Semi-trailer Landing Gear Market Insights
Semi-trailer landing gear market trends are shifting from manual to electric operation. Driven in particular by the need for safer and more efficient solutions, the global semi-trailer landing gear market will grow at a CAGR of 6% between 2023 and 2028. Although manual landing gear has been the industry standard for many years. However, manual landing gear requires a lot of physical strength and time to operate, which can lead to injuries and inefficiencies while working.
According to a 2023 survey report by the American Trucking Association. 85% of operators prefer electric landing gear because it is more efficient, safer, and low-maintenance. And meanwhile, from the point of semi-trailer landing gear market trend, electric landing gear market share will to be over 36 in 2028. The data tells us that manual landing gear market share is still going down, therefore, the overall growth rate of manual landing gear is not as fast as electric landing gear. In addition, in order to verify the credibility of the report, let us focus on the three aspects of safety, labor saving and ease of use of electric landing gear and manual landing gear.
Manual Landing Gear VS. Electric Landing Gear
VS
Manual Landing Gear
Electric Landing Gear
Safety Features
Electric landing gear systems incorporate several advanced safety mechanisms. Automatic shut-off and overload protection significantly reduce accident risks. These features ensure the system stops operation if an obstruction is detected, preventing injuries and equipment damage. For example, an electric landing gear system with automatic shut-off can halt the lifting process if it senses an object in its path, ensuring the safety of the operator and the integrity of the load.
Manual systems, by contrast, rely heavily on the operator’s vigilance. Without built-in safety features, the risk of human error increases. Studies have shown that workplaces using manual landing gear report higher incidences of lifting-related injuries. The absence of overload protection in manual systems can also lead to mechanical failures, posing additional hazards.
Labor-Saving Benefits
First, the electric landing gear allows a significant reduction in the physical effort required to work. Drivers can now lift and lower their trailers with the push of a button, and in fewer than two minutes. This efficiency ensures a reduced waiting time when the operator needs to lift a heavy weight. Hence, with lesser time used to lift the trailer, there are fewer physical strains on employees. For instance, a logistic facility reported a 40% reduction of time lost by drivers while lifting heavy stuff. This means that when a driver has to hurry to lift a trailer, they can do it faster and follow a schedule, thus taking fewer breaks.
At the same time, the landing gear requires quite some physical effort. Drivers must employ physical effort, walking around the vehicle, and turning cranks for five to ten minutes. While that time is not important in usual conditions it can become a serious source of fatigue when the weather is inclement. Hence, after a long enough time or a short time but in very harsh conditions, workers will get tired, and their physical effort’s productivity will diminish. Finally, the excessive physical work will lead to increased turnover rates because workers will be trying to find a less tiresome occupation.
Ease of Use and Operation
Many electric landing gear systems are made such that they are user-friendly. That is the control interface of such systems is often simplified to the point of being basic buttons or even a switch. It also requires less time for training of inexperienced employees.
Manual systems are made such that they require more skill and effort due to the landing weight being heavier. More time is also taken by manual systems, first, they need to secure trailer, then activate landing gear and then adjust handle height. Such situations often breed error if there is more than one thing to be done thus making electric landing gear the less error prone, faster and safer soluble.
Steps to Selecting the Right Landing Gear
Evaluating Requirements
To begin with, you have to assess the needs of your operation specifically. For instance, you have to know what the maximum load capacity is, its frequency of use, whether you require an extended warranty or corrosion resistance, how easy it is to repair, etc. However, if you frequently have to transport heavy machinery, it is essential for you to select and install so that it could carry these loads with no risk for your safety. In the long run, you can see that if you have chosen the right equipment for the maintenance, you can save time and money.
Key Features to Consider
In order to choose a landing gear, key characteristics must be focused on.
First, load capacity can be considered as one of the most important aspects that should be focused on. Obviously, the landing gear should be able to bear the full weight of a fully loaded trailer to ensure safety.
Second, and this is also one of the most prominent aspects, the controls designed for this will vary greatly depending on the selected equipment. For example, electric systems come with a button interface, so they are much simpler than manual interfaces.
Finally, while saving physical effort, efficiency should also be considered. Referring to the analysis of electric landing gear vs. manual landing gear in the previous section, we find that electric landing gear is closer to the requirements of most operators.
Choose High-quality Suppliers
According to the above needs, it is worth mentioning that as one of the earliest companies in China to innovate and develop electric semi-trailer landing gear, Rotontek was the only company in the world at that time that had the courage and ability to try electric semi-trailer landing gear, setting a new benchmark for efficient and reliable multi-vehicle transportation. As shown in the right picture or the video below, Rotontek’s best-selling product 20T semi-trailer intelligent electric landing gear has a strong load-bearing capacity of 20T, which is very suitable for semi-trailer support and has sufficient stability. It has completely changed the efficiency through the simultaneous support of double legs. Choosing this one is definitely worth the money.
Overall, Rotontek’s pioneering transmission design uses a ball screw mechanism, which is more energy efficient than traditional trapezoidal screws. The outrigger adopts a unique screw anti-rotation function to ensure load stability and safety. The lifting and lowering of the outrigger can be easily controlled at the touch of a button.
From the main part of the outrigger, the IP44 waterproof and dustproof rating proves its durability and rust-proof performance, and it can be used outdoors for two years without rusting. At the same time, the independent power control of the outrigger reduces the risk of driver injury, mainly due to the unique one-button start jacking and automatic stop function. Unlike conventional outriggers, a closer look reveals that Rotontek’s design integrates high-quality materials and branded components. Rotontek’s outriggers also feature built-in speed sensors for quick balance adjustments and a connecting rod drive for synchronous transmission. It has a high-precision nut that provides a continuous load life of more than 2,000 cycles.
The installation process of Rotontek’s premium electric landing gear is simple, and its own branded brushless motor design ensures a long product life, while its rugged self-developed motor provides powerful performance, high efficiency and low noise (<55dB) operation.