Technologically Advanced Aggregates

BPW Trailer Systems is offering advanced trailer aggregates. Ashish Bhatia with Prateek Pardeshi looks into the compliance-driven strategy.

- Ashish Bhatia, Prateek Pardeshi

International trailer norms set the benchmark for the largely unorganised domestic trailer industry. With compliance codes like AIS-113 in place, the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MORTH) found it easy to model domestic norms on the lines of international markets. This led to the transport vehicle dimensions being standardised. And so, trailer aggregates have been forced to come of age too. Organised players like BPW Trailer Systems India Pvt. Ltd., specialists in the trailer running gear systems as a one-stop-shop, have spared no effort in meeting customer requirements like low Total Cost of Operations (TCO) and technologically advanced aggregates like axles, suspension systems and landing gear that includes lighting and cable system, brake cylinders, and airbags and axle lift systems to name a few.

Commenting on the growing compliances forcing a technological advancement, Nagaraj Ubale, Director at BPW Trailer Systems India Pvt. Ltd, said, "On the trailer side, we can see the new pneumatic suspension technology, which justifies a 55-tonne capacity with a 4x2 tractor." He quipped that on the tractor side, the customer expectations are higher today. "In order to deliver on the performance benchmarks like better fuel and operating economy, Ubale claimed that it took a careful understanding of the axle load norms on the company's part." "It changes the geometry of the vehicle completely. And because there is a lack of understanding, we are working with different agencies to cope with it."

Driving the change

Back in 2018, axle load norms underwent a change to overnight increase the load-carrying capacity. The law came in after a gap of 35 years since the previous notification in 1983.