Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport has passed a new road construction law that will see transport companies working in highway construction be subject to stricter requirements for carting asphalt.
From 1 January 2015, thermal insulation of transport equipment will be mandatory to prevent the cargo from cooling down. According to the German Ministry, the temperature of the asphalt will be measured to verify the “quality of the delivery”.
The stipulations for national highways – currently for major roadworks with an asphalt layer exceeding 18,000m² – will be gradually expanded to include all road works by 2019. New trailers will then be fitted with permanently installed measuring equipment.
Many OEMs have therefore announced they will present thermally insulated tippers and road construction equipment at the upcoming IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Germany.
Schmitz Cargobull, for instance, will showcase an insulated version of its S.KI 7.2 tipper semi-trailer. “The custom fitted covering for the front and side surfaces is made of tarpaulin material and designed for temperatures up to 200°C. In combination with inlay mats, this achieves the required thermal resistance of ≥1.65 m²/KW,” the company said.
An additional mat is fitted in the tailgate. A roller tarpaulin used to cover the tray provides insulation from the top. According to Schmitz, that flexible trough insulation is the “ideal solution” for retrofitting and is significantly lighter than permanent body cladding. “Best of all, the equipment is guaranteed to remain legally compliant for the vehicle's entire service life.”
German OEM Langendorf will use the opportunity to present an insulated aluminum tipper in Hanover that has been shortlisted for the show’s Trailer Innovation Award.
According to Langendorf CEO Dr Klaus Strautmann, the ‘Isoxx’ model was developed in less than twelve months and to overcome several obstacles until it was ready for serial production – especially since aluminium is an excellent heat conductor. “We just concentrated on the virtues of Langendorf – a robust and durable design. And I think we were successful in this aim with our Isoxx aluminium tipping box”, Strautmann stated.