KRONE

What KRONE does

KRONE is a family-owned German commercial trailer manufacturer headquartered in Werlte, generating €2.3 billion in Group revenue and employing 5,001–10,000 people across more than a dozen European countries plus Turkey. The company, founded in 1915 and operated under the KRONE Group (Bernard Krone Holding), produces a comprehensive portfolio of semi-trailers spanning curtainsiders (Profi Liner, Mega Liner, Coil Liner, Paper Liner), refrigerated units (Cool Liner Multitemp, Doppelstock, Meathang), dry freight box trailers (Dry Liner), and container chassis (Box Liner eLTU series). Its core engineering focuses on durability, weight optimization, and integration with telematics. Recent product development has centered on electrified and automated trailers, including the eMega Liner and eCool Liner developed with Trailer Dynamics, ZF Friedrichshafen (AxTrax 2 electric axle drive), Liebherr (eCELSINEO modular cooling), BPW, Thermo King, and Aucos (automatic coupling for terminal operations).

KRONE's revenue model blends one-time hardware sales with a growing recurring services layer. Hardware revenue comes from new trailer sales, a used-trailer platform (krone-used.com), and the KRONE Trusted spare parts brand (now expanded to truck parts via krone-trailerparts.com). Recurring and service revenue is generated through KRONE Telematics subscriptions (3D Telematics, Servicepakete, Portal & App, Smart Collect), KRONE Finance financing products, Fair Care 24-hour pan-European service contracts, and warranty programs. The go-to-market combines direct sales via wholly-owned subsidiaries in Germany, the UK, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Hungary, and Poland, authorized importer networks in adjacent markets, and major industry trade-show presence (IAA Transportation, NUFAM, transport logistic). Customers are predominantly enterprise fleet operators and logistics companies (LKW Walter, DB Schenker, DSV, Nagel-Group), supplemented by mid-market hauliers and specialized transport providers across cold-chain, intermodal, and event-logistics segments.

Name

KRONE

Legal name

Fahrzeugwerk Bernard Krone GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://krone-trailer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

KRONE is a family-owned German commercial trailer manufacturer (€2.3B revenue, 5,001–10,000 employees) producing curtainsiders, refrigerated, dry-freight, and container-chassis semi-trailers, increasingly electrified through partnerships with Trailer Dynamics, ZF, and Liebherr, and serving European fleet operators and logistics companies with integrated telematics and service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Vehicle Trailers

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Supplies and New Parts Merchant Wholesalers (42312), Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4231)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714), Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010)

akta.pro primary industry

Trailer, Chassis & Container Parts Distribution (TLAKAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Heavy-duty truck, trailer & commercial vehicle parts distribution (CRAOANAJ)

Keywords

• Commercial semi-trailers
• Refrigerated trailers
• Container chassis
• Electrified trailers
• Fleet telematics

Headquarters

HQ city

Werlte

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Trailer Sales: Primary revenue from manufacture and sale of commercial trailers including curtainsiders, refrigerated semitrailers, dry freight trailers, container chassis, and electrified variants. One-time hardware sales with various configuration options.
2. Telematics Services: Recurring revenue from KRONE Telematics service packages providing fleet monitoring, temperature control, and logistics data. Includes subscription-based access to KRONE Telematics Portal and app.
3. Spare Parts (KRONE Trusted): Sales of genuine spare parts under KRONE Trusted brand, now expanded to include both trailer and truck parts. Includes tires, brake components, air springs, and other wear parts.
4. Financing Services: KRONE Finance provides financing solutions for trailer purchases, supporting customer liquidity and flexible payment options.
5. Service and Warranty: Revenue from extended warranty programs, Fair Care service contracts, and service partner network operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

KRONE manufactures and sells commercial vehicle semi-trailers spanning curtain-sided, refrigerated, dry freight box, container chassis, swap body and electrified variants, supported by a 360° service ecosystem comprising integrated telematics (KRONE Telematics / 3D Telematics / Smart Collect), financing (KRONE Finance), pan-European breakdown service (Fair Care), the KRONE Trusted spare parts brand, and digital customer tools (Smart Assistant, Service Locator, Tyre Locator, MY KRONE customer portal). Primary customers are commercial fleet operators, logistics providers, cold chain operators, container/intermodal transport companies and specialized cargo haulers across Europe.

Product overview

KRONE is a trailer manufacturer with a comprehensive portfolio of commercial vehicle products and digital services. The core product lines include curtain semi-trailers (Profi Liner, Mega Liner, Coil Liner, Paper Liner), refrigerated semi-trailers (Cool Liner with Multitemp, Doppelstock, and Meathang variants), dry freight box trailers (Dry Liner), and container chassis (Box Liner series including eLTU variants and Box Liner Automatic). The company has expanded into electrified trailers (eMega Liner, eCool Liner) developed through partnerships with Trailer Dynamics, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, and Liebherr. Supporting the physical products is a comprehensive 360° service ecosystem including KRONE Telematics (3D Telematics, service packages, portal/app, Smart Collect), Smart Assistant (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber), Fair Care breakdown service, Finance, Spare Parts Shop (KRONE Trusted brand), Service Locator, Tyre Locator, and MY KRONE customer portal. The company operates as part of the KRONE Group, generating €2.3 billion in revenue, and celebrates 110 years of quality manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KRONE Trusted: Spare parts brand offering quality replacement parts for trailers and trucks
• KRONE Telematics
• KRONE Smart Assistant
• Fair Care
• eTrailer
• eMega Liner
• eCool Liner

Products and services

• Profi Liner Curtain Semi-Trailer Curtain semi-trailer with robust construction, high flexibility and thoughtful details for versatile transport tasks; available in Profi Liner HD and Profi Liner Multi Steel variants, designed for general freight transport companies and fleet operators.
• Mega Liner High-Volume Curtain Semi-Trailer Curtain semi-trailer with extra-high loading area for increased cargo volume, designed for voluminous goods transport by fleet operators and logistics companies.
• Coil Liner Steel Coil Semi-Trailer Specialised curtain semi-trailer designed for efficient transport of steel coils and other wound materials, with Coil Liner Compact variant for shorter overall length; for steel industry and metal processors.
• Paper Liner Paper Roll Semi-Trailer Curtain semi-trailer optimised for paper roll transport with features addressing the specific requirements of the paper industry; for paper manufacturers and converters.
• Cool Liner Refrigerated Semi-Trailer Refrigerated semi-trailer with robust chassis, double-T side members and comprehensive cooling options including Thermo King integration; available in Cool Liner Multitemp (multi-temperature zones), Cool Liner Doppelstock (double-deck), and Cool Liner Meathang (hanging meat rail) variants for cold chain logistics operators.
• Dry Liner Dry Freight Semi-Trailer Dry freight semi-trailer with box body for enclosed transport of general cargo; available in multiple configurations including construction material transport variants, for fleet operators and general cargo hauliers.
• Box Liner Container Chassis Container chassis series for transporting sea containers, available in multiple versions (eLTU40 to eLTU75) with various wheelbases and front/rear extension options for 20', 40' and 45' container types; for intermodal logistics operators and container transport companies. Box Liner eLTU 50 Traction Automatic won the Trailer Innovation Award 2023 in the Chassis category.
• Box Liner Automatic Automated Container Chassis Automated container chassis featuring the Aucos automatic coupling system that enables automatic electrical and air connection via a drilled-out fifth wheel pin; supports both conventional trucks and automated terminal tractors without the driver leaving the cab, for automated terminal operations.
• Swap Systems (Wechselsysteme) - Box Carrier, Swap Box, Cool Box, Curtain Box Swap body systems including Box Carrier trailer, Swap Box, Cool Box (refrigerated swap body), and Curtain Box for flexible intermodal transport operations, allowing operators to swap bodies between tractor units and chassis for efficient loading dock operations.
• KRONE Mega City Dry Liner Urban Trailer 11-metre urban dry-liner trailer with front lifting axle and rear-steer axle for urban access, offering 19 tonnes payload capacity and 30 tonnes GVW; designed for urban delivery, last-mile logistics, and event transport operators such as Event Ground Support (EGS).
• eMega Liner Electrified Curtain Semi-Trailer Electrified curtain semi-trailer with battery electric power for electric tractor unit assistance, developed in partnership with Trailer Dynamics; provides traction assistance, braking energy recuperation and can reduce diesel fuel consumption by up to 16% (40% with plug-in charging) for fleet operators pursuing sustainability and emissions reduction.
• eCool Liner Electrified Refrigerated Semi-Trailer Electrified refrigerated semi-trailer with all-electric cooling system, available with BPW ePower generator axle and Thermo King Advancer A-500e AxlePower for zero-emission temperature-controlled transport, eliminating the diesel refrigeration unit; for cold chain logistics operators.
• KRONE Telematics Platform (3D Telematics, Servicepakete, Smart Collect, Portal & App) Integrated telematics system providing real-time monitoring of position, cargo condition, temperature, rear door status, brake system diagnostics, coupling status and operating data; includes KRONE 3D Telematics with 3D visualization, tiered service packages (KRONE Telematics Servicepakete), Smart Collect for automated transport data capture, and web/mobile portal access. Won the European Transport Prize for Sustainability 2024 in 'Telematics and Automation' and the Telematik Award 2022.
• KRONE Trusted Spare Parts and Spare Parts Shop KRONE Trusted brand of tested spare parts in KRONE quality for trailers and trucks, including tyres (KRONE Trusted Tyre Comfort KT231), brake components, suspension parts (air springs), and electrical components; sold via the online KRONE Spare Parts Shop at krone-trailerparts.com with dedicated tyre section.
• KRONE Fair Care Pan-European Breakdown Service Europe-wide 24-hour breakdown service ensuring trailers and semi-trailers are supported around the clock across the continent via a certified service partner network, providing fleet operators with predictable uptime and roadside support.
• KRONE Finance Trailer Financing Financing services for trailer and fleet purchases, providing customers with flexible liquidity management and payment options for capital-intensive trailer acquisitions; offered to fleet operators and logistics companies acquiring KRONE equipment.
• KRONE Smart Assistant Customer Service Tool Digital tool for checking trailer status and fleet information without investment, integrating with messaging platforms WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber for convenient customer support and service inquiries for fleet operators and drivers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 16% fuel consumption reduction with ZF Electrified Trailer System on diesel trucks, up to 40% with plug-in charging
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability4 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional, strategic and flagship.

• LiebherrcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2024Joint development of eCELSINEO - modular cooling system for all-electric trailer refrigeration operation. Liebherr provides refrigeration technology, KRONE integrates with Cool Liner vehicles. Zero emissions cooling solution.
• ZF Friedrichshafen AGcoreTechnology or Integration · 17 September 2024Partnership for ZF 'Electrified Trailer System' integration with KRONE Cool Liner. ZF provides AxTrax 2 electric axle drive and battery system enabling up to 40% fuel reduction. Independent of truck drive concept.
• AucoscoreTechnology or Integration · 17 September 2024Partnership for automatic coupling system in Box Liner Automatic. Enables automatic electrical and air connection via fifth wheel pin for seamless terminal operations.
• KRONE Trailer Service Italia S.R.L.regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2024Joint venture between Fahrzeugwerk Bernard KRONE GmbH & Co. KG and Italian importer Realtrailer SRL, based in Suzzara, Italy. Establishes direct service presence in Italian market.
• Schwarzmüller GroupstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2024KRONE Group announced investment in Schwarzmüller Group creating partnership in European commercial vehicle industry. Schwarzmüller became strategic partner following this investment.
• Nagel-GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2024Nagel-Group operates four new electric refrigerated trailers with electrically powered refrigeration units enabling emission-free refrigerated logistics.
• RIOcoreTechnology or Integration · 12 March 2024Extensive collaboration with logistics platform RIO to drive forward expansion of digital services and connectivity solutions.
• LKW WalterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 202440-year partnership celebrated with delivery of 40,000th trailer. Austrian transport organization is one of KRONE's largest customers. Also collaborating on electronic consignment notes.
• ECR SolutionsstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Founder Fred Schäfer and his ECR Solutions Servicegesellschaft mbH group of companies joined the KRONE family business, strengthening KRONE's digital and service capabilities.
• TIP GroupcoreTechnology or Integration · 24 August 2023Partnership ensuring immediate, seamless data transfer from KRONE's advanced Telematics systems to TIP Group fleet management platforms.
• Trailer DynamicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2023Partnership for development and production of eTrailer technology. Trailer Dynamics, led by CEO Abdullah Jaber, developed electrically powered trailer systems with KRONE. DB Schenker and DSV have pre-ordered 4,500 eTrailers through this partnership. eTrailer demonstrated at Goodyear FIA ETRC races.
• European Truck Racing Association (ETRA)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 February 2023Official partnership announced in 2023 to drive sustainable solutions in transport and motorsport. eTrailer participated in Record-Run at ETRC races. ETRA ranked 16th globally in motorsport sustainability.
• FernridestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 September 2022Strategic partnership for automation of logistics and transport solutions, especially in trailer automation. Part of KRONE's digital strategy (KITS).

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Schmitz Cargobull: Germany-based, family-owned commercial trailer manufacturer — the #1 European competitor to KRONE across curtainsiders, refrigerated trailers, and container chassis with comparable telematics (TrailerConnect) and parts/service ecosystem. Most directly comparable on product line, customer base, and European footprint.
• Wielton S.A. Polish WSE-listed trailer OEM with broad product range (curtainsiders, tippers, container chassis) and active acquirer of European players (Langendorf, Fruehauf France). Comparable to KRONE on product portfolio diversity and European commercial vehicle footprint.
• Kögel Trailer: German trailer manufacturer offering curtainsiders, refrigerated, and platform/swap-body trailers, plus Kögel Telematics and Kögel Parts. Direct European OEM competitor with similar product positioning to KRONE across the premium German-engineering segment.
• Schwarzmüller Group: Austrian trailer specialist (tipper, platform, refrigerated, container chassis) now a strategic investment partner of KRONE Group since June 2024. Comparable manufacturer serving overlapping European fleet customers.

Broad incumbents

• Fliegl Fahrzeugbau: German manufacturer with broad agriculture, commercial vehicle, and trailer portfolio including curtainsiders, tippers, and swap bodies plus digital/agricultural solutions. Overlaps KRONE in commercial curtainsiders but operates a much wider industrial scope.
• CIMC Vehicles: China-listed global trailer giant and the world's largest trailer manufacturer, expanding into European markets via the Benalu and Legras acquisitions. Represents the global scale competitor to KRONE's regional European leadership.

Emerging players

• Talson Trailers: German container chassis specialist competing with KRONE's Box Liner series in intermodal container transport. Comparable in chassis engineering and European fleet customer base.
• Lamberet: French refrigerated truck and trailer body specialist with European presence, competing with KRONE Cool Liner in temperature-controlled transport.

Others

• TIP Group: European trailer leasing, rental, and fleet management company — a key KRONE partner (telematics integration) and ecosystem participant that competes in fleet services rather than OEM manufacturing, but material to KRONE's go-to-market.
• ZF Friedrichshafen: Major driveline and chassis technology supplier providing the AxTrax 2 electric axle integrated into KRONE's electrified trailers. Core technology partner and enabling participant in the eTrailer/eCool Liner roadmap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kronetrailer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRnpb1FVrx82eSrPS6LYLfg
• Facebookfacebook.com/kronetrailer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/krone-commercial-vehicle-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/kronetrailer/?hl=de
• TikToktiktok.com/@kronetrailer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KRONE