. We expect demand to

NEWS

EUROPE remain strong and look forward with confidence to continuing the positive development.”

In Road Logistics, the first half of 2021 was characterised by a significant increase in the number of shipments, maximising network utilisation. Kuehne + Nagel continued to accept a rising number of customer orders in European less-than-truckload networks, with no degradation of high service quality especially.

The business unit’s net turnover in the first half of 2021 was 1.8 billion CHF and EBIT more than doubled to 54 million CHF compared to the same period last year.

The digital customs clearance platform “Your Easy Brexit Solution,” originally designed for Brexit, was rolled out further in Q2 2021 due to its great success and is now available to manage customs clearance globally. In AsiaPacific, digital bookings via eTrucknow experienced strong growth. This platform is now available in 18 countries worldwide.

In the first half of 2021, Contract Logistics managed to expand its business with strong growth of pharma and e-commerce fulfilment solutions.

These two segments alone accounted for approximately 80 per cent of customer wins.

Due to the divestment of parts of the UK contract logistics portfolio in January 2021, net turnover of 2.2 billion CHF in the first half of 2021 was slightly below the prior-year period. EBIT improved by 60 per cent to 72 million CHF. In the first half of the year, Contract Logistics opened several highly automated facilities including new distribution centres for the semiconductor and consumer goods industries.

UK Logistics company, Culina Group, has agreed to take over GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions, effective 1 July 2021.

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL EUROPE GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions comprises of Eddie Stobart, Eddie Stobart Europe, iForce, The Pallet Network, and The Logistics People.

With an overall turnover of more than £2.2 billion (approx. €2.6 billion), a combined workforce of around 22,000 staff, approaching 20 million square feet of warehousing and a joint fleet of more than 5,500 vehicles, Culina Group has significantly strengthened its market leading position in the FMCG Logistics Sector with this acquisition.

GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions will benefit from private ownership with protection of their brands for years to come. The move will also provide job retention, investment, and will bring an entrepreneurial spirit.

“GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions and Culina Group are complementary businesses, two very strong organisations with great reputations in the industry and with similar cultures,” said Culina Group CEO, Thomas van Mourik.

“This is an excellent fit which is going to be fantastic for both our staff and for our clients, whilst making Culina Group the largest FMCG logistics provider in the UK. “It goes without saying that we are acquiring some excellent contracts, facilities and people. This move significantly expands our ambient network and will enable us to benefit from synergies and efficiencies that will improve our service offer to customers even further.”

The acquisition extends the existing Culina Group network to over one hundred strategically located distribution centres in the UK following the addition of the forty plus facilities operated by GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions. Culina Group is now the largest privately owned logistics 16 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

provider in the UK and a business that is undisputed in terms of service.

“Culina Group recognises that it is investing in a highly successful business with its own great family spirit,” said GreenWhiteStar Executive Chairman, William Stobart.

“Culina Group’s aim now is to support our growth trajectory with the added workforce infrastructure and resources of the overall Group.

“The GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions Board are extremely pleased to take the group businesses back to private ownership. The combining of our two businesses will create major opportunities for significantly growing our market share.”

Stobart is expected to take a seat on the Culina Group Board for the long term as Deputy Group CEO. UK Bulk tanker logistics service provider, Abbey Logistics, has acquired a liquid food tanker specialist.

Abbey Logistics has taken over Welch Hire including its customer base and tank hire business.

The transaction extends Abbey’s network coverage with the addition of 48 bulk liquid road tankers and 13 tractor units. The deal also gives Abbey an operating site in the South West of England and a larger customer footprint in Europe.

Founded in 1998, Welch Hire has a large and modern liquid bulk road tanker fleet, and in addition to its tank hire business, the company provides both fully managed logistics solutions and single ‘spot’ product movements of bulk liquid food grade products throughout the UK and Europe.

Welch’s employees will transfer to Abbey under the deal and the company will be integrated into the Abbey brand

following a period of familiarisation.

“This acquisition is a natural step for us as we further enhance our marketleading position in bulk liquid food and boost the support we provide to customers in the UK and Europe,” said Abbey Logistics CEO, Steve Granite.

“Through strategic acquisitions like this, we are unlocking opportunities in new geographies and accelerating the growth we have seen in the business in the last two years.

“We are fully committed to supporting our liquid food grade customers and this acquisition is a demonstration of that commitment, and our willingness to invest significantly to ensure we deliver outstanding service in terms of dependability, flexibility and scale.

“Through this deal, we are acquiring some great people and a strong tanker fleet, and we are looking forward to welcoming the Welch Hire team into our business.”

Nick Wheller and Melissa Davies of Welch Hire said: “The decision to join Abbey Logistics was a natural one as our two companies are perfectly aligned in our approach to a customer service focused operation. We know our team will make a valuable contribution to the future growth of Abbey Logistics and together we will create an unbeatable service for our bulk liquid food customers through our dedication to our customers and an unrivalled knowledge of this specialist market.”

US Semi-trailer and equipment manufacturer, Fruehauf Inc., is investing $12 million USD in a new facility in Bowling Green, US. Governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, claims nearly 300 jobs will be created through this project.

“I am proud to welcome Fruehauf to

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NORTH AMERICA the commonwealth as we build on our already diverse base of automotiverelated companies in Kentucky,” he said.

The new dry van trailer manufacturing operation will locate in an unfinished spec building in Bowling Green’s Kentucky Transpark. The new location will allow the company to better serve its customers in the US and Canada with components primarily manufactured offsite and assembled at the new location.

Fruehauf’s production operations are currently located exclusively in Mexico, having closed its US facilities in 1997.

“We are excited to have our US plant investment here in Bowling Green,” said

Fruehauf President USA and Canada, Tom Wiseman.

“We have chosen a community with a strong automotive heritage, something we believe our founder, August Fruehauf, would appreciate given the central role he played in the development of the automotive industry and his later induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame.”

Fruehauf has a history of manufacturing transportation products dating back to the company’s founding in Detroit, Michigan, in 1890. Its founder, Fruehauf, was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2017 as the inventor of the semi-trailer. In addition to semi-trailers,

the company’s related products include dollies, platforms, container chassis, tanks, hoppers and turns. Fruehauf is a subsidiary of the Fultra Group, a diversified manufacturing company based in Mexico.

Fruehauf adds to Kentucky’s existing presence of Mexican-owned operations, which includes nine facilities employing more than 3,400 people in the state.

Since 2020, auto-related companies in Kentucky announced nearly 40 new location and expansion projects expected to create 1,500-plus fulltime jobs with over $360 million USD in announced investment. More than 525 automotive suppliers and four

NEWS INTERNATIONAL NORTH AMERICA automotive assembly plants currently operate in the commonwealth, employing over 100,000 Kentucky residents.

Fruehauf’s investment and planned job creation furthers recent economic momentum in the commonwealth, as the state builds back stronger following the effects of the pandemic.

US Transport and logistics company, Werner Enterprises, has closed a majority-share acquisition for $142.4 million USD (approx. €120.7 million).

Werner has purchased an 80 per cent stake in ECM Transport Group (ECM) and retains an exclusive option to buy the remaining 20 per cent of ECM after a period of five years.

With 2020 revenues of $108 million USD (approx. €91.6 million), ECM comprises ECM Transport and Motor Carrier Services of Pennsylvania – elite regional truckload carriers that operate nearly 500 trucks and 2,000 trailers in their network of eight terminals and 18 drop yard facilities.

“The addition of ECM’s skilled drivers, non-driver associates and terminal network strengthens our portfolio by adding short-haul expertise in a segment in which consumer demand and supply chain needs are growing,” said Werner Enterprises Chairman, President and CEO, Derek Leathers.

“This transaction delivers on our ‘5 Ts + S’ strategy and will position us for further growth as we capitalise on positive market dynamics for the remainder of 2021 and beyond.

“We expect this transaction to be accretive in year one and anticipate cost synergies through integrated management of our combined fleet.”

“Both companies believe deeply that our professional drivers are the 18 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

backbone of our organisations. We look forward to welcoming the ECM team and working together to create additional value for our customers and shareholders,” he said.

ECM President, Ed Meier, said: “We are excited to join the Werner team and look forward to continued growth as we leverage our collective strengths to serve our existing and new customers at even higher levels.

We are standing by our existing customers and will continue to provide them with excellent service. Werner shares our passion for delivering value and continually creating personal and professional opportunities for our accomplished team of professional drivers and non-driver associates.”

US A forecast spanning 2021 to 2026 has projected what the future of the global refrigerated transport market will look like.

The report covers global opportunity analysis and industry forecasts and was published on Valuates Reports in the Transportation & Logistics Category.

The global refrigerated transport market size is projected to reach 16,840 million USD by 2026, from 13,030 million USD in 2019, at a CAGR of 3.3 per cent during the forecast period 2021-2026.

Major factors driving the growth of the refrigerated transport market are: Increased worldwide trade in perishable commodities, since decreased tariffs, make cross-border transit of perishable items easier; and increased customer loyalty toward refrigerated food products.

Further, the refrigerated transport market is expected to grow due to technology developments in

refrigerated systems, notably technical solutions developed by refrigerated transport service providers to reduce the environmental effect.

Trends influencing growth in the reefer sector include increasing demand for high quality and safe food. Fridges are used to extend the shelf life of food and retain its optimal quality, reducing the chances of bacterial growth.

Also, the refrigerated transport market is predicted to grow as demand for marine transportation grows due to the relatively cheap costs associated with it. The market is projected to be boosted further by an increase in global demand for meat and seafood. Aside from that, bakery and confectionery are expected to be a lucrative industry that will propel the growth of the refrigerated transport market, as bread is one of the most widely consumed foods, and refrigeration is required to manufacture, maintain uniformity, avoid rotting, and preserve the product.

Increased usage of modern cold rooms, strict government restrictions governing frozen food production, processing, transportation, and quality, and increased international trade of perishable commodities have all contributed to the worldwide refrigerated transport market’s rise.

US French supply chain operator, Geodis, has agreed to acquire all assets of Velocity Freight Transport, a US-based freight brokerage company.

McLane Company was the parent of Velocity Freight Transport, based in Plano, Texas.

Velocity Freight Transport was a subsidiary of multinational holding company, Berkshire Hathaway.

“With the acquisition of Velocity,

NORTH AMERICA we are welcoming an exceptionally talented team of freight brokerage experts who have a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities of today’s dynamic logistics and supply chain environment,” said Mike Honious, President & CEO of Geodis in Americas. “For many reasons, they are an ideal fit for Geodis. None greater than our common cultures—authentic, passionate teammates who are relentlessly dedicated to exceeding client expectations. This acquisition will expand our current freight brokerage capabilities and enable us to continue to aggressively grow our capacity solutions service for clients at a pivotal moment.”

The acquisition expands Geodis’ Capacity Solutions offering in North America at a critical time as the industry continues to face ongoing driver and truck shortages.

The acquisition of Velocity is expected to help meet the increased customer demand for more transportation alternatives to ensure their supply chains remain agile and effective.

Velocity provides freight brokerage services that include refrigerated and temperature-controlled freight, flatbed and less-than-load (LTL) trucking, intermodal, van, and specialty options.

Velocity’s team will remain in Plano, expanding Geodis’ operation in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area where

it currently employs up to 3,500 teammates.

“Velocity began with the vision of becoming the first choice in freight brokerage with a reputation built on our principled approach and quality of service,” said John Lower, Vice President at Velocity. “This new chapter with Geodis will allow us to build upon our success and enable further growth opportunities. By combining our resources with Geodis’ truly expansive reach, we will ultimately be able to provide our clients a broader range of services across the Americas and globe.”

With its Americas region headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., Geodis operates

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL NORTH AMERICA a full-service managed transportation line of business in the US. Additionally, Geodis operates more than 150 warehouse facilities for its clients with over 47 million square feet of warehousing space in the US alone.

Geodis now has more than 15,000 employees across North America.

The transaction closed 30 June 30 2021 and the terms were not disclosed.

US North American transport and logistics business, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings, has acquired a less-thantruckload carrier.

The transaction included the purchase of Alabama-based business, AAA Cooper Transportation, for $1.35 billion USD (approx. €1.1 billion).

“We have long had interest in the LTL space and admired the success of AAA Cooper,” said Knight-Swift CEO, Dave Jackson.

“We feel honoured to be stewards of the AAA Cooper brand and, similar to previous acquisitions, AAA Cooper will continue to operate independently, while benefitting from the many synergies we expect through KnightSwift.

“Reid Dove has been appointed to the Knight-Swift board of directors and will continue to be the CEO of AAA Cooper.

“In seeking our first LTL partner, we had three main requirements – the scale for entry with significant market share, the profitability and management depth to operate independently and provide a platform for compelling growth opportunities, and a world class culture.

We were excited to have identified AAA Cooper as a partner that meets all three requirements, and I couldn’t be happier to finally find the right time for both of us to create a partnership. This transaction 20 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

firmly positions us as a meaningful player in the LTL space, where we intend to grow both organically and through future acquisitions.”

Reid Dove, CEO of AAA Cooper, said: “Joining the Knight-Swift team is an exciting combination for the AAA Cooper team members and customers. It will allow us to pursue new opportunities and accelerate our growth. We will continue to operate as an independent company, headquartered in Dothan, Alabama, and will do so with the support and partnership of the strongest provider in the full truckload space. This is the fusion of two excellent companies in their respective sectors of the transportation industry, which makes this a win for our people, our customers, and for the newly expanded KnightSwift team.”

US Global market intelligence company, Interact Analysis, will work with California-based non-profit organisation, Calstart, to help government and private business to build a high-tech cleantransportation sector that creates jobs and curbs climate change.

To inform their work, Calstart has already been using a range of Interact Analysis research reports including hybrid & electric trucks & buses, off-highway vehicles, and powertrain components. In particular, the data in these reports will support Calstart’s case as it continues to educate on and promote policies in the US and globally on incentives and rebates for zeroemission vehicles. Low/zero-emission transport is one of Interact Analysis’s main research areas, and the company is renowned for producing highly detailed industry reports and accurate market forecasts.

“It’s great to have Interact Analysis onboard, and we have already used their research findings in our work for zero emission vehicles and policy here in the US,” said Calstart President and CEO, John Boesel.

“It’s extremely important for us and our membership to have regularly updated granular data and informed projections on future market activity, particularly as we expand our global activities.

“We look forward to a long-term partnership which will be fruitful for Calstart, Interact Analysis, and our members.”

Alastair Hayfield, Research Director at Interact Analysis, said: “Working with Calstart is a new and exciting direction for us. We have been producing industry reports on the green transport sector for market-leading companies for a long time, and our knowledge of the topic is second-to-none. Right now, the clean transport sector, particularly battery EV technology, is coming of age and we are entering into an era of mass adoption. Transport is responsible for one third of all global emissions. This has to change. We are pleased to be able to work with Calstart and hope this outstanding organisation will be able to apply our market intelligence to the wider clean tech transport industry to further its aims. We intend to take a proactive role as a Calstart member, so look out for our presence at their events.”

A national non-profit consortium with offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado and California and partners world-wide, Calstart works with 280-plus member company and agency innovators to build a prosperous, efficient, and clean high-tech transportation industry.

Interact Analysis is an international provider of market research for the Intelligent Automation sector. It has a

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Uber Freight announces $2.25B acquisition.

team of experienced industry analysts and delivers research into three core sectors: industrial automation, robotics & warehouse automation, and commercial vehicles.

US Digitally-enabled carrier network, Uber Freight, has agreed to acquire Transplace for approx. $2.25 billion USD. This transaction comprises up to $750 million USD in common stock of Uber Freight’s parent company, Uber Technologies Inc., and the remainder in cash.

Uber Freight will acquire Transplace from TPG Capital, the private equity platform of alternative asset firm, TPG. Uber Freight’s acquisition of Transplace is expected to create one of the leading logistics technology platforms, with one of the largest and most comprehensive managed transportation and logistics networks in the world. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.

The acquisition, according to Uber Freight, comes at a time of accelerated transformation in logistics. The demands of a volatile market and the 22 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

increasing complexity of globalised logistics are clashing with industrialage transportation technology. In the midst of capacity constraints and escalating transportation costs, shippers are adapting their operations at an increasing pace and looking for technology, support, and solutions that can modernise their supply chain and keep critical goods, and the economy, moving.

“This is a significant step forward, not just for Uber Freight but for the entire logistics ecosystem,” said Lior Ron, Head of Uber Freight. “This is an opportunity to bring together complementary best-in-class technology solutions and operational excellence from two premier companies to create an industry-first shipper-to-carrier platform that will transform shippers’ entire supply chains, delivering operational resilience and reducing costs at a time when it matters most.”

Transplace CEO, Frank McGuigan, said: “The acquisition will combine the world’s premier shipper network platform with one of the industry’s most innovative supply platforms, to the benefit of all stakeholders. Our expectation is that shippers will see greater efficiency and transparency

and carriers will benefit from the scale to drive improved operating ratios.

All in all, we expect to significantly reduce shipper and carrier empty miles to the benefit of highway and road infrastructures and the environment.

Finally, we want to thank TPG for their partnership as we have worked together to position Transplace as a leader in supply chain innovation.”

Transplace was acquired by TPG Capital in 2017. Over the course of the partnership, Transplace has invested heavily in technology and other growth initiatives to further bolster the company’s expansive, high-quality, customisable solutions for managing today’s supply chain.

“Our partnership with Transplace is a strong example of TPG Capital’s strategy to identify industry-leading tech-enabled services companies and invest behind them to drive sustained growth,” said Jack Daly, Partner at TPG Capital and Chairman of Transplace, and Alex Minasian, Principal at TPG Capital. “In a category that continues to benefit from several secular tailwinds, Frank and his experienced team have positioned the company as an innovative leader that is empowering customers of all sizes to improve and optimise their supply chains. We thank the entire Transplace team for their partnership and wish them continued success in their next chapter.”

The combination of Uber Freight and Transplace will reportedly optimise the movement of freight across the entire marketplace and deliver best-in-class services to shippers, while also unlocking opportunities for carriers. Uber Freight’s vast network of digitally-enabled carriers, combined with Transplace’s trusted shipper technology and operational solutions,

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL SOUTH AMERICA will result in a fully-scaled logistics platform built to meet both shippers and carriers where they are, no matter the size of their business or their transportation needs.

BRAZIL South America’s trailer industry is showing good growth results after an economically troubled period due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Librelato has reported.

Over the past five months, the heavy duty vehicles industry grew by 82 per cent, while the Brazil-based OEM reached an even better result: 93 per cent, with a net operational revenue around $110 million USD and EBIT margin above 12 per cent.

The domestic market of trailers, semitrailers and bodies on chassis had an increase of 67.56 per cent. Exports grew 182.76 per cent up to May. According to José Carlos Sprícigo, CEO of Librelato, the agribusiness is the main industry booster, responsible for more than 60 per cent of operations.

“The renewal of agricultural equipment is leveraging the sales, as well as recovery of civil construction segment and the new infrastructure concessions are boosting the businesses,” he said.

“Currently, two thirds of Brazilian GDP are transported on semi-trailers.”

The Conab [National Food Supply Company] estimate a 5.7 per cent increase in national grain production.

Thus, the expected harvest is 271.7 million tons, a number that shows a 14.7 million increase of tons in comparison with the productions in 2019/2020.

“The agribusiness represents an important market for Librelato, which has lots of products developed to 24 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

this market in its portfolio, such as grain trailers and tippers, which include semi-trailers, interlink trailers, ‘rodotrens’, triple interlink tippers,” said Sprícigo.

He added that the major challenge to the market in the post-pandemic recovery is the supply bottleneck.

The high demand of the chain impacted by the pandemic has reportedly raised the costs and cleared out the stocks. Also, Sprícigo is adamant it is necessary to manage parts shortages strategically however 2022 is expected to be a more balanced year in terms of supply and demand.

Despite the challenge, Librelato keeps reaching consolidated numbers according to its strategic planning, manufacturing 60 units daily, forecasting a growth of 15-plus per cent in 2022.

For exports, Librelato also reached good numbers, with 400 products exported last year, a result that was impacted by the sanitary crisis that devastated all countries. The expectations for 2021 is to export more than one thousand products.

This performance ranks Librelato as second largest exporter of semitrailers in Brazil.

In order to aid the aftermarket in product availability, Librelato also counts with Libreparts, exclusive shops inserted in brand retailer chain.

The company’s estimated growth in aftermarket this year is 78 per cent compared to 2020.

Librelato’s business strategy also involves continuous investment.

In order to keep growing and the economic recovery, Librelato estimates an investment of about six million dollars in technology by the end of 2021. The investment is

aimed at enhancing its manufacturing processes and, consequently, develop products that can provide more safety on the roads.

Among them is the implementation of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) that manages and monitors all working processes of the plant, providing information in real-time from robot-machining in addition to monitor the personnel activities.

“The MES systems compares what was planned to what is actually being performed, optimising the whole production line, from the order issuance to the final products shipment,” said Sprícigo.

In addition to the new management processes, Librelato will launch line 2022, which includes three new products developed after long research and development processes, always focused on innovation, safety, and high technology.

Since 2019 the company has offered its clients the option that all implements come out from factory totally connected, such technology affords to the fleet owners and carriers a smart transport management.

The new implements may be fitted with Electronic Braking Systems (EBS) which shall become a compulsory item as of 2023 in Brazil.

EBS is installed close to the wheels and regulates the brake pressure, in addition to calculating the braking intensity the driver will apply and how much pressure would be required to brake.

Another highlight of Librelato’s Research and Development – R&D – is the energy efficiency applied to the product design, with technical solutions that deliver greater load capacity, better aerodynamics, and longer service life, in addition to a

NEWS INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE EAST propelled axle and solar panels.

“Librelato is proud of being one of the most innovative trailers builder in Brazil,” said Sprícigo. “We always seek to generate value and safety on the roads, as well as wide product availability to customers so that fleet owners and the transport industry, in general, can reach the best management of their fleet all over the country.”

BRAZIL Equipment specialist, JOST Brasil, has produced one million fifth wheels since it commenced operations in 1995.

The managers and employees who work directly in the manufacturer of the product, according to JOST World, gathered to celebrate on 16 June 2021.

“The company customised a fifth wheel model which symbolically left the production line and will be displayed at the company so that the JOST Brasil team can sign it, take photos and post them on the social networks with the hashtag #1MIQRJOSTBR,” JOST World said in a statement.

KUWAIT Kout Food Group (KFG), which manages restaurant operations and international franchise brands in Kuwait, has inaugurated its 16,000-square-metre warehouse for a storage, distribution centre and truck park at the Agility Logistics Park (ALP) in Sulaibiya.

KFG will establish its Distribution Centre (DC) in Agility’s recently completed 26,000-square-metre logistics warehouse, which was developed by ALP. The facility is the largest logistics warehouse in Kuwait.

26 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

KFG will use the ALP facility to store and distribute its goods, including food, near food and non-food products in the distribution center. From the ALP, KFG will deliver to its restaurants and Al Homaizi Fresh Productions and Al Homaizi Family companies. KFG’s fleet of 25 trucks will deliver from the DC at the ALP to its stores and restaurants across Kuwait.

“We are pleased to welcome KFG to our premises, and congratulate them on the establishment of the distribution centre at our ALP in Sulaibiya,” said Nader Sakeen, CEO of ALP Kuwait and GCC. “Agility is a leader in the design and construction of logistics parks and warehouses. We deliver large-scale projects that help accelerate growth and enhance operational efficiency for companies in Kuwait, whether they are multinationals, leading national and regional businesses, or small and medium-sized companies.”

KFG Deputy CEO Amin Mohammed said: “We are proud to launch our new and modern distribution centre in cooperation with Agility. We believe we have the best of both worlds, a state-of-the-art warehouse built to meet our standards and requirements provided by Agility, along with the best warehouse equipment provided by our team at KFG. We look forward to a fruitful relationship with Agility from our new facility.”

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Germany-based company, DB Schenker, and Dubai-based business, Aramex, have signed a strategic partnership to action synergistic opportunities between Abu Dhabi and the wider MEA region.

By leveraging DB Schenker’s extensive global experience in

specialised freight forwarding solutions across multiple industries, the partnership will seek to further boost Aramex’s capabilities and offerings in the region, including, but not limited to, the aerospace, defense, infrastructure, and healthcare industries. Conversely, by teaming up with Aramex and capitalising on its strong brand identity, leadership position, deep knowledge and expertise in the region, DB Schenker will be able to expand its presence more comprehensively in Abu Dhabi, a strategic and growing trade and logistics hub in the MEA region.

Commenting on the memorandum of understanding, Othman Aljeda, CEO of Aramex, said: “This is a very exciting strategic partnership that has the potential to unlock more value for existing customers while also enabling us to realise our commercial and diversification goals. Over the several years, we have been strategically focused on enhancing our core freight forwarding business through investment in technologies and expanding on the ground operations with the intention of enhancing our capabilities, capturing greater market share in core markets and diversifying our customer base by penetrating new industry verticals. By joining forces with DB Schenker, a global logistics company we regard as truly complementary to ours in the region, we will accelerate the realisation of our goals in the freight forwarding business. Our alliance will enable Aramex to become a stronger, more competitive player in the sea and air freight forwarding services in Abu Dhabi and other core markets. While we are working on the partnership agreement and will update the market in due course on our final agreement,

NEWS INTERNATIONAL OCEANIA EUROPE on behalf of the Aramex team, I look forward to working alongside the DB Schenker team.”

Christopher Smith, CEO of DB Schenker, Middle East & Africa, said: “At DB Schenker, we recognise the immense opportunities emanating from Abu Dhabi and the MEA region.

We believe our alliance with Aramex was a natural choice given their history, expertise, knowledge, and extensive network in the region. I am confident that together, we will be able to grow our footprint in Abu Dhabi and the wider MEA region. We are excited about this expansion plan, and we look forward to realising synergies and scaling our operations in the region to serve our existing major accounts and new potential clients more comprehensively.”

AUSTRALIA MaxiTRANS Industries Limited (MXI) is divesting a business unit and select properties for a total sale price of $48.3 million AUD (approx. €30 MaxiTRANS announces $48M sale.

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million).

MXI has entered into an asset sale agreement to sell the Trailer Solutions Business (Trailers) and Ballarat property to Australia-based private investors, Australian Trailer Solutions Group (ATSG), subject to shareholder approval, for $30.257 million AUD (approx. €19 million).

Trailers includes MaxiTRANS trailer manufacturing, service, rental and MaxiTRANS owned dealers in Australia and New Zealand.

In addition, MXI is in advanced discussions to sell its Derrimut and Hallam sites to a third party for a cash consideration of $18.05 million AUD (approx. €11.3 million). The sale of these properties will be subject to completion of the sale of Trailers.

These transactions are expected to transform MXI into a dedicated commercial parts distribution business and is consistent with MXI’s strategy to optimise growth opportunities in MaxiPARTS. MXI will change its name to MaxiPARTS

Limited (MaxiParts), while Trailers will continue to operate under the MaxiTRANS name.

“What we are announcing today creates two simplified and more focused businesses,” said MaxiTRANS Managing Director and CEO, Dean Jenkins.

“In recent years, the financial performance of Trailers has been volatile,” said Jenkins. “Having explored a range of alternatives to address these issues, we have concluded that these steps provide the best outcome for our shareholders, customers and people, while also creating a brighter future for the Trailers business under ATSG’s ownership.

“A standalone MaxiPARTS will have a stronger financial platform from which to develop its market-leading position and greater financial flexibility to play a prominent role in industry consolidation.

It will also be a less complex business, which will enable a significant reduction in corporate overhead costs.”

Completion of the sale is subject to certain conditions, including shareholder approval, and is expected to occur by the end of August 2021. While the change separates MaxiPARTS and MaxiTRANS both businesses have formally agreed to continue working together into the future.

“For 75 years, we have been building MaxiTRANS into one of the transport industry’s leading companies,” said Jenkins. “MaxiTRANS and MaxiPARTS will continue to build on this heritage, with our ongoing commitment to our customers, employees, suppliers, and the transport industry to deliver safer, more efficient, and reliable transport solutions. We will continue to provide ongoing customer support wherever and whenever it is needed.”

Because my customers want to know when their goods will arrive.

NEWS

OCEANIA AUSTRALIA Composite technology company, Omni Tanker, is participating in a co-funded $1.4 million AUD project (approx. €888,199) to develop and commercialise a storage solution for cryogenic liquid fuels.

Lockheed Martin, Omni Tanker and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) will look to develop and commercialise world-first composite tank technologies thanks to a grant from the Australian Federal Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC).

The project, announced as part of AMGC’s Commercialisation Fund

launch, will utilise two revolutionary home-grown technologies to solve the challenges of using composites for the transportation and storage of liquid hydrogen with applications on ground, in the air, underwater and in space.

Combining nano-engineering technology developed by UNSW in partnership with Lockheed Martin and Omni Tanker, and Omni Tanker’s patented OmniBIND technology, the collaboration will result in the development of two new operational scale propellant tanks for storing cryogenic liquid fuels for commercial and civil satellite programs: a ‘Type IV’ fluoropolymer-lined carbon fibre composite tank and a ‘Type V’ linerless

carbon fibre composite tank, both of which are suitable for high pressures, the extreme cryogenic temperatures required for liquid hydrogen as well as oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine.

Christopher Hess, Head of Industrial Development, Lockheed Martin Australia acknowledged the support of AMGC and welcomed the opportunity for ongoing collaboration with UNSW and Omni Tanker.

“Lockheed Martin invests millions of dollars every year into R&D programs with our Australian industry and research partners to solve real challenges facing our Global Supply Chains,” he said. “We have had a

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL OCEANIA

Global aerospace company partners with Australian manufacturer of composite road tankers.

long-standing research collaboration with UNSW and Omni Tanker, and we are grateful for the support of the AMGC as we now look to commercialise these cutting edge, Australian-developed composite tank technologies for a number of Lockheed Martin and NASA applications.”

David Ball, Regional Director Australia and New Zealand, Lockheed Martin Space, confirmed the development of composite tanks that are lightweight, cost-effective, and resistant to microcracking and permeation represents a unique and innovative technological solution with significant space applications.

“As the world increasingly looks 3 0 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

to hydrogen for emission-free energy, containing and transporting it in a safe, cost-effective and economic manner remains extremely challenging,” he said.

“The space industry is particularly interested in the development of linerless composite tanks for their weight efficiency and durability, which represent the cutting edge of composite pressure vessel manufacturing.

“These advances have the potential to support the growth of Australia’s sovereign space capabilities, strengthen exports to space-faring allies and partner nations, and make an important technological contribution to future space missions

particularly in on-orbit storage, launch and deep space exploration.”

AMGC Managing Director, Dr Jens Goennemann, said: “Creating a lightweight vessel for transporting liquid hydrogen at minus 253 degrees Celsius is no simple thing – whether you’re moving it along a highway or to outer space – but it’s Australian know-how that is making it possible.

“That’s why AMGC is supporting Omni Tanker and its collaborative partners to engineer and manufacture a solution to this problem and offer it globally.”

The project builds on a recent invention by the research team at UNSW led by Professor Chun

NEWS

OCEANIA Wang, which enables carbon fibre composites to withstand liquid hydrogen temperatures without matrix cracks – a challenge that has, up until now, prevented mass-market adoption of these materials for such applications.

“This new technology is the result of an outstanding collaboration and partnership between UNSW, Lockheed Martin and Omni Tanker over the past four years,” said Wang.

“It is wonderful seeing our research achievement is now moving closer towards commercial success and generating social and economic impact in Australia and beyond.”

Omni Tanker, with its significant experience in the development and commercialisation of strong, lightweight composite transport vessels, has the know-how and technology to translate the recent research innovations for a myriad of applications.

“This next phase in our collaboration with Lockheed Martin and UNSW is a landmark development that sees Omni Tanker’s seamless thermoplastic lining technology enter the aerospace sector,” said Omni Tanker CEO, Daniel Rodgers.

“The OmniBIND technology has made inroads to revolutionising the safe and efficient movement of challenging liquids within the chemical transport sector. Now the growing need to decarbonise the energy industry, and the re-usable low-earth-orbit satellite market, have the potential to drive major utilisation for these new technologies.”

Omni Tanker Chief Technical Officer, Dr Luke Djukic, said: “We are excited to work with Lockheed Martin and UNSW on this ground-breaking project, which leverages our patented

technology. It is also a credit to the talented Australian engineering team that we have assembled at Omni Tanker.”

AUSTRALIA Sidelifter specialist, Steelbro, and trailer manufacturer, Howard Porter, are expanding their footprint in Australia with the opening of a strategically located sales and service operation in Brisbane.

Newly appointed Business Development Sales and Service Manager, Malcolm Newcombe, will be based in the new Brisbane facility supporting customers across the east coast of Australia for both sidelifter and trailer sales.

The new sales and workshop facility at 130 Benjamin Place, Lytton, Port of Brisbane precinct is well located to increase direct support to customers with good access to the Brisbane Port motorway.

The facility will provide Sidelifter servicing, repairs, and maintenance for all Sidelifter brands and models and will also stock a wide range of genuine Steelbro parts. New Sidelifter sales will also be supported

by technical support and training from the Brisbane base.

“We are focussed on increasing customer satisfaction,” said Managing Director, Roy Lombardi.

“The new facility reflects our dedication to increase support and product back up. We are excited to be able to offer, directly, a wide range of services and support for the Steelbro brand to customers in the greater Brisbane area. The new facility also enables us to stock a range of Howard Porter trailers for direct sale into the Queensland market.”

Malcolm Newcombe will join the Steelbro team in early August in the role of Business Development Sales and Service Manager covering the territories of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. Newcombe has more than 15 years of experience within the trailer industry.

“Adding Malcolm to the team with his extensive industry connections at the same time as opening the facility will enable us to deliver our strategy of increased growth and position us as a supplier of choice for customers in the region,” said Lombardi.

The SB363 sidelifter has a 36-tonne lifting capacity.

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SERCO INDUSTRIES CELEBRATES

40-YEAR MILESTONE

CLINTON HOLCROFT – CEO OF SERCO INDUSTRIES IN SOUTH AFRICA – SAYS THE ONLY THING WE CAN SAY ABOUT THE FUTURE WITH CERTAINTY IS THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MORE CRISES, IT’S HOW WE RESPOND AND ADAPT THAT DETERMINES IF WE WILL COME THROUGH STRONGER OR NOT.

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COVER STORY

F

ounded in 1981 from humble beginnings as a family business, SERCO has grown exponentially into one of South Africa’s leading and most trusted insulated and dry freight truck body and trailer building companies.

SERCO is based on a cornerstone philosophy: As it strives to help clients grow and prosper so, too, does it grow and prosper. The company name was derived from ‘service company’ to reflect its committed focus on service to the transport industry.

Today, Clinton Holcroft runs the business as CEO, while his father, and company founder, Trevor, serves as Chairman.

“In the early days SERCO was known for going the extra mile against larger competitors and being infamous for the annual SERCO thrash, a huge party for truckers,” said Clinton Holcroft. “In more recent times investments have been made into 3D technical design software and new panel manufacturing technology.

The business has branched out by growing dry freight truck body sales, preowned trailer sales and operates a small fleet of rental refrigerated semi-trailers.

We are a supplier to leading retailers and transporters within South Africa and neighbouring African countries.”

More than 400 staff currently work for SERCO at branches in Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Gqeberha (PE).

From the beginning, SERCO’s vision has been to manufacture great vehicle bodies and products that benchmark well against international standards, enabling low lifecycle costs for the transport industry while providing its customers with a competitive edge.

“SERCO’s vehicles are relied on by many of Southern Africa’s transport and long-distance hauliers to carry everything from ice cream to day-old chicks, from beef to bread – safely and hygienically,” said Clinton Holcroft. “The company has an enviable nation-wide reputation for quality and innovation in truck bodies and trailers and an unrivalled customer service ethic.”

SERCO is focused on expanding its product range to more broadly cover the

SERCO Industries CEO, Clinton Holcroft.

TI M E LI N E • 1981 Founded in Durban South Africa

by Trevor Holcroft manufacturing small insulated bodies, vending carts and vehicle body repairs.

• 1984 SERCO moved to larger premises and begins manufacturing trailers.

• 1996 Clinton Holcroft joined the family business to help scale the business.

• 1999 SERCO acquires Newline products in Cape Town.

• 2002 SERCO opened in Johannesburg.

• 2005 Clinton Holcroft appointed Managing Director.

• 2014 SERCO appointed distributer for Whiting door products in Southern Africa.

• 2016 SERCO introduced new panel press manufacturing technology with injected PU insulating foam and coated steel facings.

• 2017 SERCO appointed distributer for LoadLok products in Southern Africa.

• 2017 SERCO opens in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).

• 2019 Charl Coetzee appointed Managing Director; Clinton Holcroft appointed CEO; Trevor Holcroft becomes non-executive Chairman.

• 2019 SERCO wins KZN Productivity SA awards.

• 2019 SERCO receives Gold award at Automechanika Johannesburg for trailer thermal performance.

• 2020 SERCO broadens product range to include more dry freight pantechnicon bodies.

• 2021 SERCO reaches milestone of 40 years.

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 3

transport of dry freight and is introducing curtainsiders, cargo van bodies and drop side flat deck bodies.

“We are also in initial trials for a smart trailer concept developed in partnership with Ikhaya Automation and Mix Telematics to enable customers to interface with the trailer for maintenance data,” said Clinton Holcroft.

The OEM also designs and manufactures refrigerated truck bodies and trailers (FrostLiner and composite); meat carriers; dry freight truck bodies and trailers (DryLiner and composite); interlink trailer combinations, special purpose vehicles for promotional events, medical applications, theatre and mobile broadcasting; steel single skin cargo SERCO factory in Durban. van bodies; drop side bodies and curtain-side truck bodies and trailers.

The SERCO FrostLiner was awarded a gold medal for thermal performance at Automechanika Johannesburg 2019 and is the first reefer in South Africa to meet SABS standards for thermal performance of frozen goods (based on the European ATP standards).

The SABS ATP parameter is 0.4kw – the Protec Steel FrostLiner trailer tested achieved an outstanding 0.36kw. Features include improved thermal performance of up to 40 per cent, reduced carbon impact on the environment, improved product shelf life and reduced load loss.

“The panels on this trailer build are the company’s latest innovation, manufactured using coated steel facings delivered to SERCO in five-tonne coils,” said Clinton Holcroft. “Customised machinery designed specifically for the new process includes a panel turnover device for assembly and a clinching machine to join the coated steel facings into a single, full length sheet which is then lifted, using a spreader crane with suction cups, to transfer the sheets of up to 15.5m in length into the 900-tonne panel press. A state-of-the-art system then mixes the Polyol and Isocyanate with an environmentally friendly blowing agent to create a high density polyurethane foam which is injected into the panel.

Testing has been extensive and we have achieved noticeable improvements in thermal performance and panel strength, which reflect our ongoing quest for innovation and our commitment to industry-leading standards of product quality.

The FrostLiner trailer, a proudly South African product manufactured according to international standards at our factory site in Durban, is supported by our national repair divisions.”

SERCO has also seen accelerated growth in online purchases of food products and general products which are generally picked at store level and distributed directly to individual homes where quick turnaround has been a priority.

“The surge in online shopping since the outbreak of Covid-19 has resulted in SERCO now offering purpose-built vehicles to deliver goods to front doors,” said Clinton Holcroft. “Orders for lightweight bodies – which vary in length from 2.3m to 8.5m – have grown and there is potential for further business. Similarly, the security of vehicle load is also a high priority for South African transporters who are putting in cameras and telematics systems to counter shrinkage during transit. To some extent we have been able to incorporate the wiring requitements

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DU RBAN-BASE D CITY LOG ISTICS EXPAN DS FLE ET WITH SE RCO I N DUSTRI ES’ TRUCK BODI ES SERCO has supplied 17 DryLiner bodies for Durban-based City Logistics to add to its wide-ranging fleet, as well as an additional 16 demountable DryLiners.

City Logistics has established a comprehensive distribution network operating throughout South Africa and into neighbouring countries such as Botswana and Namibia. Daily operations – involving the 450-strong distribution fleet – include deliveries to major shopping centres as well as overnight road freight services.

The linehaul division boasts a fleet of more than 500 vehicles operating on a 24-hour basis, providing an inter-depot service for distribution and point-to-point delivery.

SERCO CEO, Clinton Holcroft, said City Logistics required high cube load bodies.

SERCO offered the DryLiner body built using Protec steel facings and an injected foam core to provide a highly durable and lightweight panel construction.

“We were thus able to accommodate the customer’s requirements with the 8.25m and 8.8m bodies which were constructed at Serco’s Durban factory and handed over to City Logistics in August,” he said.

Fleet Director Anthony Naicker said City Logistics was pleased with the builds and looked forward to continuing growing the partnership with SERCO.

COVER STORY

into our panel construction to accommodate the fitment of such accessories. Over the next decade I believe we will see a lot more use of telematics to improve efficiencies in maintaining trailers. In the past it was quite expensive but what we are seeing now is technology becoming more affordable. All this is very positive for reducing wear and tear on the vehicle as well as improving safety and reducing running costs.”

SERCO also offers pre-owned refrigerated trailers which can be refurbished and rebranded to meet a customer’s requirements.

“We have 10 refrigerated semi-trailers which are available to rent inclusive of maintenance,” said Clinton Holcroft. “Rentals and preowned trailers have seen steady demand due to the need for flexibility by transporters as well as the high capital cost for new rigs. We also have a full range of trailer and truck body spares, these are generally stored centrally at our main facility in Durban. We offer a basket of popular spares at our various branches. This includes load securing solutions, Whiting roll over doors and the usual vehicle body spares.

In addition to spare parts we have opted to provide repair divisions in the major centres

around South Africa to support our product. This enables us to service our customers at locations convenient to them. We also offer limited onsite repair services for larger fleets where down time can be minimised, and the box integrity maintained through timely attention when required.”

SERCO also offers load restraint accessories, having partnered with LoadLok since 2017 to distribute their full range in South Africa.

“We saw the need for better load securing solutions,” said Clinton Holcroft.

“With LoadLok being a leader in Europe we decided that partnering with them to introduce their products to South Africa would be beneficial.”

The OEM offers a range of load securing bars, rails and straps in conjunction with LoadLok. “We developed with LoadLok the ‘Captive load securing system’ for local customers after finding they were experiencing challenges with load securing bars which often went missing and as a result the loads were not being well secured causing product damage,” said Clinton Holcroft. “Local transporters also wanted a solution which was flexible to handle rolltainers and or pallets.

The system has adjustable moveable load securing bars, fitted in a wall mounted track. The bars are non removeable from the vehicle. A turning device enables the bar to be stowed when not required. To date we have fitted over a 100 such Captive systems to various size truck bodies and trailers.”

Reflecting on SERCO’s history, Clinton Holcroft is proud to see how far the family business has come.

“We are immensely grateful to our customers and our SERCO team, who without their support we would not be here,” he said. “Our core purpose of giving transporters the edge speaks to our drive for continuous improvement, innovation and delivering low lifecycle costs to our customers.” www.serco.co.za

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THE

STATE NATION OF A

AUSTRIA IS KEEPING PACE WITH DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING AND PARCEL DELIVERY, WHILE SCHWARZMÜLLER GROUP PREPARES FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF INTERNATIONAL GROWTH.

I

ndustrial production in Austria, according to Trading Economics, advanced 23.4 per cent year-on-year in May 2021, following a revised record 33.8 per cent in April, reflecting a continued economic recovery and the low base effect.

Growth was recorded in mining and quarrying (14.3 per cent versus 10 per cent in April); manufacturing (26.3 per cent versus 39.2 per cent); electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (20.5 per cent versus 7.2 per cent) and construction (21 per cent versus 37.9 per cent). Conversely, water supply, sewage, waste management and remediation activities posted another decline (-8

3 6 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

per cent vs -14.8 per cent). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, industrial production was unchanged.

In June 2021, manufacturing hit a new record. The UniCredit Bank Austria Manufacturing PMI climbed to 67 in June of 2021 from 66.4 in the previous month. The latest reading pointed to the third consecutive

MARKET REPORT

quarter. There were widespread hopes of a sustained recovery in demand over the next 12 months, and an eventual easing of supply chain disruption.

Meanwhile, Direct Parcel Distribution Austria (DPD Austria) revealed more than 28 per cent growth in its half-year figures.

The private parcel service provider recorded a significant increase in volumes in the first half of the year – more than 33 million parcels moved which represent an increase of 28.5 per cent compared to the first half of 2020.

DPD Austria counteracts the ongoing parcel boom with a strong Austriawide network as well as investments and innovations.

“The growth in online retail has risen inexorably since the beginning of the [Covid-19 pandemic] and continues to rise,” said Rainer Schwarz, Managing Director DPD Austria. “We do everything we can to meet this challenge to the satisfaction of our customers. To this end, we are expanding our Austria-wide network and investing in many areas - from technology to digitisation. We are aware that we are an important partner for maintaining the economic cycle are.”



“WE HAVE EARMARKED AROUND 20 MILLION EUROS FOR THIS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.

BY THE END OF THE YEAR WE WILL HAVE THE LARGEST PARCEL SHOP NE T WORK IN AUSTRIA WITH AROUND 2,000 PICKUP LOCATIONS.” Rainer Schwarz Managing Director DPD Austria

record growth in the factory sector, driven by an ongoing surge in new orders as demand continued to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Production levels were raised further, although the pace of output growth eased amid constraints from supply shortages. Lengthening input lead-times and sharply rising backlogs of work underscored a general imbalance between supply and demand, which in turn helped push up rates of inflation of both input costs and output prices to new record highs at the end of the second

In the first quarter of 2021, unbelievable growth rates were already apparent in the B2C area, according to the company. These continued in the second quarter.

“If you compare the first half of 2021 with that of 2020, this area has increased by almost 60 per cent and more than five million packages,” said Schwarz. “With these figures, we see further confirmation that consumer behaviour has changed permanently due to corona and that a decline to the pre-Covid level is hardly to be expected in this segment.”

In the B2B space – DPD’s main line of business – the company grew by almost 12 per cent in the first half of the year and thus two million parcels more than in the same period in 2020.

“We are countering all these developments, which are challenging for our entire organisation, among other things with investments in depot, tour and network expansion as well as in innovations,” said Schwarz. “We have earmarked around 20 million euros for this for the current year. By the end of the year we will have the largest parcel shop network in Austria with around 2,000 pickup locations.”

Founded in 1988 as the first private parcel service (at that time APSAustria Paket System), DPD relies on the logistics infrastructure of its shareholders - Austria’s leading freight forwarders Gebrüder Weiss, Lagermax and Schachinger. DPD Austria offers a first-class range of services for national and international parcel distribution. Around 1,700 logistics experts work for DPD across Austria. The company has a transport fleet of 1,200

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 “OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, STEEL HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN PRICE, OR HAS SOME TIMES BEEN COMPLE TELY UNAVAILABLE. PR ACTICALLY ALL PRODUCTION AREAS HAVE BEEN RUNNING AT FULL CAPACIT Y. GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT SUPPORT FOR NEW TR AILERS HAS STIMULATED DEMAND FURTHER.” Roland Hartwig CEO of Schwarzmüller

vehicles that carried more than 57 million parcels in 2020. The DPD pickup network now comprises 1,800 pickup locations (parcel shops and stations) throughout Austria. Thanks to innovative technologies, local know-how and first-class customer service, DPD offers the best possible parcel services for senders and recipients. As part of the DPDgroup, DPD Austria can fall back on a solid road network in Europe, has access to around 58,000 pickup locations throughout Europe and offers delivery to 230 countries / territories worldwide. 77,000 shipping experts work in this network to move more than 5.3 million parcels every day.

A diverse trailer builder with booming sales – Schwarzmüller

With turnover of 210 million euros for the first half of 2021, the Schwarzmüller Group, situated in upper Austria, has rebounded from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the first six months of 2021, the company’s four factories produced 5,348 vehicles. Growth of 10 per cent compared to 2020 is anticipated, with a total turnover of 400 million euros (2020: 366 million euros). Also, the OEM’s order levels are reported to be far ahead of budget although materials shortages prevent an increase in production capacity.

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New innovations like JOST’s KKS automatic coupling are seeing active service in Austria.

Roland Hartwig, the CEO of Schwarzmüller, said an annual turnover of 400 million euros would be the company’s highest ever.

“The boom is being driven by the new Power Line vehicles for long-distance transport,” he said. “This segment accounts for 2,950 vehicles, or 55 per cent of this year’s production output. Construction and infrastructure is the second-largest, at 45 per cent or 2,400 vehicles. This means the ratio seen in previous years has reversed, due to the current higher backlog in long-distance transport. The Power Line has become a niche product now too, with significant advantages over standard trailers, as Hartwig emphasised.

This reflects the strategic focus on supplying vehicles to demanding haulage companies, which expect a higher level of performance from their equipment.”

As for construction and infrastructure, tippers and moving floor trailers proved popular for Schwarzmüller, with Hüffermann container transport vehicles also in high demand.

In Austria and Poland, for instance, and also in Germany, Hüffermann products are selling better than ever, according to Hartwig, who attributes this success to the combined sales force for both brands.

For the first half of 2021, Germany is still the largest single market for

MARKET REPORT

Schwarzmüller, with approximately 2,100 vehicles. Construction and infrastructure are the dominant segments there, making the market less dynamic than in Poland, where sales include a high proportion of long-distance trailers. In Poland, the sales target of 1,000 vehicles for the year has already been met, after just six months.

In 2020, the OEM’s core sales territory was Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Switzerland.

The trailer builder’s sales boom is reported to be not purely due to pent-up demand.

The current shortage of materials is particularly marked in steel and electronic components, Hartwig explained.

“Over the last six months, steel has more than doubled in price, or has sometimes been completely unavailable,” he said.

“Practically all production areas have been running at full capacity. Government

A JOST ROCKINGER coupling.

investment support for new trailers has stimulated demand further.”

The backlog from last year is likely to persist until the end of 2021. Hartwig then expects some easing in the availability of components.

The current boom, he said, includes a substantial number of advance

www.aspoeck.com

Order levels are up for Austrian OEM, Schwarzmüller.

purchases. This might have a dampening effect on business next year.

Schwarzmüller is also prioritising sustainability at all levels throughout the Group.

Product innovations such as Power Line allow noticeable fuel savings on empty runs. Greater load capacity also means fewer trips and reduced emissions. In Austria, Schwarzmüller has begun to supply the entire manufacturing process with photovoltaic energy. Equipment is currently being installed at all six production locations. The Group is also working to improve the energy balance in its international locations.

The next step for Schwarzmüller is growth at an international level.

“The greatest potential for us, as niche providers of trailers with guaranteed added value, lies in the large markets where we are still barely present,” said Hartwig. “There is plenty of room for us in the markets to the west and south.”

He added it has proved expedient to work with existing organisations for entry into medium-sized markets. Manufacturers of niche vehicles are often successful on a regional level. There are opportunities for them in international markets, but to realise these, they need a partner like Schwarzmüller. We produce almost all types of trailers for road haulage so we know how to achieve international success with them.”

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JOST reflects on its presence in the Austrian market

Although the Austrian market is very small on the European map, it is of great importance to JOST: The ROCKINGER brand, with its towing hitches, has a long tradition in Austria.

The ROCKINGER towing hitch RO*50E is particularly popular. This exclusive 50 mm hitch is equipped with the proven ROCKINGER release lever technology, where the pin only closes when the drawbar eye is securely and precisely in the jaw - no matter how unfavourable the drawbar eye angle is. The fact that this is always ready to be coupled is also always positively noticed by customers.

“Last year we introduced the new cast steel funnel for robust coupling, even under adverse conditions, and this has been very

MARKET REPORT

well received by customers,” said Robert Molitoris, JOST’s long-standing sales manager for Austria, and also highlights the rotating coupling pin, which ensures reduced wear.

The current designs of articulated or rigid drawbar trailers mean that in some circumstances towing hitches are difficult or impossible to reach. For this reason, ROCKINGER offers the possibility of retrofitting towing hitches with various remote controls and remote displays with its clever modular system. The latest product here is the remote control with Duomatic connection. The pneumatic version supports the opening of the coupling powerfully and simply via the connection to the brake interface at the rear of the truck.

But the latest innovation on the part of ROCKINGER is the Drawbar Finder, in which a camera sits protected above the towing hitch. In the sense of augmented

reality, an image is superimposed on the driver with auxiliary lines, a bit like you know from reversing cameras in cars. There is only one big difference here: “We also have to offer the driver an auxiliary tool with which he can adjust the height to hit the drawbar” Robert Molitoris explains further. The Drawbar Finder can be retrofitted and does not require any work on the trailer.

Thanks to JOST’s close cooperation with the OEMs, it is possible to transfer the image of the Drawbar Finder to the already existing displays in the vehicles.

ROCKINGER also offers all these options as a complete system, i.e. additionally pre-assembled on the crossbeam as well as with the LubeTronic lubrication unit, where the cartridge filled with special oil makes the grease filling in the automatic unit – like applications in low temperatures – smoother.

In response to demand from the Austrian market, MAN now offers the ROCKINGER 40mm version RO*40E ex works.

JOST also offers a contribution to automated driving in Austria with the fully automatic coupling system KKS. The trailer and body manufacturer Scheuwimmer GmbH Fahrzeugbau near Naarn/Perg is one of the first Austrian users to use the JOST KKS for internal transport and wants to increase efficiency as well as comfort and safety for the drivers.

The JOST KKS automatic coupling system enables the driver to carry out the process of coupling and uncoupling automatically, quickly and safely from the cab by remote control. www.globaltrailermag.com

Schwarzmüller production site.

NEW WORLD THE 2021 GLOBAL OEM RANKING LIST REVEALS THE TOP 40 SEMI-TRAILER MANUFACTURERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BASED SOLELY ON PRODUCTION OUTPUT FOR THE PERIOD 1 JULY 2020 TO 30 JUNE 2021. ANOTHER YEAR OF COVID-19 AND MARKET VOLATILITY HAS SEEN SOME SEISMIC SHIFTS IN HOW THESE LEADING OEMS OPERATE UNDER CHALLENGING AND EVER-CHANGING CONDITIONS.

Y

et again China’s mighty CIMC Group reigns supreme with a total production estimate that more than triples the outcome of the next contender.

CIMC Vehicles sold 160,342 semi-trailers in total during 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021. The OEM’s operating principle involves basing production on sales prospects – in other words the sales number is very close to the production number. According to CIMC’s prospectus, the sales output ratio was 98.3 per cent, while the average rate for 2017-2020 was 99.55 per cent. Therefore, CIMC Vehicles’ actual production number falls between 161,066 and 163,115.

For 2020, CIMC Group sold a total of 131,327 units (2019: 117,707 units) of semi-trailers worldwide. A total of 56,449 sets (2019: 46,267 sets) of truck bodies for specialty vehicles and 6,049 units (2019: 4,455 units) of truck bodies for refrigerated trucks were sold in China. “As the global economy was affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, [the Government of the People’s Republic of China] proposed a new development pattern with ‘the domestic circulation as the mainstay and the domestic and international dual circulation promoting each other’, which has provided broad development room for the logistics and transportation market and the sophisticated manufacturing industry in China,” CIMC Vehicles said in a statement. “Business segments of the Group in the China market recorded strong growth, which contributed to the overall revenue performance, with the total revenue of 26,247.2 million RMB, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.0 per cent and hitting a record high.”

Germany makes a triumphant comeback

Notably absent from last year’s ranking, due to a delay in confirming results, Schmitz Cargobull has returned. Positive results, a change of 6.0 per cent year-on-year, show that even though the Covid-19 pandemic has widely affected the trailer building industry, Germany’s trailer building powerhouse continues to persevere.

In recent times, the OEM has expanded production capabilities in the UK following the launch of a new facility. It has also brought to market a series of new semi-trailer designs – the EcoGeneration – that champion aerodynamics, greater fuel efficiency and higher productivity through clever engineering.

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Particularly, these product developments align with a greater vision to introduce road transport technology that provide sustainable, green solutions for fleets across Europe and beyond.

The US swoops in

Going by the numbers, it’s evident that the Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted several North American players. For Great Dane, however, the disruption was enough to stall positive year-on-year output. In a case study from the OEM, Boyle Transportation was one of the first road freight companies to transport Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer’s global supply manufacturing plant to distribution points across the US. The Co-President of this fleet, Andrew Boyle, was adamant that the best practices in technology and equipment made these Covid-19 vaccine deliveries possible.

The partnership between Boyle Transportation and Great Dane has endured for 30 years and goes to show how important the OEM-fleet relationship is in the context of the wider supply chain, especially when it comes to the delivery of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals.

“Having a relationship like this enables them to help advance our fleet through continually improving specifications that meet or exceed the client’s expectations,” said Boyle. “We rely heavily on the dealer to know our business and spec equipment

SPECIAL REPORT

ORDER with premium specifications to minimise downtime because when we’re transporting critical goods, failure’s not an option. The fact that we’ve never had a trailer fail is a testament to the high-quality product that Great Dane sells us.”

Krones rises through the ranks

The last 12 months have been especially busy for the German OEM with facility improvements and new products rolling out. The trailer builder established two new assembly lines at its site in Herzlake which increased capacity to more than 180 units (dry freight trailers) per week.

This investment bolstered Krone’s Dry Liner product portfolio, enabling four basic models with different side wall types to accommodate a variety of applications.

Complementing its diverse product range, Krone is also continuously developing its Mega Liner which now boasts maximum payload, easy height adjustment, convenient handling, extreme versatility and longer service life. The tare weight is less than 6,500 kg, in the Ultra-Light version even less than 5,900kg. Thanks to the new roof design, the hydraulic lifting roof can be opened and closed up to 500mm without any major effort.

With the Safe Curtain load-securing tarpaulin for particularly fast and safe loading and unloading during high-frequency volume transportation.

Due to its sophisticated modular system, the Mega Liner can be made fit for numerous individual requirements – from piggyback capability to hydraulic rear widening. The combination of the KTL plus powder-treated chassis and the pre-galvanised components ensures particularly high corrosion protection.

A new vision for Wabash National

Like its US counterparts, Wabash National doubled down on a customercentric approach while also preparing for strategic growth. The trailer manufacturer turned transport and logistics solutions provider adapted to the challenges that Covid-19 presented the nation and actioned a new final mile strategy.

This pivot came in the form of a restructure called ‘One Wabash’.

“Our new organisational structure based on value streams and customer centricity is yielding early and significant wins of reducing friction for

customers and is allowing us to think in new and interesting ways,” Wabash National CEO, Brent Yeagy, said in a letter to shareholders in April 2021.

“Our purpose, vision and mission provide common direction throughout our organisation, and the growth of a values-based culture that is also shaped by our Wabash Management System helps us act with renewed strategic purpose.”

This strategy, scaling to serve strong customer demand, appears to be working as the company’s Q2 2021 net sales of $449.4 million USD were up by 32.5 per cent compared to the prior year quarter.

“While the manufacturing environment continued to be broadly challenging during the second quarter, Wabash National is successfully navigating the issues created

M ETHODOLOGY While the annual Top Global OEM Ranking List has been compiled with the utmost commitment to accuracy and professionalism, it is still supplied without liability. All up, we reached out to more than 100 OEMs globally since June 2021. The official data submission deadline was 28 July 2021. If we were not able to obtain an official production number directly from the OEM – which was our preferred source – we consulted a range of industry sources to obtain an estimate. If no estimate was available, the brand was not considered.

Build numbers cover the timeframe between 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 unless stated otherwise.

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by labor scarcity and material cost increases compounded by exceptionally strong demand in our industry and in the economy as a whole,” said Yeagy.

“Our strong financial results are a testament to our employees’ dedication to serve our customers as well as our diligent cost control through the year.”

Quietly humming along, Hyundai Translead

Based on publicly available information regarding Hyundai Translead’s trailer output for the reported period, the estimation is close to half of what it was last year. Unfortunately, no representative from the company came forward in time to confirm their numbers.

The market in the US is visibly volatile as there are other OEMs in the line-up that see a negative impact upwards of 60 per cent.

In the beginning of 2021, the US-based OEM unveiled a new dry and refrigerated trailer range in addition to teasing a lightweight polymer core composite panel that aims to lower the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for fleet operators.

The new advanced fibre core composite panel was reportedly developed over the past three years in collaboration with LG Hausys, a manufacturer specialising in high performance materials including appliance and automotive components.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Translead also noted developments in producing lighter weight trailing equipment.

Utility embraces sustainability

The industrious Utility Trailer Manufacturing company has been actively focused on sustainability efforts and was even awarded for being a Top Green Provider. Utility commissioned the Ramboll Group, a third-party environmental and health consultancy, to help identify and quantify successful sustainability projects at its manufacturing facilities throughout the US. The Ramboll Group concluded that Utility saves more than $1.4 million USD per year just from reduced water, energy, materials usage and lowering overall waste generation.

One of the many ways that the company is contributing to sustainability is with the development of the Utility Aerodynamic Side Skirt (USS-120A-4) and the Utility Aerodynamic Tail (UAT). Utility’s Side Skirt comes standard on all Utility trailers and the Aerodynamic Tail comes as a factory-installed option. These two aerodynamic devices have significantly reduced emissions when paired together on a Utility trailer.

The company has also been making a positive impact on the cold food and beverage industry with Non-HFC (Non-Hydrofluorocarbon) foam ‘Solstice’. Utility is in the process of making the change to ‘Solstice’ and once available it will, according to the OEM, be the standard foam insulation in all of its reefer products. A key benefit to Non-HFC foam is that it does not incorporate strong greenhouse gases, which helps reduce the impact on climate change. This new base specification of the Non-HFC Foam complies with requirements from those regions in North America that have imposed the Non-HFC foam requirements.

Randon branches out of South America

Heated demand from sectors related to agribusiness and the sale of

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consumer goods, especially through e-commerce, as well as several acquisitions, were key drivers in South America’s Randon Companies achieving consolidated net revenue of approx. €297.9 million for Q1 2021. To date, this is a milestone achievement for the Brazil-based OEM – the best quarter of the company’s 72year history.

“The satisfactory performance that the company has been presenting in recent months is also connected to the constant investment in innovation and new technologies, which directly contributes to the improvement of efficiency and productivity,” said Randon Companies CEO, Daniel Randon.

Strategic expansion is the next phase in Randon’s grand scheme. One market of particular interest is East Africa where a new deal has been struck to ship platform trailers and tipper sets from Brazil to Kenya to be commercialised by a Randon agent.

Randon expects continuous growth in terms of market share in the next few

SPECIAL REPORT

years, reaching neighbouring countries such as Tanzania and Uganda.

“Our operation in Kenya is important to the company and is recognised by our customers,” said Randon Implementos General Director, Sandro Trentin. “East Africa is expanding rapidly as a whole, and we seek to maintain a leading role in this region with consolidated strategic partnerships.”

Sales boom in Poland

Poland-based OEM, Wielton, observed a positive trend in increasing sales of semi-trailers and trailers throughout the country with April 2021 results showing an upwards trend. Sales recovery, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, is on track for the trailer builder, which entered 2021with ambitious plans and clearly defined goals. The results achieved in the following months of this year show that, like the entire market of trailers and semi-trailers, the company is constantly strengthening its position.

The decision to use the lockdown time to modernise the plant in Wieluń also turned out to be right, which resulted in an increase in production efficiency and profitability.

These activities are reported to be of key importance due to the production of products and their components for the domestic market and for foreign plants belonging to the Wielton Group.

“The record-breaking recovery on the trailer and semi-trailer market in Poland has been going on for another month in a row,” said Piotr Kuś, General Director, Vice President of the Management Board of Wielton SA. “Currently, our goal is to focus on the implementation of the plan to increase sales volume, effective order fulfilment and rebuilding shares in

Poland. We assumed that we are aiming for 44 per cent year-on-year growth in 2021.

We intend to achieve this plan in a stable and sustainable manner. By analysing the data of the Polish Automotive Industry Association, we can assess that each month we are getting closer to achieving ambitious goals, thanks to the effective use of the demand on the domestic market.”

By July 2021, to cap off its ongoing success, the OEM Polish OEM, expanded its container trailer range with two new models.

TIRSAN Group makes some noise

With a surge of 34 per cent in year-on-year trailer production, the TIRSAN Group is gearing up to be a serious contender in the top 10.

This business operates under three different companies to drive its customers forward: Kässbohrer, Talson Trailer and Tırsan Treyler.

In 1893, when Karl Kässbohrer founded his workshop in Ulm, he redefined what

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trailer engineering could achieve. Today, thanks to 120 years of staying true to his ethos, Kässbohrer products are used in more than 55 countries.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, firstly, we have digitally upgraded our aftersales network of 598 service locations,” said Kässbohrer Board Member, İffet Türken. “In April [2020], we upgraded our aftersales network pages to include the real-time opening hours and status of all our after sales networks for the convenience of planning for our customers’ repair and maintenance. We have adapted non-sectoral habits to our industry. Increased online communication and e-learning through webinars inspired Kässbohrer K-Talks. In order to maintain communication with its stakeholders during restrictions, Kässbohrer organised a K-Talks webinar series moderated by expert team members in September. During these sessions, the finest examples of our widest product range were presented and new vehicles for the construction range, for the Nordic countries and tipper vehicles for agricultural material were introduced.”

In addition to its digital overhaul, Kässbohrer continued its R&D investments and proudly introduced 22 new vehicles to the sector in 2020.

Among its 22 new products, general cargo vehicles include a complete intermodal product range that showcases load factor and load capacity optimisations as well as the reduced weight with special urban solutions.

Tank and silo vehicles showcase developments for different sectors from food transportation to chemical and petroleum products.

The low bed range showcases loading and manoeuvrability optimisations with the addition of Kässbohrer first time suspensions systems.

As Kässbohrer designs, tests and manufactures for its customers in the EU region, the OEM also specialises in Scandinavian and Russian markets with dimensions capacities larger than EU standards.

The launch vehicles for these markets build on years-long expertise of customer satisfaction and are expected to deliver on robustness, safety and efficiency.

Meanwhile, the Kässbohrer network continues to grow. To improve customer suppport, Kässbohrer opened its head offices in France, Spain and Poland in 2020, and operated with more than nine sales offices respectively in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Poland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Russia.

Kässbohrer also expanded its aftersales network. During 2020, Kässbohrer appointed 58 new after-sales points into its wide aftersales network and now offers value-added services from 598 locations. This year, the OEM is bringing tipper and low-loader innovations to NUFAM 2021.

for its iconic products.

Charles Dutil of Canada’s largest trailer manufacturer, Manac, confirmed production volume was held back by component and labour availability. Despite this, the OEM rose to the occasion with a bump, albeit slight, in the right direction.

Tonar of Russia revealed a significant achievement year-on-year with an improvement of 43 per cent – a total output of 5,436 trailers. It jumped from position 24 to 19.

At position 20, Afrit of South Africa has performed admirably in the face of Covid-19 with an increase of 10 per cent in output.

Also, The Reefer Group is poised to make a solid comeback if all goes to plan with its hydrogen-powered innovations – the likes of CHEREAU in France are to be watched with keen interest.

This year, we welcome some other new entrants to the list including Austria’s Schwarzmüller Group and BERGERecotrail, STAS of Belgium and Russia’s Grunwald.

Many of the US numbers marked with an asterisk indicate estimates based on information obtained via other industry sources. The editorial team recognises the date range for many of these are out of sync with the preferred reporting period which may cause slight variations compared to actual results. The editorial team encourages these trailer builders to contact Global Trailer so that we can work towards 100 per cent data accuracy. www.globaltrailermag.com

The final countdown

Brazil’s Librelato held onto position 12 with a modest boost in productivity of 11,800 trailers for the reported period. A fair effort considering it managed an improvement of 28 per cent.

Lecitrailer produced 20 per cent more year-on-year and is climbing the OEM ladder, gaining two spots and currently sitting at position 15. A win for Spain.

The United Arab Emirates are represented thanks to GORICA. This tipper specialist will hopefully turn things around as the economy and the global supply chain bounce back from Covid-19. It is those ambitious construction projects in Dubai and elsewhere that prompt market demand

4 6 / G L O B A L TR A I L E R / I SS U E 6 0

DISCLAI M E R Throughout the production process, it was brought to the Global Trailer editorial team’s attention that a portion of the data provided may also contain truck bodies or intermodal containers. Global Trailer was not able to verify if any other figure was biased and thus decided to trust in the respective OEM as a source.

RAN K

OE M

COU NTRY

TOTAL PRODUCTION

2 02 0 RESU LT

2 02 0 RAN K

CHANG E MOVE M E NT

1

CIMC Vehicles Group

China

161,066

149,760

1

7%

2

Schmitz Cargobull

Germany

49,137

46,124

-

6%

New

3

Great Dane

US

48,651

50,500

4

-4%

4

Krone

Germany

45,000

37,119

6

17.50%

> >

5

Wabash National

US

36,400*

45,100

5

-19%

6

Hyundai Translead

US

34,700*

66,090

2

-47%

7

Utility Trailer Manufacturing

US

33,800*

51,900

3

-34%

8

Randon

Brazil

31,534

23,260

7

26%

9

Wielton Group

Poland

20,200

17,492

8

13%

>> > >

10

TIRSAN Group

Turkey

15,340

10,150

11

34%

>

11

Kögel

Germany

12,797

10,647

10

17%

>

12

Librelato

Brazil

11,800

8,490

12

28%

13

Stoughton

US

11,000*

16,700

9

-34%

>

14

Schwarzmüller Group

Austria

9,600

-

-

-

15

Lecitrailer

Spain

8,080

6,453

17

20%

>

16

Manac

Canada

7,800

7,200

14

7%

17

GORICA

UAE

6,100

6,500

16

-6%

18

EnTrans International

US

6,050

7,700

13

-21%

> > >

19

Tonar

Russia

5,436

3,087

24

43%

20

Afrit

South Africa

5,049

4,533

21

10%

21

The Reefer Group

France

4,938

4,861

20

2%

22

Pitts Enterprises

US

4,400*

4,865

19

-10%

23

MAC Trailers

US

4,100*

6,200

18

-34%

24

Timpte

US

3,250*

2,900

25

11%

25

Fruehauf de Mexico

US

2,599

2,700

26

4%

26

STAS

Belgium

2,500

-

-

-

27

Premier Trailer Manufacturing

US

2,425*

1,400

34

42%

>

28

Fontaine

US

2,420*

6,900

15

-65%

>

29

XPO Logistics

US

2,020*

1,770

32

12%

>

30

East Manufacturing Co

US

2,010*

3,240

23

-38%

>

31

Strick Corporation

US

2,000*

2,300

29

-13%

>

SPECIAL REPORT

32

Kentucky Trailer

US

1,965*

2,600

27

-24%

33

Felling Trailers

US

1,960*

1,790

31

-9%

> >

34

Grunwald

Russia

1,856

-

-

-

35

Trail King Industries

US

1,750*

2,400

28

-27%

36

Reitnouer

US

1,500*

3,900

22

-62%

37

Talbert Manufacturing

US

1,269*

1,270

35

~1%

38

BERGERecotrail

Austria

1,200

-

-

-

39

GRW

South Arfrica

1,096

1,868

30

-41%

40

Doepker Industries

US

1,000*

1,500

33

-33%

>

>

>

> >

>

> >

New

> >

> > > New

New

> > > New

> >

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 / 47

AN

ALL-IN-ONE SOLUTION

KRONE TELEMATICS PRESENTS AN OPEN DIGITAL STRATEGY FOR ROAD FREIGHT LOGISTICS.

I

n order to be able to easily manage different telematics systems via a single portal solution, Krone Telematics relies on a manufacturer-independent platform.

Here, the various stand-alone solutions are combined into an all-in-one solution.

Regardless of the vehicle type, manufacturer or telematics box used, the user has individual, user-specific access and can access all the data provided. With the Krone Telematics Portal, fleet operators always have an overview of their vehicles, and with the Krone Telematics App, the data is also always available on the move.

With its telematics functions, Krone Telematics ensures that fleet operators have online control over the position, condition or even temperature of their transports at all times. Thanks to the modular structure, they can put together their own customised package. For data-intensive temperature-controlled transport, there are suitable additional modules.

Krone Smart Collect telematics – KSC Solar – hits the road.

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The flexible software architecture of Krone Telematics provides open interfaces through which the transport management systems of transport and logistics companies as well as partners – for example internet portals – can be easily connected. In addition to the flexible standard interfaces, individual adaptations are also possible. To ensure the highest possible cyber security despite this flexibility, an enormous effort has been made here. For example, the encrypted transmission to the backend server is carried out by a devicespecific authentication token.

Extremely robust and fail-safe, as well as very powerful, is the Krone Smart Collect (KSC) telematics and diagnostics unit installed on the vehicle, which is also designed in the Krone Group for particularly data-intensive use in large agricultural machines. Another highlight is the maintenance-free GPS solution KSC Solar, which was developed for swap bodies and containers without their own power supply. Thanks to the built-in solar panel, the connectivity of Blue-Tooth sensors and the ability to receive firmware and configuration updates ‘over the air’, this unit is completely self-sufficient and can be used flexibly after installation.

TE LE MATI C S

When installed, the compact KSC Solar is safely recessed between the roof strips on the swap body.

clients are notified as soon as temperature starts to change,” said Shippeo COO, Lucien Besse. “This allows potential breaches of maximum temperatures to be avoided and enables electronic delivery documentation.”

Krone 360° Trailer Service Europe-wide service initiative

Krone and Shippeo partner on global integrated delivery tracking services

Trailer manufacturer, Krone, partnered with Shippeo, a European leader in realtime transportation visibility solutions in September 2020, to collaborate on real-time data- integrated services for Krone Telematics customers.

The collaboration makes Krone the first trailer manufacturer to provide real-time ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) predictions for superior fleet management capabilities within their own trailer management solution Krone Telematics. Customers will gain access to the most accurate and reliable ETA for shipment deliveries on the market, powered

by Shippeo’s proprietary machine learning algorithm which references over 200 data parameters.

“There’s a growing demand for trailers with built-in ETA prediction capabilities to manage transportation more effectively,” said Krone COO, Dr Stefan Binnewies. “Krone trailers are state of the art and now we’re adding more world-class connected services to our portfolio. Our trailers will be prepared for the digital requirements of the shipper. We want to offer the leading solutions in the market and Shippeo’s ETA is the most accurate and reliable available.”

Shippeo has integrated Krone Telematics temperature monitoring data on its real-time visibility platform, allowing all active users to monitor both delivery status and shipment integrity in real-time and all from one portal.

“Today many logistics companies still rely on a paper-based system where drivers have to verify that cold chain shipments have met stringent regulation but with real-time temperature monitoring, customer defined

Krone has developed a modular service concept. The transport company can choose whether to opt for just one basic module or to combine various modules according to its needs.

With its flexible modular system ‘Fair Care’, Krone offers to take over maintenance and wear-and-tear repairs on trailers for 24 to 72 months. Fair Care is available in three convenient packages that build on each other: ‘Light’, ‘Basic’ or ‘Complete’. This can be combined with the extension packages ‘Tyre’ for tyres, ‘Cool’ for cooling units and ‘Lifter’ for tail lifts, depending on requirements. Furthermore, there is the additional option ‘Breakdown’ for Europe-wide breakdown handling.

In addition to ‘Fair Care’, Krone has other useful services in its program, including a warranty extension for new vehicles, which can also be flexibly adapted.

Krone relies on its well-developed service partner network to ensure that drivers everywhere in Europe can always find the right service workshop quickly and easily. Through the cooperation with Alltrucks Truck & Trailer Service alone, there are more than 700 service partners in 14 European countries who offer a comprehensive and brand-independent service for trucks and trailers. Using the Krone Service Locator, which is also available as an app for smart phones, Krone service customers can find the nearest specialist workshops in a matter of seconds.

“With the Krone 360° Trailer Service, we provide our customers with a comprehensive service program from which they can put together a customised package – entirely according to their requirements,” said Krone Managing Director, Ralf Faust. “This allows transport companies to reduce unplanned downtime and optimise their cost planning and total cost of ownership in the long term.”

Krone telematics unit now also with solar power

Earlier this year, Krone developed a new version of the Krone Smart Collect telematics unit for its popular swap systems. Thanks to the integrated solar panel, the telematic unit runs autonomously and maintenance-free after installation.

This development addresses battery management issues associated with the tens of thousands of swap body vehicles that can often be found on the road for weeks on motorways before they return to their home depot.

For these operations, has developed the new Krone Smart Collect Solar (KSC Solar), with built-in super capacitor, can use the stored solar energy in the range from -20 °C to +60 °C, i.e. even in extreme temperatures. Even during longer periods of gloomy weather, the integrated battery lasts up to around 445 hours and thus survives more than 18 days without sunshine.

When installed, the compact KSC Solar (230mm x 130mm x 21mm) is safely recessed between the roof strips on the KRONE swap body. Having undergone extensive field testing, the solar-powered telematics unit is available immediately and is offered for new swap bodies ex-works and as a ready-to-fit retrofit kit.

With the KSC Solar, Krone is closing the gap of swap bodies that are not permanently powered, thus offering telematics for the entire fleet. Krone Smart Collect was successfully introduced in 2016 and is now in use on more than 24,000 trailers. www.krone-trailer.com

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LIGHT GUIDED BY THE

VALK WELDING DELIVERS A SPECIALISED WELDING ROBOT SYSTEM TO VDL CONTAINERSYSTEMS WHICH INVOLVES AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLES.

F

or the Europe Container Terminal (ECT) in the Rotterdam seaport, VDL Containersystems together with eight other VDL companies have developed an Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) that can be used for unmanned sea container transport. The first AGVs were welded entirely manually, but VDL Containersystems installed a welding robot system from Valk Welding. VDL programs part of the welding programs for the welding robot using Valk Welding’s offline programming system. That will not only save VDL a great deal of time with the welding work but will also guarantee consistent quality.

ECT Rotterdam, Europe’s biggest container transhipment company, has already been using AGVs for 20 years and asked the VDL Group to develop a new, replacement model at the end of 2009. A completely new generation of diesel hybrid AGVs was developed and built in just 12 months. This was done under

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the management of VDL Containersystems in close partnership with VDL Steelweld. The development concentrated on lowering the maintenance costs and power consumption.

Based on the prototype, ECT Rotterdam placed an order for 85 AGVs, which VDL delivered in 18 months.

Turnkey project

The new AGV has an overall length of almost 16 metres and weighs 27,000 kg. Virtually all of the welding work on the AGV is done at

B U I LT T O T A S K

VDL Containersystems. The power pack and wheel suspension are then assembled at VDL Containersystems, after which VDL Steelweld in Breda deals with the system integration.

The chassis alone involves 600 m of welding.

Company manager, Mark Verdonschot, said: “The VDL Group’s policy is to continue to produce competitively in its own country.

That is only possible with automation, so using a welding robot for this project made perfect sense. Because the AGV project is already completely underway, there was a need for the fast delivery of a properly working welding robot system. Welding robot integrator Valk Welding has ample experience of turnkey projects and has made very good progress with offline programming. Valk Welding was able to work simultaneously on both the hardware and the programs. One of our employees spent one day a week in Alblasserdam during the project to write the programs for the wheel suspension and the power pack under Valk Welding’s supervision while the Valk Welding programmers programmed the chassis.”

About 600m of welding per AGV

The product is divided into several steps to ensure that the welding robot can reach all of the welding seams. First of all components are

added to a jig and attached to the chassis. These components are then welded on the robot. These steps are repeated a number of times until all of the components have been attached.

“The welding robot makes it possible for us to weld a chassis three times faster.” said Verdonschot. “That not only enables us to achieve a high level of efficiency: we are also able to consistently maintain the welding quality at a high level. By using robots we expect to be able to deliver the required numbers in 18 months, without having to work in shifts. We can always change gears if necessary.”

VDL Containersystems

VDL Containersystems develops, produces and sells a wide range of hydraulic container handling systems. The company specialises in hook lifts, gantry lift and cable systems, container trailers and containers for lorries, trailers and agricultural vehicles. Spreaders and automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) are made for the transhipment of ISO containers. Service and after sales are provided by a worldwide network of local partners. www.vdlcontainersystemen.com Unmanned container transport

The ships at this terminal are loaded and unloaded almost entirely with unmanned vehicles that are controlled by a central computer. A wharf crane places the container on the AGV, which then automatically takes it to its place in the stack, where it is put in the right place by an ASC (Automated Stacking Crane). The new AGV generation developed by VDL can transport a load of 70 tons, is suitable for all container types and travels unmanned over the port area at a maximum speed of 21 km/h. See also the film clip at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7giV074qBXA. www.valkwelding.com

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Aspöck Radar.

REVERSE ENGINEERING WHEN REVERSING SAFELY, LESS IS MORE WITH ASPÖCK RADAR.

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spöck Systems has always been at the forefront of technology in vehicle lighting and safety systems. The Aspöck Ramp Distance Control (RDC), according to the manufacturer, has been hugely successful in protecting the rear of vehicles from damage when reversing towards loading docks – fleets clearly see the reduction in damage and incurred costs as a result.

The RDC uses two ultrasonic sensors to detect large objects or loading docks. Similar to passenger car reverse sensors though they cannot provide 100 per cent scanning over the rear of a trailer.

“Indeed, if you imagine how many sensors a car has then you can see that there is room for improvement when used on a truck, particularly if you want to detect smaller objects or even pedestrians?” said Aspöck Systems.

“Some other manufacturers are using three, four or even six sensors at the rear of a vehicle. These may well give improved coverage and detection

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TH E BE N E FITS OF USI NG ASPÖCK RADAR • Single sensor provides 100 per cent detection over rear of trailer.

• Can detect up to 10m from rear of trailer.

• Pedestrian detection.

• Detects in heavy weather or contamination.

• Can be connected to Trailer EBS to provide braking function.

TRAILER TECHNOLOGY

 “SO, ASPÖCK HAS DECIDED THAT ‘LESS IS MORE’ AND HAS CREATED A NEW REVERSE AID WHICH USES A SINGLE R ADAR UNIT IN PLACE OF THE MULTIPLE ULTR ASONICS. THE R ADAR WILL PROVIDE 100 PER CENT COVER AGE OF THE REAR OF THE TR AILER AND ALMOST ANY SOLID OBJECT OR PEDESTRIAN OF ANY SIZE WILL BE DE TECTED AND TRIGGER AUTOMATIC BR AKING.”

but the trailer builder needs to mount all these sensors in suitable positions and the amount of wiring required clearly affects cost and long term durability.

“So, Aspöck has decided that ‘less is more’ and has created a new reverse aid which uses a single RADAR unit in place of the multiple ultrasonics. The RADAR will provide 100 per cent coverage of the rear of the trailer and almost any solid object or pedestrian of any size will be detected and trigger automatic braking.

“The sensor is just 108 x 124mm and preferably should be fitted near the centre line of the trailer. It can then be programmed to apply the brakes when a required distance from the detected item. Aspöck has customers who only require braking when the object is directly behind the trailer or others who require braking from 8m away.

“The programming can account for large overhangs at rear of vehicle such as containers for instance, and if there is part of the vehicle that could be detected then sensor can be told to ignore it.

“Once an object is picked up, Aspöck requests a brake application that can also be regulated to either stop the vehicle completely or alternatively only allow slow manoeuvring after detection. This allows vehicles to reach the loading area. Wabco, Haldex and KnorrBremse trailer electronic braking systems are all supported.”

Other advantages of the RADAR, according to Aspöck, relate to the performance of the sensor in heavy weather or contamination. Fog or snow will often distort the scanning of the ultrasonic sensors whilst contamination form road dirt can also inhibit the detection. RADAR is not affected by these and thus provides a significantly more reliable detection system.

“Finally, the system can be adapted to detect along the side of a vehicle, scanning up 8m again with a single unit,” said Aspöck Systems.

“So, by adopting new technology Aspöck has simplified the design and installation of reversing aids as well as providing a significant upgrade to performance.”

For more infor mation please contact sales@aspoeck.co.uk or 00 44 1279 655220. www.aspoeck.co.uk

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A-share IPO ceremony.

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CA

BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE

PITAL

GAINS

CHINA’S LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL TRAILER MANUFACTURING GROUP IN THE WORLD, CIMC VEHICLES, HAS EMERGED STRONGER THAN EVER FROM THE DISRUPTIONS OF COVID-19 AND THE MONUMENTAL SHIFTS IN MARKET DEMAND.

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o facilitate the rising demand in China’s logistics sector, in March 2021, CIMC Vehicles released the brand of CIMC LIGHT TOWER by DCVC (its first light tower plant), aiming to bring the high-end van-trailer products with technical advantages from overseas market to China market.

In April, CIMC Vehicles released the truck body brand, Terabyte, which distinctly indicates the higher level of design and manufacturing for a truck body, compared to the old technology, GigaByte. Stimulated by the epic scale of e-commerce consumption, the truck body industry for vans and reefers for inner-city distribution is turning into an unseen blue ocean. CIMC Vehicles has formed a strategic business unit to break the ceiling of production capacity and product delivery as well as capture tremendous opportunities for business.

For the first half of 2021, CIMC Vehicles initiated the groundbreaking cooperation with tier-one tractor unit plants in China.

In Shaanxi Province, Midwest China, a joint venture plant for truck body of urban dump trucks between CIMC Vehicles and Shaanxi Automobile Group Ltd commenced production in May. An annual production capacity of 15,000 units will further strengthen CIMC Vehicles’ leadership in the industry of truck body for specialty vehicles.

In July, CIMC Vehicles partnered with FAW Jiefang Automotive Company to start the Joint

Development Project, which helps both parties to increase the market share of cement mixer trucks in China, as the central government is vastly boosting the New Infrastructure development under the Dual Circulation policy.

As for overseas markets, CIMC Vehicles continued to solidify the operation philosophy of Intercontinental Operation, Local Manufacturing. at the beginning of 2021, a new light tower plant with yearly output of 2,500 units for refrigerated trailers (CRTI Polar Bear ) owned by CIMC Vehicles, successfully launched production in Monon, Indiana, US. In February, a new assembly plant with yearly output of 2,500 for refrigerated trailers (Canadian Glacier) owned by CIMC Vehicles, also commenced production in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

The Light Tower plan is shining bright

CIMC Vehicles has completed the construction of 21 Light Tower plants around the world, 13 for semi-trailers, six for truck bodies of specialty vehicles and two for refrigerated trucks. According to the OEM’s A-Share IPO plan, the business aims to use most of the net proceeds from the IPO to build an additional six Light Tower plants, namely two for semi-trailers, two for truck bodies of specialty vehicles and two for truck bodies for van trucks and refrigerated trucks, together with a R&D scheme into digitalisation, new sales and retail platform. As of the remaining net proceeds from H-share IPO in 2019, CIMC Vehicles will build two more Light Tower plants for semi-trailers in both Europe and North America.

CIMC Vehicles has strong confidence that by comprehensively establishing the Sophisticated Manufacturing System as planned, it will realise the Made in China 2025 Initiative before the year of 2025.

The most popular CIMC Vehicles products

For 2020, the sales volume of van trailers was 17,744 units, increased by 154.9 per cent year-on-year, judging by the increase rate, the OEM’s van trailer can be deemed as the most popular product. Other than that, CIMC Vehicles produced and delivered 6,049 units of refrigerated trucks, representing a year-on-year increase of 35.8 per cent in sales volume.

For the first half of 2021, sales of heavy duty tractor unit hit a historical high at over 1.04 million with 27.9 per cent increase year-on-year for the whole country in China, which resulted in CIMC Vehicles’ pumped up sales record of

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Cornerstone 4: Promotion of the Organizational Development

Cornerstone 1: Upgrade of Product Module

Cornerstone 3: Kick-off of Sales and Marketing Transformation Cornerstone 2: Improvement of “Light Tower” Plants

The four cornerstones of CIMC Vehicles’ Sophisticated Manufacturing System

tank trailers and cement mixers, and the story is of truck body for van trucks and refrigerated trucks is the same.

The outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020 brought up the social-distancing protocol, which further put a spark on e-commerce consumption, resulting in huge increase in parcel delivery. Moreover, the government has applied stricter regulations to cold chain logistics for foods, medicines and vaccines, this uplifted the whole sales volumes of refrigerated trucks domestically.

CIMC Vehicles’ response to Covid-19

In 2020, despite the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak, CIMC Vehicles rode over the impact of the pandemic in China market through scientific management and control of the resumption of work and production, sales revenue in China market hit a historical high. Market demands and order bounced back since Q3 in the North American and European markets, the Group fully took advantage of its global manufacturing ability and supply chain to cater this situation in overseas markets, especially for refrigerated trailers, container chassis, and van trailers The widening applications of vaccines all over the world has been helpful for the industry to turn back to a normal and healthy level in 2021, especially so in China market, the whole country has vaccinated for over 1.5 billion doses up to this moment.

Business goals for 2021 and beyond

The Group will seize the opportunity arising out of the upgrade of semi-trailers in China, actively capitalise on new marketing and retail to increase the sales volume of the second generation semi-trailers, thus expanding its market share. The Group will continuously expand its superiorities in main products of truck bodies for specialty vehicles, as well as truck bodies for van trucks and refrigerated trucks.

During the recovery period and the demand growth period of the semitrailer market in North America, the Group will implement the comprehensive improvement plans based on the Sophisticated Manufacturing System through optimising the production capacity layout, and strive to provide better products and customer experience for local customers. For European market, the Group will establish a strong team, so as to improve the operating quality of the semitrailer business in Europe.

As previously disclosed in its prospectus, the Group forecasted that the increase of revenue for the first half of 2021, will land between 29.12 per cent to 44.12 per cent.

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Manufacturing trends

Semi-trailer demand in China is strong. As new national standards come into force, the five core models of semi-trailers in China are being transformed. Among the existing semi-trailers, 50 per cent will be phased out in the next three years as a result of factors including performance in driving safety, fuel economy and cargo space, while van trailers, refrigerated trailers and other models will usher in a significant growth opportunity. Meanwhile, the traditional staked-side trailers in the market of China continue to see a decline in sales and are gradually brought out of mainstream markets.

As the actions against ‘overloading and oversizing’ become normal and persistent, specialty vehicles in China, especially environmentally-friendly urban dump truck bodies and light and durable cement mixer trucks, which are major products of the Group, benefit from the efforts of the PRC government for ‘environmental protection’ and against ‘overloading’.

As fresh food distribution and e-commerce distribution in China are developing rapidly, China is taking action against ‘understating the carrying capacitie’ of refrigerated vans and urban distribution trailers, in a systematic and organised manner. The combination of the two drivers results in urgent demand for compliant truck bodies.

In 2021, the demand for semi-trailers CIMC Vehicles reefer trailer and van trailer.

BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE

in the North American market bottomed out. In the future, the overall demand for semi-trailer in North America will grow at a moderate pace, while the business of the Group will grow organically.

In 2021, the demand for semi-trailers in the European market will fluctuate at a low level. After the Covid-19 outbreak, the overall demand will gradually pick up.

Agility is key to success

CIMC Vehicles has a very efficient Board of Directors comprising industry experts and financial elites which is ultimately responsible for strategic development.

Besides, as a listed company in both PRC and Hong Kong capital markets, the Group has a very modern organisation and management team to exercise corporate governance to greet with public scrutiny from all over the world. In CIMC Vehicles, Promotion of the Organisation Development has been defined as one of the four cornerstones to support the Sophisticated Manufacturing System.

Organisational development refers to establishing teams and departments with high potentials and ‘terminal to terminal’ plants as well as establishing enterprises with pursuit of the customers’ satisfaction focusing on levers of kicking off the sales and marketing transformation, improving the “Light Tower” Plants and upgrading the product module.

Leading the industry

At the time of publication, CIMC Vehicles is the first and only semi-trailer manufacturer to be listed both in PRC and Hong Kong capital markets and is the only industry player who has strong business presence in China, Europe and North America markets, as well as a sound global supply chain. In the opinion of the Group, the comprehensive establishment of the Sophisticated Manufacturing System will directly and greatly enhance the Group’s long-term competitiveness, as well as rapidly increase the Group’s profitability when macro environment is favourable; and it will also strengthen the Group’s resilience when facing challenges such as the Covid-19 epidemic. The Group has formulated the work plans for comprehensively establishing the Sophisticated Manufacturing System in the three years of 2020-2022. The system will be built based on four cornerstones, namely upgrading the product module, improving the Light Tower plants, kicking off the sales and marketing transformation and promoting the organisational development, as well as 21 specific initiatives as levers. Therefore, the Group can practically implement its strategic planning for the Sophisticated Manufacturing System and create best practices to provide guidance for the development of the industry.

A closer look at stock market listings

CIMC Vehicles is the first ever company to return to A-share Listing from H-share market since ChiNext Reform and Registration-based IPO System, first ever A-Share and H-share Listing of the global high-end semi-trailers and specialty vehicles Manufacturer, and the largest A-Share IPO among automotive manufacturing companies in 2021. CIMC Vehicles, together with its holding company China International Marine Containers (Group) Ltd (CIMC), both enjoy a dual-listing status (A+H) and two fund raising platforms in PRC and Hong Kong, which is the only case for Chinese companies. CIMC Vehicles also holds the fastest record to finish IPO since the ChiNext Market Reform and registration-based IPO system took place. Being listed in A-share market, CIMC Vehicles has been automatically included in the Shenzhen – Hong Kong Stock Connect Program which may significantly boost the liquidity and trading volume of its shares to warrant potential valuation re-rating. www.cimcvehiclesgroup.com

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SILOS TANKERS

OF

AND

COMBINING ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AND CUSTOMER CENTRICITY, KÄSSBOHRER OFFERS THE MOST ROBUST, EFFICIENT AND HIGHEST QUALITY ROAD TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT. THE OEM’S PORTFOLIO OF TANKERS AND SILO VEHICLES SUPPORT A RANGE OF SECTORS FROM FUEL AND BITUMEN TO DANGEROUS GOODS, FOOD AND RAW MATERIALS.

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ithin its widest product range, Kässbohrer offers most reliable, robust and high-quality tanker and silo vehicles in 10 product groups with more than 100 different vehicles. Kässbohrer’s Fuel Oil Tanker K.STB E bolsters the oil transportation sector due to its safety and efficiency gains. To meet versatile transportation needs, K.STB E from 36m³ to 45 m³ can be equipped with one to seven compartment options, electronic dipstick systems, seal parcel delivery systems, pump, counter, hose reel, and collector.

With a tare weight of 5,200 kg, the vehicle offers operational efficiency and enables lower fuel consumption. In compliance with ADR regulations, K.STB E features advanced safety functions that covers overfill protections.

Kässbohrer’s Trailer Innovation 201 7 Award Category ‘Safety’ winner bitumen tanker semi-trailer K.STS 32 meets the needs of hot petrochemical goods

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transportation and is the choice of leading European transportation companies. With its award-winning wireless remote control for discharge, K.STS 32 enables the safest bitumen loading and discharge operations. With a tare weight of 6,250 kg and tank diameter of 2,000mm, K.STS 32 offers operational efficiency and enables lower fuel consumption.

Kässbohrer’s ATP IN-Class certified K.STL food tanker series has been developed to provide safe liquid food transportation of food stuff goods from vegetable oil and milk whey as well as from chocolate to specific beverages.

K.STL meet the highest hygiene standards featuring acid cleaned inner surface and CIP cleaning lines that reach every point inside the tank ensuring zero residue. With 30 m³ volume, three compartments and KTL coated steel chassis, the vehicle stands for durability.

With an empty weight of 5,750 kg, K.STL

B U I LT T O T A S K

enables increased load capacity and is more environmentally friendly by reducing fuel consumption, offering high efficiency whether it is filled or empty. In addition to K.STL, Kässbohrer also offers pressurised food tanker K.STL P that has been engineered to provide hygienically transportation of delicate goods such as chocolate, nut cream and specific beverages with its unsurpassed surface quality.

Kässbohrer’s ADR stainless steel chemical tanker series K.STC can be offered with various volume options from 28m³ to 37m³ and is the lightest chemical tanker series on the market including 30 m³. K.STC with 6,500kg tare weight, presenting unparalleled operational efficiency along with uncompromising safety.

With versatile compartment configurations, walkthrough baffle possibility, insulation and heating options as well as discharge systems, K.STC ensures safe, easy and continuous operations.

The lightest silo range offered by Kässbohrer

Kässbohrer successfully meets its customers’ operational needs with its high-quality silo vehicles.

Kässbohrer’s non-tipping silo trailer series K.SSL is available with volumes of 31m³, 35m³, 38m³ and 40m³ to accommodate variations in material density to be transported. K.SSL series is making a difference with its light weight, fast discharge, and high safety functions. With refined design and wheelbase, the K.SSL series provides high manoeuvrability even under challenging road conditions.

For intermodal transport, Kässbohrer manufactures 20’, 30’ and 40’ silo containers responding to longstanding high quality silo container demand. With its 60.4m³ gross volume, K.CON S 40 has the biggest capacity available for 40’ in the market. Fully in compliance with CSC and with UlC-Rail codifications, K.CON S is also suitable for the transportation of food like sugar, flour, etc. with its stainless-steel air lines and discharge line, grinded weldings, manholes, and hose carriers.

K.CON also provides proven stackability up to 136,000 kg and 4+1 storage with its tare weight and light frame.

Kässbohrer’s K.SSK tipping silo series

K.SSK tipping ADR silo.

suitable for transporting powder, or granular materials such as sugar, coffee, plastics, ash, and much more are available in volumes starting from 40m³ to 90m³ depending on transportation requirements.

Kässbohrer is the only semi-trailer manufacturer capable of producing tipping silos in one piece, with a continuous aluminium chassis and with a volume up to 90m³. The extruded one-piece seamless chassis offers durability, long and efficient product life. With enhanced flow angles and smooth aluminium inner surfaces, Kässbohrer silos provide continuous material flow.

Kässbohrer’s K.SSK tipping ADR silo series are available as K.SSK ADR in volumes from 40m³ to 60m³ depending on the fleet’s versatile dangerous powder and granular materials needs such as carbide, coal, ashes, and metal chips. K.SSK ADR series, the lightest ADR silos in the market, are designed, analysed, and tested with compliance to ECTA/DOW recommendations and ADR regulations.

Kässbohrer silo and tanker vehicles have been manufactured by the most competent team since 2013. Kässbohrer welding teams are trained in TUV DEKRA certified Kässbohrer Academy for welding technologies.

Kässbohrer will participate in NUFAM 2021 Fair

After a long period of digital interaction due to Covid- 19 precautions during which Kässbohrer has launched K-Talks webinar sessions, virtual fair and upgraded its aftersales services, Kässbohrer is finally excited to welcome its customer to physical fairs.

Kässbohrer will participate in the NUFAM 201 fair that will take place from 30 September to 3 October in Karlsruhe, Germany.

The Kässbohrer team will be ready at dm-arena, Stand D420, to share face to face latest company developments in an exhibition of Kässbohrer’s most efficient and highest quality vehicles.

During the NUFAM 2021 fair, Kässbohrer will present its tipping silo K.SSK 60 to the visitors from its wide tanker and silo product range.

Kässbohrer will participate in Solutrans 2021 Fair

Kässbohrer has been participating in Solutrans since 2015. As the 2021 Solutrans fair is confirmed to take place in physical fair format the OEM is once again taking its place at Hall 4. Kässbohrer teams will be ready to welcome all our stakeholders in an exhibition of a selection of Kässbohrer widest product range. www.kaessbohrer.com

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DESIGN COMPLEMENTS SAFETY FLEXIBLE LIGHTING STRIPS, FLEXLED, ARE THE LATEST PRODUCTS TO JOIN ASPÖCK SYSTEMS’ RANGE.

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roviding a safety solution while accentuating design is what distinguishes Aspöck Systems as lighting designers in the commercial vehicle sector.

FlexLED strips provide the function and the silhouette for all customer-specific requirements, whether for lorries, passenger cars, construction machinery, emergency

vehicles or on a trailer. The FlexLED strips, tested with the highest protection class of IP6K9K, clearly stand out thanks to their ruggedness, bending radius and flexible attachment options. They also comply with a European agreement (ADR) concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road.

Rich in variety

Aspöck Systems offers three LED strip versions in clear or diffuse design: FlexLED small – the space-saving light, FlexLED medium – the universal use light and FlexLED large – the robust light. In the colours light grey or black, the matching profile variants enable perfect mounting. FlexLED lights can be used with all common plug connectors – and first and foremost with the well-known Aspöck connectors. Aspöck Systems attaches great importance to user-friendliness which is why the Illufit product series featuring touch switches and PIR motion detectors optimally rounds off the FlexLED product family.

FlexLED in the field

Aspöck Systems owner and Managing Director, Karl Aspöck.

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The FlexLED strips supply four application areas at once: FlexLED ECE caters to rear lights, navigation lights and the third brake light. FlexLED RGB/W is used for status indicators. Status displays and special lights are represented with FlexLED Monochrome in red, green, yellow or blue, and FlexLED Kelvin can be used to illuminate both work areas and surroundings.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

FlexLED interior trailer lighting solution.

humans and animals. FlexLED Monochrome is available in the light colours green, blue, red and yellow – with the knowledge of the effect of light colours, it is the most versatile LED strip of the FlexLED product family. With its different strengths it comes into consideration for both the smallest possible installation space as well as for striking lighting design and it is transparently or diffusely cast.

Whether calming, activating or design-oriented, matched to customer requirements, the focus is on selected individual colours or on specific areas of the wavelength spectrum. For animal livestock, for example, the health and feeding behaviour of animals are positively influenced by the right light colour – animal transportation will run more smoothly for humans and animals depending on the light, and product lighting has an enormous influence on our buying behaviour, too.

FlexLED Kelvin – ‘white light’ perfected

The unique selling points of FlexLED Kelvin strips are the extra even and efficient light – warm white or bright white – as well as greatly reduced glare in comparison to traditional LED work headlights.

The world of FlexLED Monochrome is colourful

Light is both a necessity and a design element.

In addition, it influences the subconscious of

Aspöck Systems Group

For almost 45 years, Aspöck Systems has been active on a global scale with its trend-setting lighting and system solutions for vehicles. These are developed in-house and accompanied by simulations before being implemented and mass produced. This is how the specialist manufacturer supplies its core segment with the latest LED technology – and with the all-important safety factor. Eight sales offices around the globe complete with its headquarters in Austria, gives Aspöck Systems a broad international sales and service network. www.aspoeck.com

LOGISTIC HEADACHE?

Automatic loading & unloading

cargomatic.nl

Dock to trailer Short distance shuttle (A to B) Super fast & efficient No product damages No manpower required Less/No forklift trucks needed Less trucks more loads Also available in 24V/DC autonomic Also available with an unique patented ANTI-SLIP floor for load safety Whisper quiet 24/7

REDUCING

C02 EMISSIONS IS THE FOCUS OF TH E WI E LTON G ROU P WIELTON GROUP IS COMMITTED TO REDUCING CO2 EMISSIONS IN THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY BUY ONLY A SYNERGY OF MEASURES WILL LEAD TO THE OEM’S ULTIMATE GOAL.

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he transport sector, with particular emphasis on road transport, is responsible for more than 25 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions generated in the European Union. Currently, only the energy sector shows higher emissions compared to transport. Despite increasingly stringent regulations and rising operating costs, the transportation industry is growing, and with it, greenhouse gas emissions. The scale of the negative environmental impact is evident from the data - between 2010 and 2016, overall EU-28 gas emissions fell by 7.0 per cent (decreasing by an average of 1.2 per cent each year), but in the transport sector the reduction in emissions was almost imperceptible. In the whole analysed period the level of emissions decreased only by 0.1 per cent (the average annual reduction is the result of 0.01 per cent).

The high carbon footprint of the transport industry is nowadays a very important problem and for this reason steps are being taken to reduce it. For the first time in 2018, the European Union has set a target to reduce CO2 emissions from heavy goods vehicles. The ambition for the period 2019-2025 is to reduce gas emissions by 15 per cent, with a planned reduction to 30 per cent by 2030. Actions of individual companies are important, but only the synergy of efforts of the entire industry will

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make the goal real and changes noticeable. As a result, vehicle manufacturers and transport companies are striving, among other things, to reduce the gross vehicle weight and fuel consumption. Intensive work is underway on low-carbon solutions. In the interests of the environment and the reduction of the carbon footprint, the Wielton Group also takes a number of solutions to manufacture and deliver trailers that reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere, compared to traditional products.

Different roads, common goal

“As a socially responsible and environmentally conscious company, the Wielton Group takes both direct and indirect actions to reduce our negative impact on the environment,” said Wielton Group CEO, Mariusz Golec.

“Reducing our direct impact on the environment is related to the functioning of our organisation, i.e. activities that minimise

TRAILER DESIGN

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Dercarbonisation is a priority for the Wielton Group.

greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere, water consumption and waste generation from the Group’s operations and production activities.

“The indirect impact, on the other hand, is related to the design and construction of trailers and semi-trailers in such a way that they contribute to the reduction of gas and dust emissions into the atmosphere, for example, by minimising fuel consumption in transport.

“Reducing our direct impact is of particular importance to us, primarily because of the intensity of use of the Wielton Group’s products and their long-life cycle.

We are aware that our individual actions can only bring partial results, and only cooperation of the TSL industry can bring measurable effects and real reduction of emissions. Therefore, the Wielton Group, on its own as well as in cooperation with other business partners, is committed to working on innovations to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.”

Proper design and selection of technologies and materials used in the manufacture of trailers and semi-trailers from the Wielton Group contribute to lower fuel consumption by heavy goods vehicles, and thus to reducing emissions from heavy road transport. The decarbonisation of the industry is an extremely important topic. For this reason, many pro-ecological activities are undertaken today. New solutions and technologies in the field of electromobility and vehicle aerodynamics are constantly being sought. Lightweight vehicle designs, low rolling resistance tyres and intermodal transport are being promoted. The Wielton Group also takes an active part in both research projects and develops turnkey solutions in cooperation with customers in order to provide products and solutions with the lowest possible impact on the quality of the environment.

Testing and looking for new solutions

A good example of the company’s commitment to finding solutions for a better, lowcarbon future is FALCON (Flexible & Aerodynamic Truck for Low CONsumption), a project launched in 2017 and co-implemented by Fruehauf, a French company of the Wielton Group. Renault Trucks is the project leader and the other partners are: Faurecia, Michelin, Total, Fruehauf, Wezzoo, Benomad, Styl’Monde, Polyrim, Enogia, the IFPEN, the École centrale de Lyon (LMFA) and IFSTTAR (LTE; LESCOT).

The aim of the project was to develop and implement an aerodynamically optimised truck and trailer combination, which ensures a 13 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. The kit features low-rolling-resistance tyres, energy-efficient driving assistance and fuel

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management systems, as well as an improved drive system using the next-generation Rankine heat recovery system and optimised lubricant formulations. The unique trailer features an original and aerodynamic design.

The complete combination, which is the result of the project FALCON, was presented at Solutrans 2019 held in Lyon from 19 to 23 November 2019.

The FALCON project developed the Optifuel Lab 3 laboratory vehicle. Development took 18 months and track and open road testing another 6 months. In total, the specially configured truck combination travelled 15,500 kilometres.

Renault Trucks, leader of the project, together with its partners, has confirmed the achievement of its objectives: a 12.5 per cent reduction in fuel consumption (compared with a Renault Trucks T-series with standard trailer), translating into savings of 3.75 litres of fuel and 9.8kg of CO2 per 100 km.

Environmentally friendly products

Achieving the EU’s CO2 reduction targets for the transport sector is not only possible by developing future technologies, it is important to implement new solutions here and now in order to put more environmentally friendly vehicles on the road today. Worth noting are the pro-environmental semi-trailers and solutions of the Wielton brand delivered to its customers, for whom environmental protection is of particular importance.

Wielton’s cooperation with Omega Pilzno ITiS Godawski & Godawski and Raben Group is a perfect example of searching for

TRAILER DESIGN

Wielton has partnered with Omega Pilzno on a low-emission transport solution.

low-emission solutions in transportation. The manufacturer from Wielun has produced and supplied semi-trailers with a lightweight yet durable and strong construction, which will be part of the ‘green combination trucks’ of Omega Pilzno. Strong Light Master is a high strength lightweight trailer. The vehicle allows for the reduction of pollutants into the atmosphere and is Wielton’s response to the observed trend towards low-emission solutions. The semi-trailer is a semi-mega, which means it has more cargo volume at its disposal than a standard curtain side trailer.

At the same time, it has a reduced kerb weight by 500kg compared to the standard weight of the semi-trailer. Strong Light Master is therefore a unique solution in the semi-trailer market that reduces the environmental impact in two ways. The first is to reduce the total weight of the combination, thus reducing fuel burn. The second is to use the reduced trailer weight for additional payload and thus reduce the number of trips.

By choosing this particular model, Omega Pilzno aims to provide access to ecological truck combinations to customers who are particularly committed to reducing atmospheric emissions and protecting the quality of the environment. As a result, gas-powered tractor units and low-weight semi-trailers with low-rolling-resistance tyres have been added to the company’s portfolio.

When operating this 40-tonne long-haul truck combination, CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 3.2 tonnes per year.

In turn, the long-term, trust-based

cooperation with Maszonski Logistic has resulted in the testing of the ecological trailer Curtain Master by Wielton. The product of the multi-national manufacturer has been equipped with an aerodynamic system that ensures lower fuel consumption, thus reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere and saving on operating costs. The semi-trailer is characterised by its high strength and low kerb weight, and the additional side and rear covers that make up the OptiFlow aerodynamic system guarantee a reduction in fuel consumption of around 2l/100 km. When designing this solution, special emphasis was put on durability, tightness and functionality of use. The modern design of the frame and bodywork ensure high durability of the vehicle, which has been confirmed by numerous tests conducted at the station for full-vehicle testing of trailers at the Wielton Research and Development Department.

Intermodal transport is considered to be one of the ways to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint, and an excellent example of a company that is leading the way in this area is CLIP Group, which is one of the largest and most modern logistics centres in Central and Eastern Europe. The company recently implemented an innovative Lohr Railway system, a state-of-the-art technology that allows standard road semi-trailers to be loaded horizontally onto rail wagons. This is the first and only such solution in Poland, which does not require the use of a crane. In connection with the installation of modern solutions, in 2020 CLIP Group has partnered with Wielton to acquire modern intermodal trailers. The result of cooperation between the companies was delivery of modern huckepack vehicles – Mega Curtain Master semi-trailers and Dry Master semi-trailers. The vehicles have been adapted for combined transport thanks to a reinforced frame and air suspension, as well as unique solutions such as a folding bumper. The products are equipped with suitable reinforcements in the chassis to enable vertical loading, i.e. detachable suspension, four grab handles positioned in accordance with UIC 596-5 standard and a reinforced connection plate which is protected with additional rubber buffers. These types of semi-trailers can also be used for ferry transport after they are equipped with ferry clamps which enable proper securing of the semi-trailer. In addition, Dry Master trailers are equipped with the DoubleDeck double loading system, which allows maximum utilisation of the cargo space. The Mega Curtain Master semi-trailers, in turn, have additional equipment options that increase the versatility of the combinations in terms of transporting various goods such as tyres and beverages.

“Decarbonisation is currently one of the most important problems faced by companies and economies of individual countries,” said Golec.

“Companies must balance many variables, develop new technologies, and often new ways of operating and responding to customer needs. The objectives set for us by the European Union are ambitious and we must make every effort to achieve them. While on the surface it might seem like we still have plenty of time, the reality is that we need to step up our efforts immediately. I am pleased that we are already working with customers who care about the future of our planet and together we are implementing solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. At the same time, we observe the development of emission-reducing technologies and follow actions and legislative changes.

“We are constantly looking for solutions to reduce our carbon footprint and are working on further proposals for our business partners. Advancements on many fronts are gradually bringing us closer to achieving the industry’s ambition of reducing greenhouse gases, and thus to a safer future.” www.wieltongroup.com

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HUNGER GAMES

ONGOING POLITICAL INSTABILITIES CAUSED BY SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS AND DRACONIAN GOVERNMENT LOCKDOWNS ARE PROVING A PERFECT STORM FOR THE RISE OF FOOD SECURITY RISKS GLOBALLY.

F

ood supplies and the fuel on which it is heavily reliant for transportation are the latest casualties wrought by rising violence and looting in South Africa.

With parts of the country including Johannesburg rapidly deteriorating, the large scale destruction of stores and trucks by rioters in the wake of a judicial commission investigating widespread corruption which has resulted in the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma, has led to crippling economic

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decline including an unemployment rate of 43 per cent.

Despite agricultural exports last year reaching the second-highest level on record of $10.2 billion USD following a favourable harvest season, KwaZulu-Natal, the epicentre

SPECIAL REPORT

of rioting and looting, is a major producer of various agricultural products such as sugar, milk and poultry products.

KwaZulu-Natal processes approximately 21 per cent of wheat consumed in South Africa annually. That is approximately 8.0 per cent of the nation’s 11.5 million tonnes of maize, the other major staple of the South African diet. The province also serves as an entry

for imported food products, including wheat, rice, poultry products, and palm oils. Gauteng, the other province also most affected, is one of the major food processing hubs.

Food security is not typically an issue for South Africa but it faces ongoing challenges in the short term as the free movement of goods including food and agricultural produce on the roads to and from Durban port, the nation’s major entry and exit point for agricultural imports and exports, faces continued disruption.

While the country’s food supply chains are not concentrated in one particular province, lack of fuel for transport within the country, is now an immediate concern to the government with South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, turning to military intervention.

The Durban refinery, South Africa’s largest, is a joint venture between Shell and BP and accounts for 35 per cent of the country’s refining capacity. In July it declared force majeure on the supply of all products.

A majority of South Africa’s food is transported by road including 75 per cent of South Africa’s grain each year.

Largely exported through the Durban harbour where food products such as rice, wheat and palm oil, among others, are imported. Large volumes of citrus following a record harvest, a leading exportable agricultural product in South Africa, also are moved by commercial road transport.

As the country enters its export period for perishable products the situation is now urgent.

No timeline has been given on reopening the refinery amid civil unrest which has brought Johannesburg, the country’s economic hub, to a standstill as dozens of people have been arrested after shops were ransacked and offices set on fire.

Trucks incinerated during riots and blocked routes to the ports have already proven costly to businesses as South Africa’s reputation as a global supplier in various value chains comes under question. Along with rising unemployment and corruption, poor service delivery has been identifed as a significant factor as to why South African society is currently so fragile.

The destruction of businesses, following extended government lockdowns to suppress Covid caseloads, has increased poverty. According to a National Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM), South Africa saw spikes in hunger despite its record production figures following another favourable summer of rainfall.

Plummeting employment figures combined with rapid increases in food prices have reduced the means of many to buy food.

South Africa’s consumer food price inflation was at 6.8 per cent year-on-year in May 2021, from 6.7 per cent year-on-year in April, according to data from Statistics South Africa.

In 2016 consumer food price inflation averaged 10.8 per cent over the year as the market came to terms with recent years of drought.

About 20 per cent of the South African population or 12 million people suffers from severe food insecurity.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, while addressing the nation, warned of increasing food and medicine shortages, with 1.5 million Covid-19 cases, the highest number in Africa, compounding already fraught circumstances that have only worsened according to the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), since September.

“The deteriorating food security is mainly driven by the Covid-19 pandemic

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SPECIAL REPORT

and mitigation measures as well as high food prices, drought and economic decline, ECHO said in a statement.

“Slowdown in the national economy resulted in mass job losses over the last two quarters of 2020.”

ECHO reports that South Africa has witnessed an estimated 30 per cent or more increase in prices of certain food commodities.

Meanwhile, the biggest food companies have amassed over $10 billion of additional revenues last year even as small farmers were forced to watch their crops rot during the pandemic when Covid restrictions limited the ability to hire, pick or transport bumper crops amid soaring global food prices which increased by around 40 per cent.

Global food insecurity hit 15 year highs as pandemic-driven hunger swept across the world with international food prices now nearing their 2011 peaks.

According to an emerging market food vulnerability scorecard Yemen, Sudan, and Lebanon are most at risk for uprises given the conditions inflammatory food prices and increasing shortages. As Yemen is a net-foodimporting country with an import dependency for 90 per cent of its overall domestic wheat and 100 per cent of its rice requirements, it is in a particularly precarious position. But an

The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting food supplies around the world.

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import financing mechanism in Yemen has been put on hold due to insufficient government revenue, depletion of Saudi financial support, and the rapidly depreciating local currency as traders access foreign currency at increased costs.

This has contributed to rapid food price increases resultant from increased costs of importing both food and fuel, and was driving further reductions in household purchasing power due to the expected inability of most households to expand income-earning according to a financial report by OCHA Services. The cost of the minimum food basket midyear at the national level was 20 per cent higher than the already significantly above-average levels recorded at the beginning of January 2021.

As their consumers spend a far greater share of their income on food than those in the developed world, emerging markets are viewed by economists as more vulnerable to food insecurity. Protests have broken out in Haiti and more recently Cuba with food security worsening in the aftermath of last year’s Covid crisis.

In developed nations like Australia, however, industrial action was continuing to impact critical supply chains with up to 7,000 workers for Toll, one of the country’s biggest transport and logistics operators, set to cripple food and fuel supplies. The strike follows a breakdown of talks between drivers and Toll management as it looked to slash pay and overtime conditions in Toll yards to secure work from wealthy retailers and manufacturers by offering lower rates.

Toll is a key freight and tanker specialist of the nation’s major supermarkets, wholesalers and oil and gas refineries.

The effects of Covid are also ongoing in Nepal where drivers associated with the Nepal Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association broke for three-days as part of demands made of government to prioritise vaccination of its operators. As the petroleum tanker drivers come under the essential services category, many had failed to accept Covid-19 jabs first offered in January along with frontline workers. The sudden about-face came after several months with authorities under extreme pressure to manage limited vaccine supply. www.globaltrailermag.com

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OUT OF

PRECEDENT FOR

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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W W W.G LO B A LTR A I LE R MAG .C O M / G L O B A L T R A I L E R / 19

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PEOPLE TO WATCH

THE

ALEXANDER DOBRINDT, GERMAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

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

F

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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SAFE ON THE ROAD

AXLES, TRAILERMASTER AND VEHICLE COMPONENTS WILL BE ON SHOW AT NUFAM 2021 ACCORDING TO SAF-HOLLAND.

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hether it’s an e-axle for the lowest possible emissions, a hydraulically driven axle for extra thrust or a new positively steered axle for better manoeuvrability: at NUFAM 2021, the SAF-Holland Group will show that it can do more than highquality standard axles. The commercial vehicle supplier will present selected axles for special applications at the Karlsruhe trade fair from 30 September to 3 October, supplemented by practical vehicle components. In Hall 2 Booth C205, SAF-Holland will also provide an outlook on the TrailerMaster telematics application, which is already being used successfully in the UK. In product development, SAF-Holland has been focusing for years on greater

efficiency, higher safety and a longer operating life for its systems – not only for standard applications, but above all for specific challenges such as inner-city traffic or difficult terrain.

“We are chassis specialists and have excellent knowledge of axles,” said Oliver Beierlorzer, Head of Fleet & Trailer OE Sales at SAF-Holland. “We manufacture systems for every requirement – that is our strength, and we communicate it at NUFAM 2021.”

SAF INTRA steering concept for urban traffic

Preferably used in refrigerated vehicles, the SAF TRAKr recuperation axle reduces emissions and fuel consumption of the entire train.

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To this end, the commercial vehicle supplier is bringing a selection of solutions for exceptional conditions to Karlsruhe: The SAF INTRA family has grown to include the SAF INTRA SMART STEERING VSE steering axle. It is actively steered via a steering cylinder so that commercial vehicles can manoeuvre more easily when driving forwards and backwards, for example in city traffic.

SAF-Holland has developed the SAF TRAKr electric axle for e-trailers: it uses recuperation to reduce emissions and fuel consumption of the entire train. Preferred applications are refrigerated vehicles in which the refrigeration units can be temporarily operated fully electrically.

LY

EVENT PREVIEW

The SAF INTRA CD TRAK hydraulically driven axle.

Auxiliary drive at the push of a button: SAF INTRA CD TRAK

Also on display in Karlsruhe is the SAF INTRA CD TRAK hydraulically driven axle, optimised for tipper or walking floor trailers in the nine-tonne range. It brings the drive into the trailer and supports the tractor virtually at the push of a button in difficult terrain or on inclines, on construction sites and landfills.

SAF-Holland will also show its safe and robust

The new SAF INTRA SMART STEERING axle.

fifth wheels for various applications, kingpins, landing legs and a selection of couplings from its Italian subsidiary V.ORLANDI. Preview: TrailerMaster telematics application

A preview of the smart commercial vehicles of the future is provided by the TrailerMaster: The telematics application, already successfully in daily use for several years at SAF-Holland subsidiary Axscend in the United Kingdom, is now ready to take the step into the continental European market.

“Our TrailerMaster brings together several previous systems and thus simplifies fleet management, especially for large fleets. NUFAM is the ideal platform for us to introduce the telematics application to the continental European trade audience,” says Thomas Piroth, Vice President Group Digital & Innovation.

Curious about new and proven products from SAF-HOLLAND? Visit the NUFAM trade fair team at booth C205 in hall 2 and get to know the systems and services of the commercial vehicle supplier in person. www.safholland.com

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WORLD EVENTS

TRANSPORT SCANDINAVIA 2021

16-18 SEPTEMBER 2021 Herning, Denmark Transport 2021 is an inspiring fair for all those with roots in the transport industry. This is the place to find new vehicles, new equipment, new services and new ideas. The Transport trade fair was launched in 1988. Since then more than 450,000 professionals from the transport industry have attended the event. www.transport-messen.dk

MEGATRANS2022 16-18 FEBRUARY 2022

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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TRANSPORT LOGISTIC CHINA 2022 15-17 JUNE 2022 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. www.transportlogistic-china.com

ELMIA LASTBIL 2022 24-27 AUGUST 2022 Jönköping, Sweden The national and international venue for the haulage and transport industry at Elmia, Jönköping. www.elmia.se/en/lastbil

KEEP A LOOK OUT International Cross-border eCommerce Supply Chain Fair 23-25 September Shenzhen, China www.ciefair.com

IAA COMMERCIAL VEHICLES SHOW 2022

SEPTEMBER 2022 Hannover, Germany One of the world’s leading trade fairs for mobility, transportation and logistics. www.iaa.de

NUFAM 2021 30 September - 3 October Karlsruhe, Germany www.nufam.de Automechanika Dubai 2021 14-16 December Dubai World Trade Centre www.automechanika-dubai. ae.messefrankfurt.com InnoTrans 2022 20-23 September Berlin, Germany www.innotrans.com

BAUMA 2022

24-30 OCTOBER 2022 Munich, Germany The Bauma trade fair is dedicated to innovations in the construction, mining and agriculture industries. www.bauma.de

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M E GATR E N D S

DISRUPTING EMERGING MARKETS WITH BLOCKCHAIN A DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGY COMPANY WITH AN OPERATIONAL BASE IN NIGERIA AND SIERRA LEONE HAS DETAILED ITS RECENT PURSUITS IN AFRICA.

A

of real estate documents, advanced query functionality on land and real estate, high precision boundary mapping and real estate cataloguing services, anti-fraud platforms and smart boundary and contract analysis using proprietary algorithms.

Domineum is ultimately targeting the governments of Africa to embrace its technology. It managed to secure a five-year plan (2018-2023) with Sierra Leone, which was supported by the World Bank Group, to improve efficiencies with moving goods across its border as well as reduce trade costs by 10 per cent. Three months into the plan, Sierra Leone implemented the company’s cargo tracking system. From 2019 to 2021, Domineum claims it has captured $2 million in revenue that would’ve been lost. This business to government process appears to be win, win.

booming population like Africa (1.2 billion people) is in dire need of efficient systems to keep track of moving freight. Without the appropriate checks in place, what can you do if shipments disappear without a trace?

At the forefront of this global concern, Domineum, headquartered in London, UK, was established to assist governments and companies with blockchain integration. In addition to conducting research and development in the US, it also saw an opportunity in the Nigerian market to modernise land and property registration. Poor official recordkeeping means the continent is rife with landgrabbers, which will only be exacerbated by shortages in food and fuel. There are reportedly more than 80 million landowners in Nigeria who lack property ownership certificates. If someone isn’t legally recognised as the owner of a patch of land, it makes sense that it cannot be legally disputed. And what if a heavy vehicle traverses a particular region and went missing? Naturally, your first port of call would be the authorities who would then reach out to those on the ground but without any certainty of who owns what this task would be relatively fruitless. Where’s the accountability? www.globaltrailermag.com For the African economy, disruption to the supply chain, according to Domieum, hampers the growth of agriculture and other sectors because land is lost to other parties or taken by force by the government during conflict.

To even get started with blockchain, there needs to be a base level of administration to work with. This is where Domineum comes in because this company aims to harness blockchain-based technology to issue cost-effective and reliable ownership titles to millions of tribal property owners to connect them to a modern economic system.

The company is striving to deliver Blockchain as a Service (Baas) and Software as a Service (SaaS) to increase overall efficiency of the real estate services sector for businesses, land departments and government agencies.

Modern administration powered This registry system was implemented in Abia State, by blockchain could transform Nigeria, to ensure the distribution and immutable storage an economy.

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Valk Welding Group Tel. +31 (0)78 69 170 11 info@valkwelding.com www.valkwelding.com

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