Solutrans 2019: new announcements and fresh ideas

At Thermo King we’re on a mission: to be present at all the major European transport tradeshows. That’s why we were in Lyon this November, at the 15th biennial Solutrans event.

Billed as the biggest show for industrial and urban electric vehicles from 3.5 to 44 tons, Solutrans 2019 involved:

• 610 exhibitors and participating companies
• 75,000m2 of exhibition space and outdoor demonstration areas
• 48,240 visitors

Thermo King and Frigoblock were there with a booth and a host of new announcements – here are the highlights:

The road to Thermotopia

Starting with our booth, it’s probably fair to say this was a true eye-catcher! Its design, look-and-feel was based on the Thermotopia concept – and presenting Thermo King’s vision on the future of transport refrigeration:

• The principal product on show was the E-200 all-electric unit
• Also showcased were CryoTech, SLXi, and the T-Series units
• The stand featured 4 ‘corners’ dedicated to Aftermarket, Sustainability, Electrification, and Frigoblock

The booth also provided the ideal backdrop for our ‘customer night’. It was here that dealers were able to invite their customers to come and meet with the Thermo King team – a session heavy on networking and providing a more social angle to our branding activity.

Keeping the press on board

The customer night was a huge success, and led to many interesting conversations. Equally the booth proved a magnet for the media and journalists in attendance.

To quote Arnaud De Ridder, Regional Sales Director (Southern Europe) at Thermo King, “clearly Thermotopia is a bold vision for the market, and one that enticed the press to pay us a visit. At the same time, we also wanted to make the press engagement more personal and interactive. That meant focusing less on overarching press conferences and more on 1-to-1 briefings at the booth.”

PR metrics from Solutrans:

• 30+ press kits handed out across 2 days
• Active discussions with over 30 journalists
• 15 press interviews completed

Topics of interest

So, a lot of press attention – but what exactly were we talking to them about? Well at Solutrans, Thermo King arrived with a number of announcements to get participants talking. These included:

• The launch of the T-Series Hybrid and UT Hybrid refrigeration system for trucks, drawbar trailers, and high loaders – jointly developed in collaboration with our customer Castell Howell Foods
• The E-200 continues to generate significant interest as it continues to lead the industry in all-electric refrigeration for medium-sized vans and trucks
• The sustainability section of the booth was also a popular place, with attendees interested in finding out more on CryoTech

Additional announcements

Two additional products given center stage were the S4.2 slim evaporator, and Lease Assist on the TouchLog Data Logger:

• The S4.2 offers customers a high performance remote evaporator that features:
  • A lower profile (50mm) for greater accessibility and cargo space
  • Dual air discharge
  • Reduced equipment and installation costs
• Lease Assist and TouchLog Data Logger helps extend Connected Solutions by offering leasing and rental companies:
  • One platform to optimize and manage operations more efficiently
  • Insights such as asset localization, real-time engine hours, and usage metrics
  • Reading accuracy (via the data logger) of 0.5K between -25°C and +8°C

Build on the success of Solutrans

Attending this event helped confirm:

• Audiences and press alike maintain a strong interest in Thermo King innovations
• The E-200 unit continues to capture the imagination
• New hybrid features open up new conversations around sustainability

Key points that can help guide your future service offerings!