BPW wins the coveted ETM Award for the 15th time in a row

Barely any other trailer component has as much impact on the added value per kilometre as the running gear, which is why BPW Bergische Achsen KG has now won the ETM Award for the 15th year in a row.

The award is one of the most sought after in the industry and gives transport professionals from the vehicle and logistics industry the chance to have their say. Claiming the top spot has become an annual tradition for the company, as no other provider offers more-advanced technology.

“In the transport and logistics industry, everything revolves around the question of which technology can be used to generate more added value per kilometre. Choosing the right axle and running gear systems is crucial here,” comments Ralf Merkelbach, Head of Key Account Management Large Fleets Europe at BPW, “which is why at BPW we invest in innovative technologies more than any other provider and work closely with hauliers in our development work. The result is the most advanced running gear technology on the market, which gives vehicle operators a decisive advantage.”

BPW actually uses more than steel and aluminium when constructing axles and running gear – it also uses data. The global player and family-owned company based in Wiehl, North Rhine-Westphalia, has fitted selected trailers with specially developed data collection devices (Mini Black Box) that accurately record every movement. Whether a trailer is speeding over the potholes of the Silk Road in China, climbing the road to a mountain pass in Eastern Anatolia, driving through the monsoon in India or being subjected to hard braking at a motorway junction in Germany, every physical detail is registered and used to fine-tune the running gear components for maximum sturdiness and efficiency.

The result is a modular component kit where every individual part is based on a ‘digital twin’ and can even be put together online to create running gear that is precisely tailored to the intended use. The artificial intelligence in the configurator helps the vehicle engineer to choose precisely the right combination.

This year, BPW completely rebuilt the successful Airlight II running gear, which is among the top-selling trailer running gear in Europe. This achieved a weight saving of 60 kg for the vehicle operator – and gives the vehicle manufacturer even more flexibility in the design.

Ralf Merkelbach says: “The new version of Airlight II proves that we do not rest on our laurels at BPW. By digitising our running gear kit, we have replaced the conventional development cycles with a continuous renewal process. This means that every BPW running gear is always the most up to date and efficient on the market.”