Rear-end damage from docking and fork-lifts has long been a hazard for refrigerated transport operations. Body and trailer builders now pay particular attention to lessening the impact of a rear-end shunt and to improving repairability. Bodywork now incorporates beefed-up protection for the rear and more impact-resistance side panels with features such as deeper, bonded aluminium kickstrips.
Chereau and Lamberet have joined Gray and Adams and Schmitz in offering compression-style rear
bumpers that protect the trailer from loading dock damage. Chereau's BC bumper has rollers freely mounted on an axle which rotate during raising and lowering manœuvres to cut out shearing. The concave shape optimises contact with the bay however the vehicle is aligned. Lamberet's SR2 bumper is only visible once the smart rear doors are opened. The bumper incorporates stainless-steel covered elastomer rollers on struts.
Chereau's new Inogram panels have re-enforced corners to protect the most vulnerable area from damage. Schmitz reckons its metal-clad Ferroplast panels are intrinsically better able to withstand impact damage than the GRP panels used by its rivals.
