Award ceremony on 23 September at the IAA CV 2016
“The systems and practical solutions for the trailer are getting smarter: This is the clearest trend this time around in the ‘Trailer Innovation 2017’ competition", according to Jörg Montag, Jury Chairman, Trailer Innovation, in announcing the results of the bi-ennial competition for trailer manufacturers and bodybuilders.

The winning brands in the seven categories ‘Body’, ‘Chassis’, ‘Components’, ‘Concept’, ‘Environment’, ‘Safety’ and ‘Smart Trailer’ were honoured at a special ceremony at the IAA 2016 in Hannover, Germany on 23 September. Short videos of the award-winning innovations were featured at the event with the special trophies milled from an aluminum block presented by VDA Managing Director Mr. Kay Lindemann.
Intelligent camera and telematics technology are used in the Telematics Loading Recognition system from Krone in winning Smart Trailer category. The planner can follow how much loading space is currently occupied on a trailer. The dilemma of not sufficiently filled trailer tyres can be met with BPW’s Airsave, winner in the Components class. This system monitors tyre pressure and inflates automatically.
Another form of intelligence used by SAF-Holland in it’s Driven trailer axle for tipper-trailers, took the prize as best Chassis. The winning innovation can be activated for tippers when the wheels of the tractor lose grip. Therefore, four-wheel drive on the tractor can be dispensed.

The security of sensitive dangerous goods can be increased with intelligent solutions from Kässbohrer. To improve the handling of 200°C hot bitumen, it has developed the Safety Bitumen Tanker for liquid transport specialist Hoyer. The winner in Safety has a sophisticated security system, which ensures the exact sequence of valve operations. In addition, sensitive functions are operated by the driver from a remote control of at least 6 meters away.

Interestingly, the changing buying habits through the internet has lead to innovations in trailer building. For the small-scale food distribution in urban areas Kiesling has developed the HD Flitzer, a refrigerated van, which assists delivery around the loading and delivering. This entry secured first place in the Body category.

The Trailer Innovation prize awarded since 2002 focuses also on multimodal manufacturers. In combined road-rail transport the commercially viable minimum limit on the railways is 400 km. With the Container Mover from Swiss manufacturer Innovatrain, this limit drops to 60 km - led to winning the Concept category. In practice, the system has already proven itself in supplying CoOp supermarkets in Swiss cities.
A major breakthrough has brought success to Carrier Transicold in the Environment classification with its CO2 trailer Cooler unit which uses carbon dioxide as a refrigerant. The climate-neutral gas has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1. By comparison, the refrigerant R404A most commonly used has a GWP of 3,922.

More than 70 innovations in the trailer industry applied for the Trailer Innovation award, many of which are exhibited at the IAA 2016. Every second year since, the series of international industry awards promotes outstanding ideas and product innovations from trailer makers and bodybuilders. The international jury consisting of trade journalists from 14 prestigious European magazines, determined the winners. All innovations are featured on www.trailer-innovation.com.

Trailer Innovation 2017: Ranking

BODY
1. Kiesling (DE) - HD Flitzer - Reefer body box for quick delivery
2. Schmitz Cargobull (DE) - Innovative thermal insulation for a rounded steel body
3. Tang (DE) - Targo-Lock - Pneumatic fast-tarpaulin-lock

CHASSIS
1. SAF-Holland (DE) - Driven trailer axle for tipper-trailers
2. Nooteboom (NL) – Manoovr Semi-lowloader
3. Goldhofer (DE) - Addrive heavy duty module

COMPONENTS
1. BPW (DE) - Tyre pressure control Air-Save
2. Firestone/VDL Weweler/D-Tec (NL) - Firestone Air Damping & VDL Weweler suspension on D-Tec-Trailer
3. Chereau/Vignal (FR) - Light system Citylight

CONCEPT
1. Innovatrain (CH) - Container Mover
2. SDC (IE & UK) - Kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) for semi-trailers
3. Lamberet (FR) - Zero petroleum: urban refrigerated delivery concept

ENVIRONMENT
1. Carrier Transicold (FR) - CO₂ Trailer refrigeration unit
2. BPW (DE) - Wheel hub generator ePower
3. Thermo King/Frigoblock (IE/DE) - Transport refrigeration unit on full electric truck

SAFETY
1. Kässbohrer (TK/DE) - Security bitumen tanker
2. Krone (DE) - UVC decontamination-system for Cool Liner
3. Kögel (DE) - Multi-chamber tail light & licence plate bracket with rear area monitoring

SMART TRAILER
1. Krone (DE) - Load compartment detection
2. Lamberet (FR) - Fully connected & autonomous multimodal reefer trailer
3. STAS (BE) - Sensored tipper and moving floor trailer