The measure of all things

Since 2021, TSE Trailer System Engineering has been offering curtainsider kits and other transport solutions with integrated load restraint technologies. In the first half of 2022, the business recorded a spike in growth, producing 1,000 curtainsiders and material transport kits as well as 40,000 soft top systems. In addition to this, the OEM committed to a major project for a publicly listed client which is currently being implemented with a further 2,000 bodies. These are designed and certified according to special specifications and are to be manufactured within nine months.

To be able to meet such a sharp increase in demand, the number of employees at the firm has increased by almost 50 percent to 90 since January last year. Work is carried out in multiple shifts with up to three shifts between six to seven days a week. Depending on the size and structure of the project, TSE can manufacture partially automated series production or individual production.

In 2021, around 8,000 tonnes of steel and around 750 tonnes of aluminium was processed at the two TSE locations in the neighbouring communities Ratshausen and Dotternhausen in Baden Wurttemberg.

In order to be able to offer customers from the vehicle construction industry added value, TSE has further developed its products either in-house or in cooperation with its strong partner network. An example of this is powder coating: Here the process flow includes a previous treatment to cover all cut and milled edges. For this purpose, TSE has set up a lean process in order and production control to be able to continue to meet its short delivery times. This results in several advantages for the vehicle manufacturer: The end user receives a finished product from a single source; all gaps, cut and milled edges are protected against corrosion with coatings inside and outside; and an additional, separate work step for colouring is no longer necessary.

Another additional benefit for customers is tarpaulin manufacture. The vehicle manufacturers can now also order the tailor-made tarpaulin with their ordered kit and then receive the entire delivery in one shipment as usual.

Series production, individual production and project business complement each other as TSE’s competencies are concentrated in the three areas of serial production, individual production, and project business. Thanks to the growth, investments and innovations in recent years, TSE Trailer System Engineering has been able to expand its series production and is now able to operate with large quantities.

TSE Managing Director, Stephan Girnt, elaborated on the strategy.

“We continuously deliver consistently high product and process quality and know how to deal with tight tolerances on the component,” he said.

“In doing so, we rely on our experienced employees and our semi-automated production. Another important factor is our stable supply chain, which can also cushion market fluctuations and individual failures.”