EDSCHA folding roof
EDSCHA folding roof
15.11.2021

EDSCHA folding roof

The loading and unloading of goods from semi-trailers as well as from railcars should be efficient, fast, and trouble-free. To achieve this, it was necessary to create state-of-the-art design solutions for the wagons and trailers themselves, which was met by Edscha, a company that produced a sliding bracket system and a sliding bracket cover, which in simple terms can be called a tarpaulin for truck trailers. It is a roof that functions like an accordion. It can be extended and retracted at a rapid pace with minimal input from the truck driver or those responsible for loading and unloading. This is probably why the Edscha folding roof is such a popular design in overland transportation. It is worth mentioning that the name of the tarpaulin comes from the Remscheid Edscha company, however for the needs of the industry the name remained and is also used by other manufacturers creating this type of retractable roof.

Edscha - huge loading capacity

There's no denying that the Edscha invented in 1969 met the expectations of discerning truck drivers, shippers, transport company owners, and, last but not least, those responsible for loading and unloading. It was the latter group that was most satisfied with this invention, which ultimately contributed to making loading and unloading processes easier. This, of course, translated into shorter times for these tasks and thus increased the efficiency of many plants around the world. The Edscha roof can be said to have revolutionized the transport market, which was losing a lot of time in loading and unloading goods. This is especially the case with platform designs with deck walls, as can be seen in the Hamburger Verdeck models. They are still used in transport, of course, but on a smaller scale and mainly in production plants. 

For it is often the case that companies use forklifts to unload and load goods. Then Edscha doesn't work, but it is necessary to use tarpaulins with side opening. Sometimes traditional loading solutions "from behind" are also used, but this is the most time-consuming process. There is no denying that the Edscha system is a proposal that has revolutionized the transport market in terms of loading and unloading. No wonder it is such a popular choice.

How do I load an Edscha tarpaulin?

Of course, the answer to this question is obvious - after all, as the Edscha roof opens from the top, this means that the tarpaulin must be loaded from the same side. This, of course, requires the use of cranes, which (as we have already mentioned) are not always available on many sites. However, transport companies, logisticians, and anyone else involved in transport are well aware of this, so they only send trucks with the Edscha LKW folding roof for loading and unloading where employees can use a crane.

Simple Edscha roof construction

It is certainly worth noting that the Edscha roof is extremely simple in its construction. The roof is completely flat when unfolded and there is nothing to suggest that it could be pulled apart. However, this happens with the help of one of the levers. The roof turns into an accordion, which essentially allows you to open it without losing any area or space on the back of the tarp where it belongs. This is a quantum leap compared to conventional side-opening tarpaulins, which cannot be rolled up. Not only do they take up space, but they also make loading and unloading goods difficult. The Edscha folding roof has no such negative features. It should also be mentioned that, when unfolded, it is a fully sealed construction, resistant to difficult weather conditions, such as rain or lingering snow. The Polish branch of Edscha Poland provides such tarpaulins to all willing transport companies.

Edscha roof for railroad wagons - a novelty on the market

Edscha Trailer Systems, a faction of the company focused on innovative technologies created for railroad needs, has developed and presented in 2019 the OpenBox sliding roof for an open freight wagon. It's a solution that provides no small amount of convenience for railcar roof systems. Edscha's model for railroads is a product for fixed-side models. What are the advantages of this type of roof on wagons? First of all, it allows maximum utilization of the loading capacity. However, this is not the end of the advantages of this solution, because when driving on "empty routes" such a roof increases the energy efficiency of the entire train. On the other hand, when the goods are in the wagons, Edscha OpenBox protects them from adverse weather conditions; the L-shaped roof design means that when it rains, water runs off easily, which doesn't expose the structure to corrosion. The Edscha roof is an excellent venture for both trucks and now railroads. It is a very simple to build, extremely effective, and convenient to use design that has revolutionized the industry.