As part of its ‘Blue Service Contract’, offered to North American customers, Volvo NA is now using an adaptive maintenance system which dynamically changes service intervals based on the performance and application of the truck.

Schmitz began production of its own axles at the Altenberge plant in 2004: since then, it has manufactured 2 million of them, installing them on trailers made in Altenberge or shipping them to its other trailer plants in Europe and Turkey.

At IAA Transportation 2024, held between 17-22 September in Hanover, Germany, Brazilian trailer and components firm Randoncorp presented products from its auto parts brands, including wheel-end components from Castertech, brake systems from Master Freios (a joint venture with Cummins), and axles, suspensions, and e-mobility products from Suspensys. However, the group’s most interesting showcase was invisible to the naked eye. In its axle products lay hidden a secret ingredient measurable only on the nanoscale: a niobium compound, which has the power to augment the mechanical properties of steel while considerably reducing its weight. It also improves the performance of other materials, enabling them to achieve their full potential.

Starting in late 2024, ZF will provide its CeTrax 2 dual electric central drive, which is designed for heavy-duty trucks, including Ford Trucks' electric rigid truck (F-Line E). This drive offers two electric motors with a continuous power of 380 kW and a peak torque of 24,700 Nm, enabling efficient and powerful performance.

The company highlighted the AddVolt Powerpack, an energy system that enables the electrification of refrigerated transport vehicles which can eliminate diesel use and reducing noise, making it ideal for operating in low-emission zones.

The new ‘HV (i.e., high voltage) Test & Validation Laboratory’ is already accredited to national and international standards for testing electric vehicles with architectures rated at 800 volts.

Together with the Center for Composite Materials at the University of Delaware, Wabash will develop a refrigerated truck body/trailer solution made with composite materials and installed with lightweight solar panels.

In the last five years, Frasle says revenues associated with the sale of Controil extruded hoses, injected ducts and rubber components, such as bumpers, cushions and sealing items, have tripled.

TIP is trialling an electric regen axle system – developed jointly by Thermo King Europe and BPW – with a refrigerated semi-trailer in Britain.

The American manufacturer announced in September that it is adding two new third-party options to its semi-trailers: a lightweight brake drum from Accuride; and a liftgate battery charger from Schmitz Cargobull’s North American joint venture with Utility.

Prior to his appointment, Bryant was CEO and Head of Manufacturing for venture capital firm BGF Investment Management Ltd, or the “Business Growth Fund”, established in 2011 by major British banks.

The German manufacturer recently unveiled three new fire trucks: two with corrosion-resistant aluminium bodies, one with a body optimised for airport applications, and all with new driver display systems in the cab.