BPW’s fruitful, 63-year association with South Africa continues at pace with its latest venture that sees innovation once again go hand in hand with tradition to reap rewards.
The year 1962 marked BPW’s first foreign venture outside Germany – to South Africa. This was followed by BPW establishing its own development and production facilities in 1990, complemented by its extensive service network to countries across the whole of southern Africa.
In alignment with the diverse geography of southern Africa, BPW’s range of sturdy solutions was equally diverse and customised to be ‘fit for purpose’, depending on the particular industry.
As a result, BPW supplies axles for the gigantic tipper trailers used in the African mining industry, while also providing high-tech innovations, such as ‘ePower’ for emission-free refrigeration logistics.
BPW has now launched an ‘ePower’ generator axle in Africa to help drive the sustainable cold chain revolution that is gaining rapid momentum in growing countries, such as South Africa.
With its strategic presence in the South African market, BPW is steadfastly aligned to incorporating innovation and technology with its most recent market solution.
The ‘ePower’ electric generator axle, which is an integral part of Thermo King’s AxlePower system, is an example of the company’s commitment to anchoring technological advances in operational reality.
Harnessing energy from a vehicles’ continual braking and driving to power emission-free cooling units, BPW addresses both environmental concerns and practical operational needs.
The success of ‘ePower’ in rigorous real-world testing – including a 20-week continuous cooling period powered by energy generated during normal operations – speaks to its viability for harvesting energy for sustainable refrigeration.
In South Africa, it’s not just world-class nature, wildlife, gastronomy and appealing lifestyle that are attracting visitors and commercial operators. Now, the tech scene is booming and an increasing number of start-ups and freelancers from Europe are heading south relocating their businesses to the Cape of Good Hope over the winter months.
South Africa’s appeal is also evident in people’s everyday shopping needs, with premium supermarket chain Woolworths, affectionately known as ‘Woolies’, enjoying success in Africa, Australia and New Zealand, due to its premium quality grocery and merchandise offerings, ranging from food to fashion and cosmetics.
It also enjoys a strong presence in South Africa, where the country’s burgeoning middle class’s buying power has resulted in a 9.1 percent increase in food sales, due to grocery chains adopting high quality and sustainability goals.
The supermarket giant is setting global standards in fresh food logistics and sustainability, as evidenced by its pioneering use of AxlePower Technology from Thermo King and BPW.
Image: BPW.
Woolworths has wholeheartedly embraced this innovative technology, using it to ensure its products maintain a rigorous high standard. It is able to ensure its ‘Ripe&Ready’ food label, which offers highly perishable fruits such as figs, papayas and avocados, is kept at the perfect moment of ripeness. Often sourced from small contract farms in remote areas, this is a logistical tour de force in a country the size of Germany, France and Italy.
Its approach to food quality has ensured Woolworths is at the head of the game. Since early 2024, Woolworths was the first international retail chain to use Thermo King and BPW’s electric freight refrigeration solution, AxlePower.
The solution is used in conjunction with the logistics partner DP World, a multinational logistics company headquartered in Dubai, combining global know-how with local expertise.
DP World and Woolworths sent the refrigerated trailer equipped with AxlePower straight into regular operation on the route between Johannesburg and Cape Town, some 1,400 kilometres across the Karoo Desert. The transported goods have to withstand temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in summer and below freezing in winter.
Coupled with the extreme temperatures are the notorious potholes in the greater Johannesburg area and the unpaved washboard roads off motorways that also demand maximum resilience.
Managing Director of BPW Axles in South Africa, Susan Pretorius, said: “Our ePower has proven itself as the heart of the overall AxlePower system, even under the most challenging driving conditions. If ePower can withstand Africa, then the rest of the world is a walk in the park.”
The electric transport refrigeration not only saves 27 tonnes of CO2 per vehicle annually but also reduces noise and exhaust fumes. “It’s a blessing for residents near supermarkets and restaurants, as well as for the drivers,” said Pretorius.
BPW’s ePower system also ensures protection against fuel theft, a problem which is also becoming more acute in Europe.
Susan Pretorius added that top logistic specialists and vehicle manufacturers were now embracing BPW’s AxlePower system.
“In South Africa, logistics specialists and trailer manufacturers are open to innovation as long as they are cost-effective, robust and reliable,” said Pretorius.
“Thermo King and BPW’s excellent reputation has created the necessary trust in the new technology – and the solution has now become a real success.”
The advances in technology from BPW Axles and its partners is great news for the cold logistics industry, consumers and producers. It comes at a time when the global cold chain market is expected to under a significant expansion in the coming years.
Market reports have forecast that the global cold logistics industry is expected to grow to be worth an estimated $372 billion USD (€344 billion) by 2029, which equates to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.9 per cent.
The multiple reasons for the boom in this industry include the need for fresh consumable foods products, such as dairy, fruit and vegetables in communities, including the growing African and Middle Eastern nations which face harsh weather conditions.
There is also the culture of ‘eating at home’, due to the global financial issues, which has seen families eating at home and pursuing a farm-to-table fresh food diet. The globalised food supply chains, and the rise of e-commerce has seen consumers increasingly want to gain easy access to fresh produce.
Hence, the cold logistics industry is able to accommodate those demands. Coupled with technological advances in the transportation of goods by industry stakeholders like BPW, Thermo King and DP World, there has been an exponential growth in this burgeoning sector.
The new ePower system will be showcased at the BPW stand (Hall A6, Stand 310) at Transport Logistic in Munich from 2-5 June.
Fast Fact
The ‘ePower’ electric generator axle, which is an integral part of Thermo King’s AxlePower system, is an example of the company’s commitment to anchoring technological advances in operational reality.
By harnessing energy from braking and driving, in order to power emission-free cooling units, BPW addresses both environmental concerns and practical operational needs.
The success of ‘ePower’ in rigorous real-world testing – including a 20-week continuous cooling period powered by energy generated during normal operations – speaks to its viability for harvesting energy for sustainable refrigeration.
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