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trailer world Issue One 2014

    Issue One 2014  35 BPW is now searching for the right prod- ucts to offer for sale on the Indian market. For this purpose, the engineers need to gain as comprehensive a picture as pos- sible of how the vehicles are used day-in, day-out. There are indeed a few motor- ways here linking the major centres, but the road to customers often involves gravel tracks. Furthermore, there are many and extensive potholes on the roads, which are very uneven to boot. “As a result, the com- plete payload is sometimes only supported on a single axle while the two other axles are in the air,” says Reiner Moog, the man in charge of the field test in India. These are precisely the loading conditions that the running gear has been designed for. Robust running gear Engineers from BPW only developed the ECO Cargo VB running gear as recently as last year. “ECO Cargo VB is a modern running gear with mechanical suspension. The robust configu- ration for a long service life, optimisation for low tyre wear as well as simplified installa- tion and repair possibilities means it is par- ticularly suitable for markets such as India,” explains Bernd Rhein, technical customer consultant and project manager at BPW. It comesdowntothedetails,hecontinues,such as the precise tracking possibility and wheel guidance, durable bearings and replaceable spring slides. For the field test, BPW select- ed the three-axle running gear with large ground clearance, adapted brake force dis- tribution and anti-lock brake system (ABS). “We decided on an axle load of 12 tonnes. This is in accordance with national regula- tions,” says the test leader Reinier Moog. International cooperation For the pur- poses of the field test, BPW is working with the vehicle manufacturer Seamless Auto- tech, which makes the chassis. “We expect our suppliers to offer good quality, many variants and corresponding service. BPW meets these requirements,” says Gurpeet Ahluwalia, the Sales & Marketing Director at Seamless Autotech. The team in Pune needed more than ten days to complete and fit out the platform semitrailer. This was precisely what Harinder Yadav needed, since he has completed all the tours to date without any particular inci- dents of note. In most cases, he has been transporting heavy steel coils with a Tata Prima 4218 tractor vehicle. However, the truck with its engine generating about 180 HP does not allow him to achieve any sig- nificant speeds. His average speed is 41.2 km/h, although it should be noted that 30 km/h is quite normal for India. His max- imum speed is also not much above the average, at 60 km/h. Another reason why he drives so slowly is related to the numer- ous border controls between the individual federal states. It is by no means rare that he has to wait several hours or even days. It is probable that the team will not achieve their target of 50,000 kilometres within one year for the field test. “There are in- deed significant differences compared to driving in Europe. For example, time here only seems to be of secondary importance. Nevertheless, we want to be seen as an in- ternational mobility partner in India as well,” explains Philipp Bäcker, who knows the country well. Important logistics provider Bäcker also established contact with the Ideal Movers logistics company. With its fleet of almost 2,000 vehicles, it is one of the largest such companies in India. Only re- cently, an Indian trade magazine selected Ideal Movers as the best truck fleet op- erator of the year. “Our services are in- creasingly appreciated by our customers, because we can guarantee reliable deliv- eries on schedule,” emphasises Raghav Himatsingka, the Chief Executive Officer at Ideal Movers. Furthermore, the com- pany is one of those which strictly adhere to the legislation. For example, it will not send out any overloaded vehicles. Also, Ideal Movers makes sure that its driv- Professional transport companies stick to the rules, whereas many small companies take a more relaxed attitude regarding the maximum permitted weight. Photos:ReinerMoog,BerndRhein Illustration:hpkalyani–istockphoto.com International

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