A GERMAN truck body builder won first prize in the innovations competition at the 2004 IAA in Hanover, but not for a truck body. Kiesling Fahrzeugbau GmbH won the award for its development of a new type of bulkhead for the interior of refrigerated bodies.
The Eco Cool Swing by Kiesling is a lightweight and highly flexible insulated bulkhead. Its flaps fit tightly against the truck body walls at the sides, as well as at the ceiling and floor. Yet it is easy to swing up to a parked position at the ceiling, or to push it forward as the cargo diminishes.
For walk-through or drive-through access, it has two saloon-type doors that swing in both directions. These saloon doors go all the way to the floor for fork-truck access.
The sewn textile material gives the Eco Cool Swing a pillow effect. The insulating wall is made of polyester hollow fiber material. Kiesling claims the Eco Cool Swing insulates almost as effectively as the rear doors, and that refrigeration unit running time is about 30% less.
Competition for this international award was stiff, with 34 companies submitting 43 individual innovations. The judges were independent trucking magazine journalists who walked the floors to see the innovations on exhibit. All entries are shown on www.trailer-innovation.com.
Kiesling is a custom truck body builder specializing in insulated bodies and distribution vehicles, located in southern Germany between Stuttgart and Ulm. Kiesling Fahrzeugbau GmbH, Lauteracher Weg 10, D-89160 Dornstadt-Tomerdingen, Germany.