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90 years of trailer history that moves - Kögel Trailer GmbH celebrates 9 decades of innovation

Press release | 29.05.24

 

Founded in 1934 by Franz Xaver Kögel in Neu-Ulm, Kögel Trailer GmbH in Burtenbach has now been in existence for almost a century. The company, which initially produced floors, drop sides and substructures for truck beds, has developed into one of the leading providers of trailer solutions in Europe, currently employing around 1,200 people in 11 countries. The company's development is characterized by its high capacity for innovation and the continuous further development of its products.

For 90 years, Kögel has been setting milestones in the development and production of contemporary trailer solutions. These include innovations that have established themselves as market standards. Examples include the first refrigerated semi-trailer in all-plastic construction, the patented central axle tipping trailer, the first cathodic dip coating for optimum corrosion protection and much more. This innovative spirit and a great passion for engineering not only ensured stable growth for the company in the past, but above all in the future.

The last nine decades of Kögel Trailer GmbH have been characterized by the following highlights:

  • 1934 - Franz Xaver Kögel takes over his master's wainwright's workshop in Ulm. He turns the company into a body shop and expands the business as early as 1937.
  • 1945 - Kögel develops and builds truck cabs including the complete interior fittings. In 1953, Kögel filed a patent for "washing, rinsing or similar facilities on vehicles".
  • 1958 - Kögel presents the largest long material semi-trailer ever built in the Federal Republic of Germany. The vehicle had a loading area of 36 meters and was manufactured for the customer Klöckner Stahlhandel in Munich. It weighed 80 tons and could transport loads of around 50 tons.
  • 1961 - Kögel builds the first refrigerated semi-trailer in all-plastic construction in Europe. The extension of the body width for refrigerated vehicles to 2.6 meters was of great economic importance for freight forwarders.
  • 1976 - Kögel launches the first self-supporting refrigerated semi-trailer in Europe. The vehicle is self-supporting and frameless and a revolutionary development in vehicle construction in the 1970s.
  • 1982 - Kögel presents the world's lightest series-produced semi-trailer. It has an unladen weight of 6,350 kilograms and a payload of an "honest" 25 tons, as it was called in the advertising at the time.
  • 1996 - Kögel is the first manufacturer in Europe to supply vehicles with air suspension as standard.
  • 2005 - The Kögel Big-MAXX extends the MAXX brand family. The trailer is 17.8 meters long in total, which means an extra length of 1.3 meters. Its 37 pallet spaces result in 10 percent more loading volume. The vehicle has now become the standard under the name Kögel EuroTrailer.
  • 2016 - Kögel is presenting the newly developed Kögel Light Plus at the IAA 2016. The vehicle has a particularly payload- and weight-optimized frame and a tare weight from 4,775 kilograms. It is still part of the Kögel portfolio and has already been sold thousands of times.

The challenges of the future

Climate change and the associated demands for a reduction in CO² emissions in the area of freight transport also pose challenges for Kögel and its products. The plan to be CO²-neutral (Scope 2) by 2030 is already being implemented step by step. To this end, the Burtenbach site is not only investing in solar systems, but also in efficient waste water treatment and in reducing waste and energy consumption. In this way, the company, which is firmly anchored in Bavarian Swabia, is showing that it is prepared to continue shaping its future in the region.

By specializing in and producing lightweight vehicles, Kögel is making a significant contribution to making freight transport more environmentally friendly. For example, the Kögel Light Plus emits up to 8 percent less CO² and consumes up to 0.6 liters less diesel per 1,000 kilograms less weight compared to conventional vehicles. This is one of the company's particular strengths, offering customers both economic and sustainable benefits.

Christian Renners, CEO of Kögel Trailer GmbH, explains not without pride: "We will remain true to our motto "Economy meets Ecology" in the future. New product solutions from Kögel, which are good for the climate and good for the economic situation of our customers, will continue to shape Kögel's product portfolio."

Your contact for this press release:

Isabell Unseld
Public Relations Manager
Phone +49 151 40203941
Isabell.Unseld@koegel.com

 

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