Jeff Bennett discusses the Utility Trailer reefer separation wall. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. and Schmitz Cargobull Corp. showcased the latest innovations for their reefer units that were developed as part of their ongoing joint venture.
Cargobull North America was formed in September 2023 as a result of their partnership. Schmitz Cargobull has been primarily based in Europe with some additional operations in Australia and South Africa. Utility helped them to expand into the U.S. with the joint venture. They then developed new separation walls and bulkheads for their reefer trailers.
“Behind me we have our reefer with center seal option,” Utility Trailer CEO Jeff Bennett said March 11 during American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition. “The wall goes down the length of the center of the trailer, and it divides the load space into two compartments that can each be managed on a temperature basis differently.”
The transport refrigeration units developed by Schmitz Cargobull control the temperature on the road side of the trailer. But then a remote evaporator controls the temperature on the curb side of the trailer. That way the two sides in the trailer can be different temperatures. The size of the wall can also be reconfigured or be taken out completely.
Andreas Schmitz says the TRU “makes economic sense to our customers.” (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
“Now we’re very proud that we’re starting here, in this joint venture, together with Utility,” said Andreas Schmitz, the president of Schmitz Cargobull. “The special thing about our TRU is that, yes, we do take care of the environmental side. Less consumption, less particle emissions, because we have a common rail diesel in that engine. But at the same time, we’re doing this because it makes economic sense. It makes economic sense to our customers. It helps them lower their total cost of ownership.”
Schmitz stressed that sustainable solutions that don’t make economic sense are not going to last long term. Because of that, the focus has been on reducing both costs and emissions.
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“We have increased performance with a new microchannel condenser,” Schmitz said. “You can see that here displayed with the unit, and our guys will thankfully explain this to you as well. It does improve the cooling capacity; we get better thermal efficiency, and we have a better reliability at higher temperatures outside. And then, yes, it’s about 3 pounds less of refrigerant, which is also one part of the running costs that our customers have.”
Schmitz Cargobull already had developed a separation wall for its other markets. But the partnership provided an opportunity to bring together technologies like better installation to develop a new reefer separation wall for markets in North America. Utility Trailer also already had a network of service centers that proved crucial to these plans.
“We work together with Utility to bring this separation wall to the market here,” Schmitz said. “The most important thing is it’s very strong and reliable, but it also seals completely, and you can actually see that in the trailer here. You can see how it seals, and that makes sure that the temperature is not passed on.”
Schmitz Cargobull has been working directly with the dealers in the network over the last year to train them on these innovations. The approach aims to ensure customers using the equipment don’t get stranded without the ability to get support domestically.
“I can also only say thank you to the dealerships that have invested with us in getting their mechanics up to speed, in having spare parts in all the major locations available so that our customers do not have to be afraid to be stranded should there be a problem,” Schmitz said.
