At the beginning of March, Cargotec announced the production of its 50,000th Kalmar terminal tractor unit at its US manufacturing facility in Ottawa, Kansas. The machine in question makes up part of an order from long-term customer, national grocer Safeway Inc, for 12 4×2 Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors. Safeway uses nearly 100 terminal tractors at its facilities in the US and Canada, and all the units for this latest order will be delivered by the second quarter of 2011. The company states that Kalmar terminal tractors – originally branded under the Ottawa name – have grown rapidly in their popularity over recent years. In April 2008, the Ottawa factory produced its 45,000th unit. It took 41 years to build the first 25,000 units and less than 12 years to build the next 25,000 machines. Terberg states that 2010 started as a challenging year, but picked up in the second half. “We finished 2010 with a better-filled order book in comparison to what we started with,” the company tells World Port Development. “We are not back to the 2007 level, but we can certainly be satisfied.” Terberg goes on to explain that it used downtime during quieter production periods to completely renew its production facility step by step. This renewal process will be completed at the end of April this year, enabling the company to increase its production capacity by 150 percent. This includes the installation of a large welding robot, capable of welding a complete chassis without the support of manual labour after it has been spot welded together. For the yard tractor (YT) that it regularly produces in larger quantities, the manufacturer has changed to a production process whereby chassis are moved through the production with a chain system. In this system, workers on the production line have a certain amount of time in which to do their job before the next chassis arrives. One important recent order highlighted by Terberg was for 70 yard tractor units to a container terminal in Kuwait, arriving in April this year. In October last year, the company completed another important delivery to a customer in the Middle East, building on its 20-year relationship with Gulftainer to supply 20 new vehicles. Other contracts sealed in the past 12 months include orders for YT units to several container terminals in Egypt, and 30 short MTS train tractors which are in production for the container terminal in Santos, Brazil. While the African and Middle East markets have remained fairly strong for Terberg during the economic crisis (with more uncertainty in the Middle East at present), European sales took a major hit. The company states its terminal tractor sales in Europe have been improving, though, notably strengthening in the second half of 2010. The new ro-ro tractor that Terberg introduced last year has been an important factor in this European sales upturn, most pertinently in Scandinavia, where DFDS decided to replace its fleet at several terminals with the new RT model Terberg ro-ro tractors. Other European orders include the company’s sale of 22 yard tractors to a large transport company in Italy, and the UK distribution sector has shown signs of recovery, with a series of tractors delivered to supermarket chains such as Asda and Tesco.
In decline – redesign
Similar to Terberg, American manufacturer Capacity of Texas focused on using a 2008 and 2009 slowdown to work on improvements to its Trailer Jockey tractors. Among these changes were enhancements to the electrical system, focused on eliminating unnecessary wires and easing electrical troubleshooting, as well as decreasing electrical issues. This included introducing all new harnesses and a Power Distribution Centre (PDC), alongside I/O Controls Multiplexor Module and Vehicle Electrical Center (VEC), which also incorporates instrument panel design. All brake lights and turn lights on the Trailer Jockey are also now LED. Safety was a further paramount concern in the changes instigated by the company. This included a deeper rectangular fuel step, increased from six inches to 10 inches. Furthermore, all walkways and handrails are now standard safety yellow (unless the customer specifically requests otherwise), with the option of a motion activated illumination package and an optional 72-inch cab height. Another optional Trailer Jockey feature introduced in this time is an all-new heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) system, reducing the average output from 52F to 38F, and enhancing the reliability and life expectancy of hoses, clamps and adaptors. Cab design and ergonomics are priorities throughout terminal tractor design and manufacture. Terberg points to this as being one of the main desired benefits of its terminal tractors. “Drivers are very fond of the Terberg tractors as they are very ergonomic, due to the large cabins and the well-thought-through layout of the dashboards. We are continuously improving this further with the feedback that we receive internally and externally,” a company representative states adding that customised options are also of crucial importance. “Even more important is our comprehensive after sales support, not limited to mechanics but also with regards to a large stock of spare parts and readily available documentation and technical information,” the company continues. “All this, combined with our high quality standards and our focus on tractors, means that our products are well received in the market.”
Cab design was another key factor in Capacity’s revisions to the Trailer Jockey, with the main development in this respect being the elimination of the hood, which was previously needed to check oil and transmission fluid levels. These are now located on the Trailer Jockey frameside and accessible from the ground, resulting in a one-piece design that eliminates accessory parts, brackets, rust points, and so forth. The manufacturer has also introduced a new dash layout and design for improved driver ergonomics and interaction. Italian-based Manitex subsidiary CVS Ferrari also positions cab design and driver ergonomics as a key factor in tractor design. The manufacturer can offer eithera left-hand or right-hand drive position, and large windows with tinted glass for optimised visibility and safety. The cabin can by easily accessed via a rear sliding door, and inside the driver has a 180-degree rotating seat with double pedals. Among other, further features of the cabin, it can be tilted with a hydraulic hand pump to up to 65 degrees with a safety lock; a tilting system controlled by electric motor is optional. The main developments for CVS over the past year have of course mostly centred around Manitex’s acquisition of the manufacturer after it went into receivership, but other key features listed for its terminal tractors are in keeping with the rest of the market, with reduced fuel consumption and enhanced ease of maintenance other important factors.
Environment of change
Capacity has also continued work over the past year to enhance the ecological aspects of the Trailer Jockey line. In 2009, the company introduced PHETT, its pluggable hybrid electric terminal tractor, which is now in full production. The manufacturer boasts that PHETT offers fuel savings of up to 65% when compared to its diesel counterparts, and has a full return on investment (ROI) of less than four years, with the reduction of fuel expense and maintenance expense of the engine and transmission. With regards to alternative fuels, Capacity states that it offers liquid natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) options that meet all 2010 emission standards, and boasts it is the only manufacturer to have done this since 2008. In terms of current developments, the company is presently working on the all-electric ZETT (zero emission terminal tractor). “This will be the only one of its kind in the world, with the first test unit scheduled for completion in latter 2011, and full production in 2012,” Capacity tells WPD. Further to this, a first test unit of a new gas model built with the Ford V10 engine is off-line and curren
tly working in the US, while a hydrogen fuel cell model is also in development.The company has also launched a factory-refurbished initiative. “This programme will allow customers a low cost point option, while still receiving the factory seal of approval. These refurbished units will include complete re-man engines and transmissions, hydraulics, and a full factory-certified inspection and checklist.” Cargotec also underlines the importance of ecological concerns (and the related improvements to ROI) in the development of the terminal tractor market in recent years. With emissions regulations growing ever stricter, in November last year the manufacturer launched the industry’s first hydraulic hybrid terminal tractor. Boasting that the new machine offers better fuel efficiency, reduced nitrous oxide and particulate matter emissions, Cargotec states that the Kalmar hydraulic hybrid drive tractor provides improved cost-effectiveness, no downtime due to recharging, and increased ease of maintenance. When introduced, this hybrid machine joined other eco-friendly terminal tractor options in the company’s portfolio that include tractors powered by alternative fuels such as CNG and LNG. Terberg states that throughout its whole range of tractors it has introduced the Euromot 3B (Tier 4i) engine range, built to reduce the output of particles through the exhaust extensively in comparison to the Euromot 3A engines. Furthermore, the company has introduced the aforementioned, entirely new RT ro-ro tractor, featuring a considerably larger cabin, CAN-bus technology in the cabin and a much more modular way of designing and building. “The advantage for the customer is that also after delivery it is relatively easy to modify the unit to the latest developments in their operational work in their terminal,” states a Terberg representative. “Furthermore, the used parts are used in more models, which increases the reliability and availability of the parts and therefore the tractor as a whole.”
In 2010 the company also introduced another brand new product, the rail/road tractor type RR222 6×4. A joint project with the German-based company ZAGRO – a well-established specialist in rail equipment – the RR 222 6×4 is designed for handling rail wagons in terminals with weights up to 2,000 tonnes. It can drive on rubber tyres from one track to another and then move the train wagons on the rails with lift-able rail wheels.
“The advantage of this product is the high pulling capacity, the possibility to obtain a tractor for almost all available rail gauges, and the very small turning circle when driving on its rubber tyres,” it concludes.
Recovering and Improving
While some manufacturers within the terminal tractor market have been hit harder than others by the recent, harsh economic climate, companies operating in this sector all seem focused on improving as well as recovering. After all, terminal tractors have been such a staple cargo-handling machine for such a long time, and there’s plenty of future left in them yet.