TARGET: IAA 2022

After two years without the most important trade fair for the commercial vehicle industry, this past September the MRF team took a flight to Hannover in orderto participate in the IAA Transportation, which was held from 20 to 25 September, and which we could not miss.

This year, in contrast to previous editions, a different concept was developed, calling it IAA Transportation and not IAA Mobility as it had been known until now. This new, reinvented edition covered the entire spectrum of transport and logistics, ranging from trucks to cargo bikes and delivery vans to parcel drones.

And it was a great success, with 1402 exhibitors and 42 different countries exhibiting, the international presence was evident. Two thirds of the exhibitors were international companies, including ourselves. There was also room for multiple conferences and colloquiums, with 230 speakers discussing different topics such as the Last Mile, which was of great importance at this edition.

The IAA served as a great platform for this industry also known as capillary distribution, as deliveries in a city are made in different zones or branches. The Last Mile refers to the last stretch of supply chain operations, this is, transport management focusing on the last few kilometres an order travels before it reaches its destination. This sector played a major role in this edition, as it has been forced to grow exponentially in recent years. With the rise of eCommerce, especially since lockdown, and the fast pace of life we lead, logistics has played a fundamental role. But it also faces challenges and major difficulties such as meeting deadlines while avoiding unnecessary costs, trying to opt for green logistics or avoiding possible obstacles such as whether the delivery point is a city or a rural area. These and other challenges and possible solutions were topics of discussion during the IAA week.

There was also room for various test drives of commercial vehicles. Several vehicles could be tested by simulating real-life situations, a very interactive way of raising awareness of the product, which was very popular with the audience, who queued up in long lines to test them.

In this edition there was a clear commitment with the environment. The challenge we face is clear: to make mobility and transport coexist with the environment, by reducing the impact and carbon footprint, and looking for options that reduce costs. Among the innovations there was a huge variety of electric and fuel cell-based drives, as well as hydrogen combustion engines. In the bodywork sector, lightweight trailers were a recurring theme, with the aim of reducing energy requirements.

And of course, we at MRF also had news to show. In this edition we also wanted to reinvent ourselves, we presented new additions to the team and a new corporate image. A new sales director who already advanced that in MRF there is a new roadmap to follow and that the idea is to improve what we do and give a better experience to our customers.

Following the novelties that were shown at the IAA with the objectives and challenges that the commercial vehicle industry has, MRF responds to these challenges. With the intention of reducing noise pollution and being aware of the logistics scenario we created the Low DB lock, a low decibel lock, recommended for urban night-time deliveries as it complies with the Piek standard, not exceeding 60dB. This means that this lock can be used in those vehicles that are approved for deliveries scheduled at night as it respects the sound level required by law.

We also introduced our new sliding door kit, Skirion, which provides a solution for urban delivery where space is limited and can also help save time in accessing cargo.

Of course, with digitalisation and electrification all around us, we also wanted to join and catch up with our technological era. That is why at the IAA we presented our electronic locks that work with NFC (Near-Field Communication) technology for wireless, short-range communication, which allows the lock to be opened electronically by means of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) wristbands simply by bringing them close to the vehicle's lock. With this system we aim to make everyday life easier for the end user.

That is our job, to facilitate and provide solutions to the problems and challenges encountered by commercial vehicle users. At this edition we not only met face to face with partners and customers, which we really missed, but we also tried to reinvent ourselves and change our approach, understand the problems, and look for solutions. That is what we have brought back from Hannover, a lot of feedback, concerns, challenges facing the industry, in short, a backpack full of information that we now must work with until the next edition of the IAA. In the meantime, we will continue doing what we know, "Shaping Steel Solutions".