Save money with trailer bodies

Mr Miesen, the HESTAL brand specialises in trailer bodies and fastening systems and looks back on a long tradition. Can a company still develop new ideas after 240 years?

 Absolutely! We will be exhibiting the HESTAL FlowMaster and the MultiMaster at the BPW Group booth at IAA Transportation. These two innovations may not be the most striking, but they do offer considerable added value for road freight transport. 

Can you tell us more about the HESTAL FlowMaster? 

The FlowMaster is an aerodynamically optimised end beam for trailers and DB and DC trailers. It improves aerodynamics by shifting the air turbulence behind the semi-trailer, thus reducing air resistance. This gives a VECTO saving of 1.4 per cent and 0.4 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. With an annual driving distance of 120,000 kilometres, a three-axle vehicle saves around 480 litres of diesel. This corresponds to around 800 euros in fuel costs.

That is a whole lot! How does the FlowMaster work, exactly? 

An end beam is the final element of the trailer roof. Here, the FlowMaster acts as an integrated roof spoiler. Although it only projects 55 millimetres beyond the rear of the vehicle, it considerably reduces the load on the tractor unit: trucks use 30 to 60 per cent of their energy on long journeys simply to overcome aerodynamic resistance. We supply the FlowMaster in lime green as standard – this means that climate-efficient trailers can also be recognised from their outward appearance.

It seems that HESTAL is revolutionising the trailer roof this year: with the MultiMaster, you have developed completely new application possibilities. What's the story behind this?

Perhaps the term ‘revolution’ is exaggerated – we simply thought about how we could reduce load securing costs for the haulier and make the unloading and loading process safer for the driver. The MultiMaster is a multi-functional roof rail that not only carries our trailer roof, the CoverMaster, but also integrates LED lighting elements and the running rails for our HESTAL CargoMaster load securing system. These optimisations increase safety by better illuminating the load compartment and hence reducing the risk of accidents. In addition, the CargoMaster's integrated running rail saves weight and avoids load securing equipment lying around as a trip hazard. 

Both innovations add additional functions to familiar components – but does that not cost more? 

A newly designed cross-section of the roof rail means that we can effectively integrate the lighting elements and protect them from damage. By integrating the CargoMaster running rail, we can also reduce the overall weight without significantly increasing cost. 

At HESTAL, we have stood for genuine engineering expertise for over 240 years and we look forward to presenting this at IAA TRANSPORTATION at the BPW booth in Hall 26, Booth A30.