ITTES: Thermo King unveils S-700 Precedent

Trailer refrigeration specialist Thermo King launched is new high-capacity S-700 Precedent unit at Melbourne's 2014 ITTES

Refrigerated road transport expert Thermo King has unveiled a major new product at Melbourne’s 2014 International Truck, Trailer & Equipment Show, adding its clean-sheet-design and high-capacity S-700 Precedent trailer refrigeration unit to its smaller S-600 model.

Ken Adams, Regional Parts and Product Manager for Thermo King Australia, said the two units on display at the ITTES only reached Australia two weeks before the event opened. While one display unit was on the Thermo King stand at the ITTES, the other was already fitted to a trailer on the nearby Lucar Cargo Van stand.

“We already have a shipment on the way but they weren’t going to make it [in time for the ITTES], so we decided to put a couple on an aeroplane,” he says.

“Our current platform, the SB330, is widely recognised as the best unit Thermo King has ever made and so people have been wondering why we’ve set out to change it. However, we have reached a point where we simply can’t go any further with that unit in respect of CARB emissions regulations.

“So Thermo King got a blank sheet of paper and came up with a design that was new from the ground up – a configuration of an engine compressor direct drive with electric fans, dual condensers, and a small genset at the bottom to drive the fans.”

Adams says the S-700 offers maximum airflow but also maximum economy.

“Thermo King is quoting at least double-digit fuel savings,” he says.

“The feedback we’ve received from Precedent units that have been trialled here in Australia is that in some instances the fuel consumption has halved compared to the SB330. Now that’s way out there, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see reductions of 20 to 25 per cent.”

While the S-700 is more expensive than the SB330, Adams says the extra outlay will generally be recouped in the first two years.

He also says a Precedent Multi-Temp model will become available towards the end of the year.

“That will have a turbo-charged Peugeot engine, which is the first time Thermo King has moved away from Yanmar.”

Adams says that decision stemmed from the supply issues that arose after Japan’s Fukushima disaster – going to a second engine spreads Thermo King’s exposure across two suppliers.

“We could fit a Peugeot engine into a single-temp Precedent too, if required,” he says.

The S-700 Precedent is on sale now, with full availability coming online in the next two weeks. For more information visit www.thermoking.com.au.

ITTES: Thermo King unveils S-700 Precedent

Tags