A pavilion packed with more value

From 15 to 20 September Schmitz Cargobull’s exhibition was themed around the slogan “Experience More.Value”. The message behind this is that transport companies need more than just a good vehicle. They need a comprehensive package that supports them every step of the way – from the initial investment through to operation and on to resale. It was precisely this package that visitors in Hanover were able to see, touch and explore in more detail through conversation.

For the first time, Schmitz Cargobull exhibited in Pavilion 33 and the open-air area in front of it. The move paid off. The large open space provided room for all the new products, as well as space for discussion areas, information stands and other exhibits. Even from a distance, a large gateway showed the way. Anyone who walked through it found themselves right in the middle of the product world of the trailer manufacturer from the Münsterland region.

The range was impressive. In the temperature-controlled segment, the S.KO COOL refrigerated semi-trailer demonstrated how the trailer, refrigeration unit, telematics and service work together as a system. For urban food transport, the S.KO CITY was on display, featuring the S.CU mt-DualEvap multi-temperature solution. In the dry freight sector, the flexible S.BO MULTI and the S.BO PACE+ for parcel logistics rounded off the range. Also on display were the S.CF ALLROUND 20–45 container chassis, the robust S.CS MEGA X-TOUGH curtainsider and the new aluminium box body for the S.KI LIGHT. The topic of lightweight construction was covered by the BERGERecotrail vehicles, including the PerformanceEco LTOe for electric tractors.

Inside the pavilion, the focus was on technology and engineering. The centrepiece was the new INGENIOS chassis. This platform for trailers with gross vehicle weights of up to 44 tonnes increases the ground-bearing capacity from 7.1 to 8.0 tonnes compared with the previous standard chassis. The kerb weight is reduced by around 100 kilograms compared with the previous chassis. Full hot-dip galvanisation and a ten-year warranty against perforation round off the package.

Directly opposite was the new S.CU dc100 transport refrigeration unit. Its VarioFlow technology controls refrigeration and heat transfer independently of one another for the first time. Compared with its predecessor, the S.CU dc90, it consumes up to eight per cent less fuel and delivers up to 11 per cent more cooling capacity.

The digital world followed on seamlessly. The Cargobull Operating System, the new Cargobull Trailer Diagnostics software and the MyCargobull customer portal demonstrated what connected fleet processes look like today. The further expanded Mobile Van Service was on hand to provide on-site customer support.

However, what was perhaps the most important area of the stand had no axles. Customers, partners and the Schmitz Cargobull team gathered in the catering area for discussions. The fact that the guests were happy to stay is borne out by one figure in particular: around 2,500 bratwursts were served over the course of the trade fair!

A defining feature of the event was the presence of our partners. They demonstrated just how extensive Schmitz Cargobull’s network and product range have become.

The Viennese yard operations platform Heylog manages deliveries at the factory gate via WhatsApp or text message, without the need for an app or a login. Schmitz Cargobull uses the solution itself. The Berlin-based company Checkturio demonstrated at its stand how fleets can carry out vehicle inspections and damage documentation digitally, supported by AI-powered damage detection. Schmitz Cargobull supports the start-up. Fleetloop, founded in 2025 as a joint venture between Schmitz Cargobull and the commercial vehicle hire company Greiwing Truck & Trailer, presented its digital trailer hire service. Customers book online and collect the vehicle 24/7 contact-free using a personal PIN. In addition to trailers, Fleetloop now also offers DAF tractor units.

On the vehicle side, Van Hool Industrial Vehicles showcased three exhibits in front of Pavilion 33. Alongside its range of container chassis and a 35,000-litre tanker for chemicals, the prototype of the ‘PULL LOAD’ bulk goods trailer – featuring cable-operated push-unloading technology – was on display, making its debut in Hanover. GT Trailers, part of the Schmitz Cargobull team since 2025, showcased jointly developed solutions for urban logistics, such as the S.BO CITY dry freight box body and the S.CS CITY curtainsider.

Utility Trailer opened up new horizons across the Atlantic. Together with the US trailer manufacturer, Schmitz Cargobull established the joint venture Cargobull North America in September 2023. Utility Trailer installs Cargobull’s transport refrigeration units in its refrigerated semi-trailers in North America and markets them successfully there. The partnership has highlighted the international reach of transport refrigeration technology from the Münsterland region.

Politicians also paid a visit. Federal Minister of Transport, Steffen Bilger, visited the stand alongside Lower Saxony’s Minister-President, Olaf Lies, and the President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), Hildegard Müller. All three had previously officially opened IAA Transportation 2026. The visit underlined the importance of Schmitz Cargobull as a manufacturer and employer for the commercial vehicle sector in Germany.

More than 140,000 people visited IAA Transportation 2026. Several thousand made their way through the entrance to the Schmitz Cargobull stand. The reasons for this popularity are obvious. The new location brought all the latest innovations together in one place. The partners complemented their own portfolios with solutions that directly benefit customers in their day-to-day lives. And the stand offered what a trade fair is all about: space for face-to-face encounters.

Schmitz Cargobull very much lived up to its guiding principle in Hanover. Visitors did not merely view individual products; they experienced a comprehensive system comprising vehicles, refrigeration technology, digitalisation, service and partnerships, which offers transport companies genuine more value.