When vehicles drive with too little air pressure in the tyres, it not only requires more fuel but it also affects safety: in the most critical cases, the material may get so hot that it catches fire. This was a deciding factor for Obermann Speditions-GmbH, a haulier based in Lower Saxony, in opting for telematics solutions from the BPW subsidiary, idem telematics.
Transporting and delivering asphalt is a delicate business: the mix, which is at a temperature of around 180 degrees, is susceptible to wind; too much oxygen and temperature losses can ruin its quality while on the road. At the Bauma trade fair, BPW will present an intelligent sensor system for dumper trucks that replaces the current method of measuring temperature which is prone to errors.
The next generation of Europe’s top-selling trailer disc brake is in the starting blocks – but it doesn't come alone: BPW is also supplying a completely redeveloped sensor which is the first to continuously measure brake lining wear and thus enable visits to the garage to be timed perfectly. The system requires no maintenance and can be retrofitted for all BPW trailer disc brakes.
Whether it's ready-mix concrete, sand or asphalt at 180 degrees Celsius, in the construction industry, trailers usually transport extreme payloads – the demands on braking performance are correspondingly high. BPW, Europe's largest trailer brake manufacturer, introduces the "ECO Disc TS2" – based on a successful concept that has been tried and tested more than two million times.
With a platform for running gears that has been thoroughly redesigned, BPW now covers both on-road and off-road applications. This means that running gear can be configured for trailers that can be used just as easily and efficiently on the road as on the construction site. The highlight is a "digital DNA" that accompanies the vehicle throughout its life with intelligent services.
Large manoeuvring areas for deliveries are a luxury that construction site logistics specialists can only dream of. On inner-city construction sites, things are especially tight – and not only with regard to space, but also in terms of timing. Drawbar trailers can now manoeuvre faster and more safely with an innovative auxiliary steering system from BPW.
The French rental company Fraikin uses the entire idem telematics product range in Germany to fully and completely monitor its vehicles. As a result, different telematics boxes are fitted in all of the supplier’s towing units and semi-trailers. Fraikin uses the system for the preventive control of tractor units and superstructures to avoid unusual wear and damage.
25 per cent more traction for the trailer on wet and difficult ground conditions and higher loads with smaller towing vehicles: these system benefits provided by the ‘AGRO Drive’ hydraulic drive axle have given BPW a bestseller among farmers and contractors. As a result, the drive axle has now won the most important public choice award in the agricultural industry.
Improperly secured cargo is frequently the cause of wobbling and tipping lorries on the road – and accidents and cargo damage cost transport companies millions every year. In future, an innovative, intelligent cargo securing system from BPW will prevent this from happening. Yet the development methodology used is also a remarkable aspect of this innovation.
Electric vans are being spotted in more and more inner cities – most of them in the bright distinctive colours of the postal service, delivering letters, parcels and packages. Yet truly heavy loads are soon to be transported electrically, too: BPW is supplying the drive axle technology for a research project at RWTH Aachen aimed at helping the electric lorry achieve their breakthrough.
BPW has been picking up a series of prestigious awards as an employer, training workplace and leader of innovation for years. Now, the F.A.Z.-Institut has put the family-owned company at the top of the list of ‘Germany’s most desirable companies’. Behind this lies a finely balanced blend of enthusiastic innovation and the security that is typical of medium-sized businesses.
As one of the innovation leaders of the transport industry, BPW dovetails its know-how in IT and mechatronics closely with its vocational training. As a result, BPW was given the distinction of being one of the “Best Companies for vocational training in Germany” in March. Now the company is taking its vocational training and staff qualifications to the next level by adding a robotics branch.
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 7,000 staff in 27 countries and achieved consolidated sales of 1.731 billion euros in 2022. www.bpw.de/en
