Thermo King®, a leader in transport temperature control solutions for a variety of mobile applications and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, announced its cooperation with Chéreau, leading European insulated and refrigerated trailers and box bodies manufacturer, under which, customers ordering new Thermo King equipped bodies directly from Chéreau will have the ability to activate a Connected Solutions package. Thermo King reefer units feature the TK BlueBox communication device as standard, and customers will be able to include two-year TracKing™ data service package to give them access to real time intelligence on the operation of their vehicles.
«The internet has fundamentally changed customer expectations. The only way for transporters to deliver what their customers expect, demonstrate temperature levels, meet regulatory requirements, and respond instantly to new challenges is to fully embrace data-driven fleet operations» said Bruno Van den Bril, telematics sales manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Thermo King. «With built-in connectivity and telematics capabilities into the units, we provide more than just a refrigerated unit. We’re very pleased to enhance our relationship with Chéreau and together offer customers the power of connectivity they need to make their fleet operations smarter and more efficient».
«We’re always looking for ways to take a technological leap forward to improve our products and meet he customers’ needs for performance, safety and ergonomics» said Christophe Danton director for marketing and communication at Chéreau. «Integrating Thermo King connectivity solutions in our trailers will give our customer’s the latest telematics tools to keep their cargo protected and cold chain operations at their most efficient».
Chéreau’s customers will have access to Thermo King TracKing™ telematics system for 24/7 visibility of the vehicle, the unit’s performance and the load condition. The TK BlueBox stores data, which can be accessed remotely through an app on smart phone or Bluetooth-enabled device, allows fleet managers to interact with the unit to ensure that the load is protected at all times and the unit is running at it most efficient.
As part of the package customers will benefit from the Trailer Assist service, which expands the connectivity capabilities beyond the refrigeration unit to the actual asset transporting them. This extends the value of the TracKing™ connectivity platform application allowing for all trailer and reefer data in one system, computer or mobile app.
Trailer Assist service collects and presents a range of insights related to a trailer’s operational condition offering a comprehensive range of data points by which customers can monitor day-to-day trailer condition and
- Enhance vehicle uptime and asset utilization through proactive maintenance
- Optimize transportation routes by analysing weight information (via axle loads)
- Improve logistics flow and avoid wrong trailer pickup (by tracking individual VINs)