The cleanest truck on the road

Hygiene is more important now than ever. And as a Thermo King dealer, you have a tremendous responsibility to make sure that every truck or trailer leaving your dealership is spotless and a safe work environment.

In this interview, we talk with Alexander Seibold of tkv* Thermo King Süd in Ulm, Germany. In 2008, tkv* started a Cleaning Service for trucks and trailers at the request of their largest client and today, their certified cleaning method is used by Thermo King dealers all over Germany and Austria.

How did you start the cleaning service?

“Well, in 2008 one of our largest clients was looking for a cleaning service. But around the time, there wasn’t much information available. So, we did some research of our own to make sure that no virus or bacteria can survive our cleaning procedure – while also remaining 100% safe for consumer goods. And that’s how we ended up developing our chloride solution, the cleanest option within the industry.”

How long does a cleaning usually take and how does it work?

“In total, it takes about an hour and a half to clean an entire trailer and most cleanings follow a three-step trajectory.”

• Step 1: get rid of leftover debris
  “Debris in a filter will eventually lead to malfunctions within the air circulation. Once removed, we use a high-pressure cleaner to make sure the truck or trailer is ready for the next step. At all time, our technicians are protected wearing yellow protective overalls, goggles, and rubber boots.”
• Step 2: clean-up with a fog machine
  “Our technicians use a fog machine – filled with 3 parts water to 1 part chlorine. This ecological mixture destroys all germs and viruses.”
• Step 3: follow-up
  “During the cleaning process, we take samples for our archives and follow-up procedures.”

Is your cleaning method certified by any organization?  

“Certainly, our cleaning method is TÜV certified under DIN EN 13486 (temperature control for transport) and DIN 10516 (Food hygiene – cleaning and disinfection). And we renew our certifications every 5 years.”

Does legislation apply to your cleaning method?

“Since 2014, the European Directive (1169/2011) has been active in the food transport industry. While this regulation led to an increase in the demand for cleaning, it also spread industry-wide confusion – because the Directive doesn’t stipulate cleaning methods. That’s why we mostly rely on best practices. ISS recommends an annual cleaning of your truck. But still, they do not specify cleaning methods. According to ISS, you can use water and soap – which is totally unreliable!

What kind of goods do your clients transport?

“Our clients are mostly active in food and pharmaceutical transport. They work with perishable goods and with our certificate, they can prove to their clients that they are a reliable partner to keep their products in prime condition.”