New Retarder from Voith Wins European Transport Prize for Sustainability
Latest Voith Retarder receives the European Transport Prize for Sustainability 2012. The prize was presented during a festive ceremony in Munich in the evening of 29 November 2011. In the category Commercial Vehicle Components, the Voith secondary water retarder stood its ground amid a field of strong competitors. The award by the Munich publishing house Huss (Huss-Verlag) covers seven categories and honors all company in the transport industry who combine commercial success with social responsibility and eco-friendly activities in an exemplary way. Voith is delighted that the company's sustainable thinking has been honored with this award by some very prominent experts within the transport industry.
Braking With More Than 1 000 HP
The Voith secondary water retarder is a hydrodynamic continuous braking system for wear-free braking of heavy commercial vehicles. The secondary water retarder, which is connected with the transmission, uses the engine coolant as operating medium. The secondary water retarder is maintenance-free, i. e. compared to oil retarders, up to six liters of oil can be saved per vehicle every year. There is also no need for special waste oil removal and workshop stops for oil changes. The installation of this modern braking technology makes a substantial contribution to the safety of commercial vehicles. Together with the engine brake, the secondary water retarder has a braking output of 750 kW/1 020 HP. The system assumes up to 90 percent of all braking operations. As a result, the service brakes stay cold and are 100% operational in the event of an emergency. Frequent troublesome gear-shifts on descending roads and on narrow serpentine routes can be avoided. Consequently, the driver is able to fully concentrate on the traffic.
The secondary water retarder can help reduce brake dust emissions by up to 80 percent. This means a saving of approximately 50 kg fine dust in the atmosphere per million kilometer. Due to its extremely compact design, the secondary water retarder requires 50 percent less installation space, and it is 35 kilogram lighter than comparable oil retarders.
European Transport Prize for Sustainability 2012
To mark its 20th anniversary, the trade magazine "Transport" published by Huss-Verlag in Munich awarded its first European Transport Prize for Sustainability for outstanding contributions to the commercial vehicle industry. The prize was open for applications from companies who combine economic success with social responsibility and protection of the environment, and whose sustainable acting leads to further growth and prosperity. The applications were evaluated by a jury of high-caliber personalities from business, science and the media.
Becoming a Global Player Through Sustainable Thinking
Thinking and acting sustainably is an essential part of the Voith company history. This includes long-term strategies with a balanced, innovative product portfolio, global positioning and continuous investment in research and development. A broad product spectrum supports Voith's customers in developing sustainable processes and saving resources. Additionally, Voith aims to apply an economically, ecologically and socially balanced business approach, in which sustainability is anchored as a formal principle in all processes and workflows across the entire supply chain. In 2011, Voith published its first sustainability report, which can be obtained via www.voith.com/sustainability-report.htm.
Voith Turbo, the specialist for hydrodynamic drive, coupling and braking systems for road, rail and industrial applications, as well as for ship propulsion systems, is a Group Division of Voith GmbH.
Voith sets standards in the markets energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transportation & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith employs almost 40 000 people, generates €5.2 billion in sales, operates in about 50 countries around the world and is today one of the biggest family-owned companies in Europe.
