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Weight-sensitive transports in particular benefit from the weight reduction achieved by BPW lightweight components.
Weight-sensitive transports in particular benefit from the weight reduction achieved by BPW lightweight components.

Press release -

More usable load, less fuel consumption: BPW offers the lightest trailer running gear of all times for extremely efficient transport

  • Record: A module weight of less than 370 kilograms is a new benchmark for the market
  • Featherweight: Innovate trailing arm reduces weight, costs and CO2 like never before
  • Profitable climate protection: Annual additional revenue of 900 euros and simultaneous reduction of CO2 emissions by 200 kilograms
  • Intelligent: Digitalised life cycle from configuration to aftermarket 

Wiehl, 12.2.2020 --- The new world champion in featherweight is called BPW. With a new type of trailing arm and further lightweight components, for the first time BPW pushes the module weight of the 9t Airlight II trailer running gear to under 370 kilograms. This brings not only unprecedented lightness to heavy goods traffic, but also allows transport companies to benefit from more usable load and digital services throughout the vehicle's life.

Trailers equipped with lightweight components from BPW generate up to €900 increased revenue and reduce their CO2 emissions by 200 kilograms a year. To achieve this, BPW combines the tried-and-tested 9-tonne "Airlight II" onroad running gear with an aluminium hub and the ECO Disc TS2 trailer disc brake. Add to that the new ultra-light trailing arm, which represents a technological novelty thanks to an innovative manufacturing process: It is made of high-strength spring steel, forged as a hollow profile based on nature's model - comparable to the structure of a bone. As such, BPW combines unshakable strength with unprecedented lightness: The trailing arm alone reduces weight by 42 kilos in the 3 axle suspension. The aluminium hub brings the weight down by a further 54 kilos.


The new featherweight world champion is called BPW: With the LightTube trailing arm, BPW has reduced running gear weight to record new levels - this means greater additional loads with less fuel consumption.


The following example shows just how much lightweight construction affects profitability: When transporting heating oil, transport companies can use lightweight components to carry 96 kilograms of extra load - this corresponds to 112 litres of heating oil that can be additionally transported. For a fleet of ten vehicles (average mileage 120,000 kilometres/year) and an average service life of four years, more than 38,000 euros in additional revenue is possible. CO2 emissions for these fleets are reduced by more than 8,000 kilos.

Andreas Poll, Head of Product Management, Trailer Solutions & Mobility Services at BPW: "It is now becoming easier, more profitable and more climate-friendly to transport, because the lightweight construction options for our Airlight II running gear enable noticeable savings to be achieved in many transport applications - not only for liquid goods. Thanks to the new trailing arm, we've made efficiency gains that would be hard to equal. Which is why there is already strong demand for our lightweight construction kit on the market. We're happy to be able to start delivering straight away."

Norbert Kempmann, Managing Director of Kempmann Speditions GmbH & Co. KG: "There are many factors that affect the profitability of a trailer. The weight of the running gear plays a significant role, but also its quality and how easy it is to maintain. For this reason, we've been convinced by the lightweight components from BPW, such as the forged aluminium hub."

BPW has designed all the components of the Airlight II running gear digitally from the ground up. Artificial intelligence supports the vehicle manufacturer in determining the optimum running gear configuration for every transport task from the trillions of possible variants - online and within seconds. This digital DNA accompanies the running gear throughout its life and also ensures unrivalled efficiency in maintenance and the supply of spare parts.

Classic BPW: The running gear requires practically no maintenance. Modular construction makes the running gear extremely easy to repair, even the track adjustment is very simple, thanks to adjustable air suspension hanger brackets. You can see just how convinced of the robustness of its lightweight components BPW is by taking a look at the warranty services: BPW offers a 5 + 3 year ECO Plus warranty without mileage limit in on-road operation throughout Europe.



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About BPW Bergische Achsen Kommanditgesellschaft
BPW Bergische Achsen Kommanditgesellschaft is the parent company of the BPW Group. With over 1,600 employees, including around 120 trainees, the family-owned company has been developing and producing complete running gear systems for truck trailers and semi-trailers at its headquarters in Wiehl since 1898. BPW’s technologies include axle systems, brake technology, suspension and bearings. BPW’s trailer axles and running gear systems are in use in millions of vehicles around the world. An extensive range of services also offers vehicle manufacturers and operators the ability to increase the efficiency of their production and transport processes. www.bpw.de/en

About the BPW Group
The BPW Group researches, develops and manufactures everything needed to ensure that transport keeps moving and is safe, illuminated, intelligent and digitally connected. With its brands BPW, Ermax, HBN, HESTAL and idem telematics, the company group is a preferred system partner of the commercial vehicle industry around the globe for running gear, brakes, lighting, fasteners and superstructure technology, telematics and other key components for trucks, trailers and buses. The BPW Group offers comprehensive mobility services for transport businesses, ranging from a global service network to spare parts supply and intelligent networking of vehicles, drivers and freight. The owner-operated company group currently employs 7,350 staff in more than 50 countries and achieved consolidated sales of 1.52 billion euros in 2018. www.bpw.de/en

Contacts

Nadine Simon

Nadine Simon

Press contact Press Officer/Public Relations focus on: special axles; agricultural running gears; telematics; human ressources/training +49 (0) 2262 78-1909 Nadine Simon on LinkedIn
Robin Becker

Robin Becker

Press contact Press Officer/Public Relations focus on: 9t running gears; trailer components; e-solutions; digital solutions +49 (0) 2262 78-1905 Robin Becker on LinkedIn

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Welcome to BPW Bergische Achsen KG!

About BPW Bergische Achsen Kommanditgesellschaft
BPW Bergische Achsen KG is the parent company of the BPW Group. With around 1,500 employees, including around 100 trainees, the family-run company has been developing and producing complete running gear systems for truck trailers and semi-trailers at its headquarters in Wiehl since 1898. BPW’s technologies include axle systems, brake technology, suspension and bearings. BPW’s trailer axles and running gear systems are in use in millions of vehicles around the world. An extensive range of services also provides vehicle manufacturers and vehicle operators with the opportunity to increase economic efficiency in their production and transport processes. www.bpw.de/en

About the BPW Group
The BPW Group researches, develops and manufactures everything needed to ensure that transport keeps moving and is safe, illuminated, intelligent and digitally connected. With its brands BPW, Ermax, HBN, HESTAL and idem telematics, the company group is a preferred system partner of the commercial vehicle industry around the globe for running gear, brakes, lighting, fasteners and superstructure technology, telematics and other key components for trucks, trailers and buses. The BPW Group offers comprehensive mobility services for transport businesses, ranging from a global service network to spare parts supply and intelligent networking of vehicles, drivers and freight. The owner-operated company group currently employs around 6,830 staff in 27 countries and achieved consolidated sales of 1.745 billion euros in 2023. www.bpw.de/en

BPW Bergische Achsen KG