BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Thermo King transportation customers are asking for help to get ahead of industry trends such as meeting new regulatory requirements and increasing efficiency practices.
Leaders from Thermo King, a business of Ingersoll Rand, will share how they are helping transporters meet these important needs on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010 at Destination: Driving Efficiency in Transportation. The event will highlight leading-edge customer-driven business solutions to help customers navigate industry challenges, increase revenue and support sustainability.
Event topics will include industry and regulatory trends, innovations to improve energy and operational efficiency and cost of ownership challenges facing transporters. Guests will also tour the business’ state-of-the art Frederick McKinley Jones Research and Development Center.
In the afternoon, four key Thermo King end users — D&D Sexton, Inc. (Carthage, Mo.); Marten Transport Ltd., (Mondovi, Wis.); Metro Transit (St. Paul, Minn.); and New Flyer (Winnipeg, Canada) — will describe how they are meeting industry challenges. The event will also include a “Thermo King Innovation Showcase” featuring trucks, trailers, auxiliary power units, buses, smart products, and aftermarket parts and accessories.
“The move to green transportation is becoming increasingly important in our industry and we rely heavily on business partners like Thermo King to listen to the issues we’re facing and develop solutions and services that can help us continue to grow and evolve,” said Douglas Petit, vice president of operations, Marten Transport.
“When creating innovative and sustainable solutions to benefit our customers, we focus on collaborating with them as well as on incorporating industry trends, environmental requirements and current and future regulations,” said Christopher Casazza, president, Thermo King North America. “It all begins with understanding the specific needs of customers and working closely with them to create sustainable solutions that make them successful.”
The Frederick McKinley Jones Research and Development Center has doubled in size over the past four years and now features more than $8 million in state-of-the-art equipment and capabilities for the design, testing and evaluation of products, systems and components. The facility is one of only a handful of similar testing centers in the transportation industry. The center is named after Frederick McKinley Jones, a self-taught, African-American inventor who invented the first reliable system for refrigerating trucks in 1938.
Visual: Key testing and research capabilities found at the Frederick McKinley Jones Research and Development Center include:
- Compressor Performance Life Testing – Environmentally controlled chambers which help Thermo King understand environmental effects on compressors – the heart of their operating systems.
- Unit Environmental Test Cells – These cells can test complete vehicles, systems or components under different environmental conditions to simulate actual field conditions. The cells test temperatures ranging from -20 degrees F to 130 degrees F and yield accurate data measurement and recording.
- Vibration Lab -Multi-axial shaker tables perform vibration tests contributing to structural dynamic analysis. The shaker can operate independently in three directions and provide constant, oscillating and random shock loads.
Schedule of Events:
- 8 a.m.: Learn about industry trends and regulations, customer insights and innovative solutions that help meet customer needs while making the business case for efficiency.
- 9:30 a.m.: Break
- 9:45 – 11:45 a.m.: Tour of Frederick McKinley Jones Research and Development Center, Training Labs and Parts Center.
- 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Lunch and innovation showcase. Meet with Thermo King solutions leaders.
- 1 – 3 p.m.: Customer perspectives from: D&D Sexton, Inc., Marten Transport Ltd., Metro Transit and New Flyer.
About Thermo King
Thermo King, a business of Ingersoll Rand – the world leader in creating and sustaining safe, comfortable and energy efficient environments, was founded in 1938 and manufactures transport temperature control systems for a variety of mobile applications, including trailers, truck bodies, buses, shipboard containers and railway cars. The company operates 10 manufacturing facilities and 17 parts distribution centers worldwide. Sales and service is provided by a global dealer network of 865 independently owned companies in 75 countries. For more information, visit www.thermoking.com.
About Ingersoll Rand
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) is a world leader in creating and sustaining safe, comfortable and efficient environments in commercial, residential and industrial markets. Our people and our family of brands— including Club Car®, Hussmann®, Ingersoll Rand®, Schlage®, Thermo King® and Trane® — work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings, transport and protect food and perishables, secure homes and commercial properties, and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a $13 billion global business committed to sustainable business practices within our company and for our customers. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com.
