Thermo King, a manufacturer of transport temperature control systems for a variety of mobile applications, recently hosted an event in Galway, Ireland, to showcase how it is helping transporters meet their energy and operational efficiency objectives. At the Destination: Driving Efficiency in Transportation event on Oct. 18, Thermo King showcased transport refrigerant systems, including vehicle-powered trucks, diesel-driven refrigeration units, self-powered temperature control units, cryogenic refrigerant units and aftermarket accessories.
Top Thermo King leaders from throughout Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa discussed transport-related business and regulatory trends as well as new strategies for transporters to reduce the total cost of ownership of their fleets through energy and operational efficiency. Event participants toured the Thermo King plant in Galway and learned about the flexible and lean manufacturing processes used throughout the plant to enhance customer satisfaction.
“We collaborate with our customers to develop customized, innovative and sustainable solutions that address their business needs, keep up with industry trends and address regulatory requirements,” says Dwight Gibson, vice president of transport solutions for truck and trailer for Thermo King in the Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) region. “We start by gaining a thorough understanding of each customer’s unique needs. We then collaborate closely with them to develop solutions that help them achieve their business objectives.”
Thermo King also honored leaders from Musgrave Retail Partners for their commitment to energy and operational efficiency. Musgrave Retail Partners is the retail division of the Musgrave Group, Ireland’s largest grocery and food distributor. Representatives from Musgrave Retail Partners discussed how they implemented a custom double-deck multi-temperature trailer solution for its SuperValu stores throughout Ireland. As a result, they expect to increase available trailer capacity by 65 percent and save fuel and fleet costs.
The double-deck multi-temperature trailer includes space for cargo at fresh, frozen and ambient temperatures. Engineers carefully designed the trailer to ensure that they met height limitations while providing enough height for optimized air circulation. A key part of the solution included maximizing the airflow with customized air ducts; the unit is mounted on a high cube trailer, and engineers relocated the controller to a lower level to facilitate driver access.
“The double-deck multi-temperature approach gives us the opportunity to deliver high-volume orders to our largest customers in single-vehicle transactions, significantly reducing kilometers traveled by sending fewer trucks to remote areas,” says John Counihan, project manager for Musgrave Retail Partners, which introduced the new transport solution after successful trial implementation in Dublin and Cork. This solution is part of the company’s corporate commitment to continual improvement and sustainability.
