E-commerce drives need for new Kinedyne products

Load-rated curtain-side system and double-decking announced at NACV show

Kinedyne has introduced an industry first load-rated curtain-side system and double-decking at the North American Commercial Vehicle show in Atlanta.

Kinedyne’s Paul Wolford, vice president of sales and marketing, said the new products are due in part to the growth of e-commerce. E-commerce is changing the way shippers move their goods and the delivery speed expectations of both consumers and commercial customers.

“E-commerce is creating new cargo challenges, and Kinedyne is delivering new cargo solutions,” he said. “In the beginning, e-commerce had the greatest disruptive effect on end-of-the-line, also known as ‘final-mile’ or ‘last-mile’ delivery activities, but now companies throughout the supply chain are looking for ways to minimize transportation costs for cargo as it moves more swiftly throughout multiple transportation modes.”

The new products are designed to help the supply chain optimize for speed, cost and efficiency.

The lightweight curtain-side system opens and closes at lightning-fast speeds, but is engineered to restrain lateral cargo movement, the company explained. A load-rated curtain gives a trailer the combined advantages of flatbed access and a van’s walled structure. It is suitable for trailers up to 53 feet. The system is versatile and adaptable to a number of logistical challenges, such as palletized cargo, double-decking, rack-mounted goods and the transport of beverages.

The double-decking system maximizes load density, allowing loading and unloading access of both cargo levels from the sides and rear, and all of its components conveniently stow in the trailer to avoid loss or damage. The system accommodates cargo of varying dimensions and heights and is not only easy but intuitive to operate. System configurations can support between 13,000 and 24,000 pounds on the second loading levels.

“Popular in Europe, load-rated curtains become part of a vehicle’s overall load securement system. They save time, weight and fuel, while providing sideways restraint to otherwise fully secured loads up to the curtain’s stated rating,” Wolford said. “Our rated curtains will display their load rating as either allowable weight per pallet width, allowable weight per pallet space or total payload of evenly distributed pallets across the entire deck space. Forward and rear cargo restraint must still be provided by headboards, tailboards and other traditional load securement methods.”