For the first time, BPW presented itself at the IAA Commercial Vehicles together, with its subsidiaries, as an international mobility partner for vehicle operators and a system partner for vehicle manufacturers. With its “we think transport” motto, the BPW Group demonstrated its desire to provide future-proof solutions for the transport industry in the shape of new technologies and user-friendly truck and trailer telematics. The innovations and services were demonstrated by BPW Bergische Achsen KG, together with its subsidiaries (F. Hesterberg & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG, HBN-Teknik A/S, Transport Teknik A/S and idem telematics GmbH) at the BPW Group stand.
“As a strong corporate group with specialists in fastening systems and superstructure technology, composite technology, lighting systems and telematics, we take advantage of our wide range of expertise to provide trucking companies worldwide with optimal mobility solutions. We support vehicle manufacturers with a complete system from a single source, and thereby contribute to the improvement of their production processes by offering tailored logistics solutions”, explains Mr. Carlo Lazzarini, Member of Executive Board/Global Head of Sales. “Every customer has different needs and requirements, which is why we offer flexible, tailored solutions. In order to do this, we have to understand the everyday business of transportation, think about how to develop it, and above all, think ahead. For us, this challenge means ‘we think transport’”.
Mobility partner for vehicle operators
Vehicle operators and transport companies are at the heart of group’s international mobility partnership. In the changing transport industry, they are constantly faced with new challenges. Processes are becoming faster, deadlines for delivering goods more challenging, legal requirements more stringent, and simultaneously the pressure on prices is increasing.
Through its future solutions, the BPW Group intends to support transport companies in redesigning their loading and transport processes to make them more secure and efficient. The basis for this is provided by technologies from across the entire BPW Group, which work in perfect harmony with each other. This is demonstrated by, amongst other things, the interaction of the sensor technology on the running gear and superstructures with the telematics systems.
Electro-mechanical door locking
The electro-mechanical door locking system consists of door sensors with shutting control for trucks and trailers. In combination with the telematics system, it protects against the theft of high-value goods such as pharmaceutical products or electronic parts, and allows improved monitoring and optimisation of the loading and unloading processes.
BPW also presented for the first time a study on the detection of free loading areas, which shipping companies can use to improve utilisation of their vehicles and to simplify the loading and unloading process. The device constantly informs users as to how many loading spaces are available at which loading areas.
Brake linings wear sensing
Another novelty in the field of telematics is the brake lining wear sensing. Sensors on the brakes continually measure the amount of wear on each individual wheel’s brake lining. The information gathered is presented on a display in the driver’s cab and via an online portal. In this way, the system provides helpful information for the predictive maintenance planning of vehicles. Drivers and shipping companies receive information about the entire vehicle through the telematics system, and when necessary they can call on more than 3,200 service partners worldwide.
BPW also offers a comprehensive range of products and services to vehicle manufacturers, thus helping them to optimize their production processes and to meet the demands of transport companies to the best of their ability. Because at BPW vehicle manufacturers can order a range of co-ordinated systems and components from a single source, they are in the best position to be able to fulfil the needs of their customers, the transport companies. At the same time, BPW’s “one-stop shopping” concept means fewer interfaces for vehicle manufacturers.
BPW will also be bringing this know-how to the truck and bus areas in the future. After presenting the ECO Disc, BPW now shows in a study how it envisions the disc brake for the truck. It stands for the services that BPW as a competent partner offers vehicle manufacturers in development, testing and manufacturing. The BPW truck disc brake also includes wear sensing on the fixed bearing, including monitoring of caliper functionality and brake pad clearance. The goal is to optimise the weight of the truck disc brake and the installation space required.
BPW has also developed its brake technology for trailers: the ECO W Drum brake falls back on the well-known operating principle of the wedge-type brake and has been re-engineered using know-how from the BPW ECO Disc brake. The result is a lighter, maintenance-free drum brake of compact design.
These are just some of the many technologies, innovations and services under the BPW motto “we think transport”. The company presented at the show many more novelties along with its subsidiaries.