EXTRA SHIFTS AT SCHMITZ CARGOBULL’S VREDEN FACTORY TO MEET DEMAND
7 October 2013
Schmitz Cargobull has taken on 150 additional employees to ensure it can meet the strong demand for box body and reefer trailers from across Europe, which has pushed production at its Vreden factory in Germany to approximately 1,500 trailers per month.
In a market which has seen some competitors reduce production capacity, Schmitz Cargobull's Vreden plant is bucking the trend and working three shifts per day, seven days a week.
Over the last few months the company has seen a steady increase in orders. Compared to the same months in the previous year, production has risen by around 30 per cent. The increase in demand has been bolstered by a heavy presence at major trade shows across a number of key markets.
Ulrich Schöpker, Board Member for Sales at Schmitz Cargobull, says: "At the Comtrans trade fair in Moscow we received more than 1,600 orders, 1,200 of these were for the trailers we make in Vreden. The next big show is the Solutrans commercial vehicle exhibition in Lyon (France) – it’s not taken place yet, but already we are receiving positive signals."
Schmitz Cargobull has increased the flexibility of its factories through modularisation across product lines and has structured processes so that production can respond quickly, even in the case of volatile market demand. This ensures that customers can place an order for a trailer, or a fleet of trailers, built to their precise specification, and take delivery quickly. Schmitz Cargobull does not produce stock trailers – every trailer is manufactured to a customer’s own requirements.
Ulrich Schöpker puts the success of Schmitz Cargobull's box body trailers down to the high quality and reliability of its products, and to the company's European-wide aftersales support.
Schöpker explains: "Our temperature-controlled trailers have been the benchmark on the market for more than 60 years and, for the benefit of our customers, we have set the bar very high. This drives us to maintain and further our competitive edge.
“The high demand we are experiencing is a great sign of the confidence customers have in our innovations and services.”
ends
Editor’s notes:
Schmitz Cargobull (UK) is a subsidiary company of the German-owned Schmitz Cargobull Group, the biggest and leading manufacturer and supplier of semi-trailers in Europe. The Schmitz Cargobull Group has manufacturing plants in Germany, Spain, Lithuania and Russia and employs over 4,500 people. In the last financial year (2012/2013), Schmitz Cargobull had a turnover of approximately €1.512 billion and produced more than 43,000 trailers.
A number of additional services complete the company profile: Cargobull Finance for leasing and lease purchasing; Schmitz Cargobull Parts & Services for vehicle servicing and spare parts; Schmitz Cargobull Service Partners for repairs and maintenance; Schmitz Cargobull Telematics for trailer telematics and Schmitz Cargobull Trailer Store for used trailers. Schmitz Cargobull refrigerated units are constructed using the company’s FERROPLAST® Thermo Technology modular steel-skinned panels to keep loads at the desired temperature.
Visit Schmitz Cargobull UK’s dedicated online press room at http://news.cision.com/schmitz-cargobull
Press Contact UK:
James Keeler
Garnett Keeler PR
Tel: 020 8647 4467
Email: james.keeler@garnettkeeler.com
Company Contact Europe:
Gerd Rohrsen, Head of Corporate Communications
Andrea Beckonert, Manager Public Relations
Tel: +49 2558 811321
Email: andrea.beckonert@cargobull.com
SCB/076/13
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