Wabco launches new business for global commercial vehicle fleets

Wabco Holdings, the leading global supplier of braking control systems and other advanced technologies that improve the safety, efficiency and connectivity of commercial vehicles, announced that it has established a new ‘Fleet Solutions’ organisation which will develop solutions designed to further connect today’s complex transportation ecosystem.  The new business builds on Wabco’s former Aftermarket and its Digital Customer Services units, delivering an organisation that focuses on improving fleet and road transport safety, environmental efficiencies and enables leaner operations. The new business is called 'Wabco Fleet Solutions'.

Beyond spare parts and services offering, the expansion of Wabco’s digital portfolio will be high on the agenda, including a rapid extension of its Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud-based technologies for commercial vehicle fleets and transporters globally. Wabco Fleet Solutions is already developing and delivering several of these innovations today, including solutions for fuel efficiency, downtime reduction, regulatory compliance, workforce management and load optimisation, thanks to its advanced Fleet Management Solutions (FMS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud-based technologies.

Wabco Fleet Solutions will seek to further extend its offering in digital services to better connect the many ecosystem players in transport, including parts distributors, maintenance workshops, goods owners, rental companies, payment service providers and vehicle component providers, to mention but a few. The company’s ever expanding digital offering will allow transport operators to continuously improve their connectivity across the ecosystem enabling these to operate in an increasingly leaner, greener and safer manner.

“Modern-day transporters face a multitude of challenges in a world that is fast changing, driven by more regulation, higher customer expectations and fast paced technological change,” explained Philippe Colpron, Wabco vice president and global fleet solutions leader. “And it is here that we want to play a key role; with a significant expansion of our digital IoT enabled and cloud based capabilities we aim to deliver new levels of safety and efficiency for transport operators globally.  What makes us unique is that we are blending this advanced digital technology with the many best-in-class services we already offer our customers today to ensure all parts of the ecosystem are connected and effective. Our mission in the extensive and complex transport process is to help the commercial road transport industry achieve zero accidents, maximum environmental efficiency and the delivery of radically leaner operations across their business.”

Included in the fleet solutions portfolio will be Wabco’s extensive and leading fleet management system suite, the recently launched ‘TX-FUELCOMPASS’, ‘TX-TRAILERPULSE’ and ‘TX-TRAILERFIT’, remote diagnostics, a growing portfolio of advanced retrofit solutions, Wabco Academy and an extensive selection of replacement parts including OE original, remanufactured parts, a range of reliable budget parts called ‘ProVia’ and a wide offering of repair kits distributed across more than 115 countries by over 4,600 distribution points and supported by a network of 3,100 official Wabco Service Partners.

“Every kilometer driven has a cost attached to it, every fleet wants to optimise its trailer space, reduce potential theft, save on vehicle costs, reduce expensive and unexpected downtime, ensure regulatory compliance and optimise the utilisation of its remote assets,” added Colpron. “These are the basics that ensure that fleet and transport operators can continue to be profitable and it is these areas in which we will operate, offering one of the widest, most complete portfolios in the sector that combines the strength of both advanced on-board technologies and an ecosystem of automation solutions, with an extensive integrated global service network. And as the industry evolves, we are working to stay ahead of change to enable our customers to transition, benefit from, and be successful in an ever changing transportation world.”

In support of driving improved market proximity and in a push to reflect the globally diverse sector it services, Wabco Fleet Solutions' 900-strong team operates from over 45 markets - represented by over 30 nationalities worldwide - enabling it to be as close to its customer base as possible.

Colpron concludes, “It’s a complex task which will require the involvement and support of a significant number of technology and cross-industry partners, delivering expertise from the many different segments that service this space. We are already actively working with many of these partners today, but also openly invite all players who feel they can add value to our mission to reach out to us.  Creating a single functional ecosystem around transport operations will require the minds, experience and capabilities of many.”