Innovating for Impact: Thermo King® and RTR

We’re innovating for impact by delivering electrified solutions for every segment of the cold chain.

Project At-a-Glance:

The opportunity: Help longtime Thermo King® customer Refrigerated Trailer Rentals Holland (RTR) continue to offer their clients the most efficient and sustainable solutions available in refrigerated transport.

The solution: In partnership with RTR and two of their clients, deploy the first Advancer-e^TM unit into their fleet and begin trials of the AxlePower smart-energy generating system for fully electric trailer refrigeration.

Sustainability outcomes: 

• Reduction of up to 10 metric tons of CO₂e per Advancer-e unit per year
• Significant reduction of noise pollution
• Annual savings in maintenance and elimination of fuel purchasing

When family-owned Refrigerated Trailer Rentals Holland (RTR) wanted to offer its clients the most sustainable, efficient system for refrigerated transport, they immediately looked to the expanding electric portfolio of longtime temperature-control solutions provider Thermo King^®.

“Going full-electric and adding new technology that future-proofs our fleet without compromising on cooling capacity and operational efficiency was something we didn’t have to think twice about,” said Wilbert de Graaff, owner of RTR. “We want to have the best, most efficient and environmentally friendly products, service and support there is in the market, and make it available for our clients.”

In March of 2023, RTR became the first company to adopt the new electric Thermo King Advancer-e refrigeration unit in their fleet. As the pilot operators, RTR client Dailycool, a Netherlands-based company specializing in the transport and logistics services of food products, became the first client to benefit from the engineless technology.

“We knew we need to have the new Advancer-e in our fleet the moment Thermo King introduced it,” added Wilbert de Graaff, “and this is just a first step in a longer journey for us.”

Adapting to electrified systems

With its fully electric architecture, one Advancer-e unit can reduce a trailer fleet’s carbon footprint by up to 10 metric tons of CO₂e per year.

Adopting the fully electric unit did require some additional training and investment for RTR and Dailycool. Maintenance of the new battery-powered system is different than the traditional diesel-burning engine.

The availability of charging stations impacts planning for longer routes. And operators must also invest in the necessary infrastructure for recharging on site and consider the full life of the battery, including eventual disposal.

But from an operational standpoint, the only noticeable difference reported by Dailycool drivers was the whisper quiet operations. With an electric refrigeration unit, the system is nearly silent even when fully operational.

A growing portfolio of electrified solutions

Beyond the Advancer-e units, RTR has also deployed trailers using Thermo King’s AxlePower smart energy-generating technology, the next step in emission-free systems which can also help reduce re-charging needs.

These industry-leading solutions are part of a broader sustainability strategy. In August 2021, guided by Trane Technologies’ bold 2030 Sustainability Commitments, Thermo King pledged to deliver fully electric, zero direct emission refrigeration solutions for every segment of the cold chain in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region by 2023.

With a comprehensive portfolio that includes all-electric E-series refrigeration unit for light commercial vehicles as well as advanced, all-electric transport refrigeration technology for heavy goods vehicles, Thermo King has successfully delivered on its commitment made back in November of 2023.

“As we continue leveraging the power of innovation to transform our industry, I am thrilled to announce this significant milestone in our journey toward a more sustainable world,” said Claudio Zanframundo, president, Thermo King EMEA. “Our ability to deliver an all-electric, zero direct emissions solution in every segment of the EMEA cold chain represents another important step in our unwavering commitment to cutting our customers’ carbon footprints while reducing global food loss.”

Discover more about our sustainable innovation in our 2023 ESG Report.