Fuel efficiency is a perk that has been primarily associated with small vehicles built to get 40 plus miles per gallon without a need for excessive power under the hood. While it’s not nearly as simple to achieve, as technology evolves, manufacturing as an industry (whether it’s automotive, heavy duty trucking, agriculture or construction) now puts fuel efficiency at the top of the list when it comes to design and development. The truth is, this shift has been happening slowly in these industries for the last 25 years. Now, with government regulations expected to be reformed in 2018 for heavy duty trucks, manufacturers are already pumping out huge changes.

The regulations will require the largest trucks on the road to achieve up to a 25 percent reduction in fuel economy and greenhouse-gas emissions by 2021. Subsequently, designers and manufacturers are tasked with packing all the necessary power into their systems while realizing significant fuel efficiency gains. In order to meet the new, more environmentally conscious demands of both the customer and the government, manufacturers need to be looking at every system and component within their machines to meet the standards required by the government and demanded by the market.

What we’re able to do today with available technology is pretty amazing. Companies are looking at everything from shortening the wheel base, using LED lighting to save power, implementing ‘Predictive Cruise Technology’ and redesigning tires to optimize fuel efficiency (studies show if you’re able to have less friction between the surface of the tire and the road, that means less horsepower is needed to get past that friction and that translates into fuel economy).

At T/CCI, we’ve made a number of modifications to our air conditioning compressors to deliver greater efficiency without sacrificing power. Our full-vehicle climatic wind tunnel can run vehicles at highway speeds with projected wind and solar variables to really understand what the difference in technology does for fuel economy. We are able to track data and volumetric efficiency on vehicles to see how the smaller compressors perform and what adjustments can be made on the refrigerants. We found we can cool a truck with a compressor that has 60 percent less capacity—that means less horse power, and as a result, better fuel economy.

While government regulations are pending—the demands today are customer driven. Fuel is the single largest expense for a fleet of freighters. When you’re talking about 100-dollar oil, especially in Europe, operations are costly. If a small adjustment in the design of just one system can save an operator .25 miles per every 10 miles driven, it adds up quickly. For a large fleet, it could mean millions of dollars per year in fuel savings. 

As suppliers take a hard look at their operations and their business plans for the future, they need to better position themselves in this space. Every component in big rigs and agriculture vehicles—especially parts that are touching the engine or the road—needs to be analyzed for efficiency now and for the future.

Describe your role with T/CCI. 
As Director of Sales—Latin America, my role is to oversee and manage relationships to facilitate growth and expansion in the Latin American market. I also work closely with our sales team to identify new opportunities in T/CCI’s various applications.

What’s been your best experience working for T/CCI?
It’s difficult to pick a single defining moment from the past six years, but the opportunity to aid in T/CCI’s international sales expansion into Latin American markets and land major accounts such as Marco Polo Bus, Case/New Holland and Agco has been truly rewarding. Along the way, I've become more knowledgeable about local cultures and developed meaningful business relationships.

What opportunities do you see in the industry?
I’m very optimistic about our future in Latin America. A majority of A/C compressor manufacturers in Brazil concentrate on automotive products with relatively small engines, making T/CCI the region’s only true heavy-duty manufacturer. With our product range, we are confident in our ability to meet the demand of the market place.

How have your experiences/knowledge from past roles shaped your experience in your current role? 
Before joining T/CCI, I was employed by Sanden International where I worked with Heavy-Duty Truck, Refrigeration and Off-Highway market segments. Later, I had the opportunity to manage and develop new business in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Mexico. These relationships allowed me the opportunity to build a strong after-market base for T/CCI.

What was your role in bringing the QP40 to market?
Our efforts on the marketing side started in 2013. We had an established relationship with a globally recognized bus system manufacturer, an assembly plant in Cordoba, Argentina and a new sales office in Hamburg, Germany—so we felt that we were well positioned to meet the needs of major global bus markets. Conducting business in Latin America can be complex at times, and when OEM’s are considering suppliers, it often comes down to locally-manufactured products. We made the commitment to our client base to provide a product line that was made in Argentina, allowing us to move forward with the validation process and product release.

SEND RICK A NOTE

The QP40 family of compressors has proved to be a valuable solution for some of the largest busses and transport vehicles on the road both in the U.S. and around the world. Developed in 2014, the QP40 was built as a single unit solution for T/CCI customers in the trucking, bus, construction and transport refrigeration sectors. T/CCI recently identified a need in the global market for a larger, more robust compressor, which prompted development and expansion of the product line into the 400-650 cc compressor for the bus market specifically.

“We’ve provided a strong solution for the small and medium markets for a long time. In recent years, we’ve seen a growing need in the South American and Asian markets especially, as the large city buses are fitted with air conditioned units,” T/CCI President Richard Demirjian said.

T/CCI compressors offer customers an added value and convenience. The QP40 is currently the only compressor in its class to offer a solution with a clutch, providing customers an all-in-one option.

The market response to this unique design has been extremely favorable, as sales have posted double-digit growth for the last few years. In response, T/CCI continues to expand capacity and production in its state-of-the-art building.

In addition to the bus market, the larger compressor is ideal for the school bus and transit trailer refrigeration units. And as the technology for systems evolves, T/CCI is positioned to respond. The expanded clutch configurations are designed to accommodate many of the new engines for this category.

With the success of the QP40 family, T/CCI is looking ahead to expand the offering to the 1000cc category for use in large trains. They’re also developing models for electric systems. 

“This is an exciting space with ample room for growth. We’re positioned well for continued product development to meet need in the largest market categories.”

T/CCI will be at the MACS tradeshow in Anaheim, California February 15-18, 2017. Stop by booth #304 to see our latest product offerings.