Telematics as a super tool

Schwarzmüller trailers are anything but average: for demanding industries, the Austrian family business has been developing, building and looking after individual transport solutions for various market segments – from long-distance transport to the construction industry – for 150 years. They all have one thing in common: They are equipped with sophisticated solutions that offer advantages for useable load, handling, operating times and economic performance, for example, innovative combinations of materials that increase the useable load and save fuel. Or even functional elements that increase safety, simplify operation and expand the application possibilities of vehicles. Currently, Schwarzmüller is sharpening its profile with innovation projects, such as a low loader trailer that is automatically loaded with construction vehicles and consequently relieves the driver from time-consuming manoeuvring. With Volocopter, the German specialist for electrically powered transport drones and flying taxis, Schwarzmüller is also developing a drawbar trailer with side walls that fold up like a flower into a circular take-off and landing platform.

In addition to these futuristic projects, there is an innovation that is based in the here and now of transport and will become the standard for Schwarzmüller vehicles from October 2022. The free use of the open-system “SWIT” telematics platform over the warranty period of 24 months. Schwarzmüller has already been installing the corresponding hardware – Telematics-Gateway – as standard for two years. With the new offer, Schwarzmüller is mainly targeting medium-sized transport operators that have not yet networked their vehicles, freight and drivers. Armin Habel, Vice President Customer Services at Schwarzmüller: “In practically every industry, cost pressure is forcing heads of transport companies to exploit all opportunities for increased efficiency – and telematics offer the biggest potential for this. Small and medium-sized transport companies in particular can not only transport more efficiently with telematics, but it also opens up new possibilities for them to expand their service offer.” It is a big step for small transport businesses to grow into this world. That is why a third component is part of the new telematics concept, alongside the telematics gateway and access to the telematics portal: a sophisticated consulting and training programme. With a mixture of personal contact, video tutorials and training programmes, the vehicle manufacturer’s customers receive comprehensive support on their way to telematics: individually and at their own speed.

It takes a great deal of effort which Schwarzmüller has put a lot of thought into. “A shortage of drivers and the cost trend are driving consolidation in the transport industry. We protect the interests of small and medium-sized transport companies. Our telematics not only open up enormous efficiency potential for them, it also expands the activity radius of our vehicles in a new dimension, from dispatching to daily vehicle operation and right up to maintenance and service. So we are opening up a whole new world for the vehicle and its use for our customers. Telematics also enable our customers to further develop their own service portfolio. They should not just keep pace with the big players, but also be able to exploit their very own individual competitive advantages even better”, says Armin Habel.

With this in mind, only one world-class telematics platform came to mind for Schwarzmüller with respect to quality and security and, above all, with respect to fulfilling its own demands for innovation and individuality. The choice could only ever be idem telematics, the European market leader for open system transport telematics. Its “cargofleet3” online portal forms the foundation for the Schwarzmüller “SWIT” platform. “idem telematics and Schwarzmüller are both based in the SME sector”, explains Armin Habel, “we want our customers to navigate the data highway just as safely and confidently on and off the road. We are jointly offering our customers an open system platform that can be networked with all applications across vehicles – transport management systems, freight exchanges, merchandise management systems, workshop applications, lessor systems and many more. Therefore, the platform supports and integrates data from all vehicles, third-party systems and also telematics hardware from other manufacturers. This is how we protect the independence of our customers.”

Staying in business, winning contracts in new ways and staying in control of your data at the same time is a challenge, especially for small transport operators. More and more shippers are trying to optimise their processes and demand transport and vehicle data from the forwarder, which ranges from the calculated arrival times to automatic integration into their merchandise management systems. Transport companies that are not in a position to provide data of their own choice in a targeted and controlled manner will sooner or later be forced to use their customers’ transport management systems and consequently make themselves more transparent than they would like. So anyone who doesn’t digitalise themselves will become digitalised. This is increasingly affecting the construction industry. Jens Zeller, Managing Director of idem telematics: “We are currently observing consolidation in the construction industry. Construction companies are becoming larger, more professional and consequently, more digital. Will such companies still call a small forwarder to request, tender or commission a transport ob? Or send a fax? These times are coming to an end. That is why it is important for all transport businesses to familiarise themselves with the possibility of telematics free of charge – even if they drive tipping semi-trailers.”

Armin Habel, Head of Customer Service at Schwarzmüller, adds: “Whether it is a vehicle manufacturer or vehicle user, we need a forward-looking, integral way of thinking. Transport is more than the towing vehicle and more than the route from A to B. It is a process that is becoming increasingly digitalised: dispatch, confirmation, loading, driving, taking breaks, distribution, unloading, invoicing – each of these stages generate and require data and therein lie great opportunities for our customers. In addition to this is the trailer’s data, which promises major efficiency gains for service, for example, through preventative or predictive maintenance. We still have many ideas that we intend to implement together with our customers and partners, like idem telematics.”