German trailer maker Schmitz Cargobull has acquired a majority stake in Atlantis Global System (AGS), a Spanish telematics specialist for refrigerated logistics.

AGS makes telematics products for monitoring and maintaining the cold chain. It is represented in most of the 50 largest companies for the transport of temperature-controlled goods in Spain.

With this acquisition, Schmitz Cargobull, a manufacturer of semi-trailers, will obtain a modern telematics system for refrigerated semi-trailers that is said to fulfil the highest requirements in refrigerated transport along the entire cold chain.

The AGS telematics system for real-time refrigeration data will be available with immediate effect for all Schmitz Cargobull refrigerated semi-trailers produced at its Zaragoza plant. The data from the TrailerConnect telematics system, which Schmitz Cargobull integrates as standard in all its semi-trailers, will also be made available on the AGS telematics platform. On customer request, the telematics data from the AGS system will be available within the Schmitz Cargobull TrailerConnect portal.

AGS will remain an independent cold-chain specialist within the Schmitz Cargobull group and will continue to operate independently in the market.

Founder Rafael del Pino will continue as CEO of AGS (www.ags-atlantis.es).

“The partnership with Schmitz Cargobull is an important step to strengthen and further develop the solutions developed by AGS in Spain,” he said. “It offers a great opportunity to promote new products and further develop advanced fleet management.”

Schmitz Cargobull’s refrigerated semi-trailers already have global connection and, in combination with the technology developed by AGS, will allow the semi-trailer to be integrated into the user’s logistic system. This gives an improved overview of the entire cold chain.

Together with the Schmitz Cargobull refrigerated box body, the TrailerConnect telematics and the AGS intelligent temperature recorder (thermograph) will be combined with refrigeration units from Schmitz Cargobull and other manufacturers. The complete package will be manufactured and installed at the plant in Zaragoza with Schmitz Cargobull taking responsibility for seamless integration.

In the past year, Schmitz Cargobull (www.cargobull.com) opened the plant in Zaragoza, formed an alliance with Austrian manufacturer of lightweight trailers Berger, opened locations in Georgia and Kazakhstan, and entered the US market with transport refrigeration units. These developments are now complemented by the majority shareholding in AGS.