Goldhofer Aktiengesellschaft of Memmingen makes light work of heavy jobs. A case in point is the German company’s award-winning »MPA Axle Technology«, with the lightest independent suspension for heavy goods vehicles currently available on the market. For this groundbreaking innovation, for which patents are pending, the quality vehicle manufacturing company has now received yet another accolade: From the publishers of the dedicated industry title, HeavyTorque, aka The Heavies, Goldhofer’s »MPA Axle Technology« is nothing less than the “Innovation of the Year”.

“It really is a unique achievement: Your new »MPA Axle Technology« is the lightest independent suspension system on the trailer market – and is also brilliantly simple. That is what makes it a very special innovation, one that deserves to be singled out for attention,” said Vicky Binley, commercial director of the English-language “Heavy Torque” magazine“, in recognition of the creativity demonstrated by Goldhofer, at the award ceremony held at Bruningthorpe Providing Ground near Birmingham. Praising the Bavarian company’s latest innovation as a significant contribution to increased efficiency and effectiveness in heavy haulage operations in the UK, the magazine’s chief made the official award to Renato Ramella, Sales Manager Europe and North Africa at Goldhofer, before the gathering of representatives of the UK heavy haulage industry.

At the exclusive event known as The Heavies, Nimble Media – as publisher of the “Heavy Torque” magazine – and the Heavy Transport Association (HTA) make an annual award for outstanding innovative transport solutions at the international level. “Receiving one of these awards makes a company a member of a small select group embodying the highest standards of innovation, service, efficiency and quality. That is why we are so proud to have been chosen,” Renato Ramella explains.

For Goldhofer Aktiengesellschaft, this is a second major distinction within a short period of time, its innovative MPA Axle Technology having already received the 2015 Trailer Innovation Award in the chassis category at IAA Commercial Vehicles.

»MPA Axle Technology«

Goldhofer’s MPA Axle Technology, for which patents are pending, is the lightest independent suspension system on the trailer market. It has been designed in line with the “less is more” principle for optimum performance in terms of axle tracking, steering, suspension, damping and suspension stroke. The MPA has been developed on the basis of the MacPherson axle by Goldhofer and its system partners BPW, Neumeister and Heyd. The result is a heavy-duty vehicle that combines previously unheard of technical specifications with the simplicity of an ingenious invention and almost maintenance-free system.

The low-maintenance axle system developed by the world market leader from Memmingen has met with keen interest on the market, and Goldhofer has responded by extending the MPA range to include the MPA-V and MPA-K. The MPA-V vehicles are drop-deck versions with removable goosenecks for combination with various flat beds, crawler decks and vessel bridges. The MPA-K system is a modular solution within the MPA family for platform and drop-deck combinations with a choice of goosenecks, front bogies with one to three axles and rear bogies with up to seven.