Don-Bur Teardrop advances into Europe with DHL thanks to a new low-height version. Biglorryblog has the full story!

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It had to happen. Having launched its innovative fuel-saving Teardrop trailer Don-Bur has had to suffer the slings and arrows of operators saying 'It's too tall, especially for the Continent..." Well now you CAN use a Teardrop on the Continent because the Stoke-on-Trent-based custom trailer maker has only gone and developed a 4.0m high 'Euro' Teardrop---and logistics giant DHL has put the very first one into service reporting that it's 'set to achieve 10% fuel savings' on a regular run between Holland and Germany. And with the price of diesel as it is that's nothing to sniff at....now click through here for the full story from Biglorryblog and Young Mr Swallow!

The 'Euro' Teardrop recently broke cover in Southampton and, like it's 4.5m full-height/full-curve UK counterpart, it has been aerodynamically contoured to improve fuel and CO2 efficiency levels. Paul Eden-Smith, senior VP Consumer, Retail & Fashion Sector, EMEA, DHL Supply Chain tells Biglorryblog: "As businesses come under increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions new innovation is key to driving positive environmental change. This is the first trailer of its kind in mainland Europe, which we expect will provide a 10% reduction in fuel usage and save up to 25 tonnes of CO2 during the first year of operation. Our latest collaboration with DON-BUR is an important step forward and will help to ensure further innovation in aerodynamic truck design remains high on the European supply chain agenda."

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Naturally BLB readers will already now that DHL has been an 'early adopter' of the solid-wall (pictured above) and lately curtainsider 'UK Teardrop' concept on both trailers and rigids (Commercial Motor did a full test on the solid-wall 'UK Teardrop' trailer in its 10 July 2008 edition-call 01371 851800 for back issues) Indeed DHL adds: "Following an 18-month trial in the UK of an early incarnation of the Teardrop trailer, DHL has built on its early success, including 10% fuel savings, with the new design specifically for use in mainland Europe. As well as adapting the materials used, the new trailer meets European legislation requirements." Meanwhile, its key features and benefits include:

  •  Distinctive full curved roof to reduce resistance and increase fuel efficiency
  • Maximum 4.0m vehicle height in line with European bridge height regs  
  • Forward swept front bulkhead to reduce turbulence
  • New lightweight recyclable blade panels to help reduce fuel consumption
  • And 96.8 cubic metres of internal capacity means no reduction in goods space---just 0.53m3 less than a standard 4.0m high trailer

And at this point I should mention that it was 'The Boy Swallow' who kindly tipped me off on this story and he quite rightly points out that not only will the new 4.0m Teardrop open up export markets for Don-Bur but will also attract UK operators wanting a lower-height 'super-slippery' trailer. Furthermore Kevin tells me: "The running deck height of the trailer is 790mm high and rear access to the loadspace is 2,240mm. The wheels are 17.5-inch wheels with 215/75 tyres. To raise the deck height to the required 1.2m load access height for its contract, Don-Bur specified BPW high lift air suspension that will raise the trailer by 245mm." So there you have it!

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1 Comment

Peter Geany

Umm good to see fuel saving innovations, there have been precious few the last 10 years as the concentration has been to reduce harmful, (poisonous or heath threatening) emissions. The claptrap about a low carbon future and saving the planet is pure publicity stunt. If anyone is interested a whistle blower has leaked a load of emails, data and computer code from the Climate Research Institute in East Anglia University showing how data on temperature has been manipulated to show a warming planet. The fact is a mountain of information is available showing that there has been no warming for the last 15 years and there is not one jot of rear observational data linking variations in the climate to CO2.

Several independent investigations are now on going into the misuse of public money for climate research, and criminal investigations into the refusal to supply data under freedom of information requests for independent verification of published scientific papers.

And this is just the tip of a huge iceberg of corruption that goes all the way to the UN (surprise surprise) Already 2 massive fraud investigations are on-going into Carbon trading and the value of carbon credits has fallen dramatically. And just as with the government made banking crisis it’s the tax payer that being ripped off and paying for all this fraud.

By the end of this year I predict common sense will have returned and CO2 will once more be along with water the perfect constituent of clean combustion.


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This page contains a single entry by BigLorryBlog published on January 14, 2010 11:16 AM.

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