Diesel Progress award winners celebrate in Rosemont

Winners at the fourth Diesel Progress Summit Awards included Danfoss, Kohler, Loop Energy, Elevāt, Jacobs and Deutz. Danfoss came away with two awards for Powertrain Product of the Year and the ‘best of the best’ Achievement of the Year award.

Winners at the Diesel Progress Awards in Rosemont, Illinois. (Photo: KHL/Joe Mather)

Italy’s Pitteri Violini Industriale & Commerciale won the best international engine distributor of the year category, with Hamilton Power Solutions announced as best North American engine distributor.

The awards, organized by Diesel Progress magazine and KHL Group, were held at the Loews Chicago O’Hare hotel in Rosemont, Ill.

The full list of winners and shortlisted companies was as follows:

Engine Technology of the Year

WINNER: Jacobs HPD Engine Brake

The judges said they were particularly impressed with the capabilities of this engine brake and its use of cylinder deactivation in its function.

Shortlisted:

• Liebherr high flow common rail fuel system
• Jacobs Fulcrum valve system technology.

Digital Technology Award

WINNER: Elevāt Machine Connect

The judges noted that the Elevāt technology was flexible and adaptable to a range of machine and vehicle markets.

Shortlisted:

• MurCal PV500-MC display with SmartCommand
• Isuzu RedTech engine controller.

Powertrain Product of the Year

WINNER: Danfoss Digital Displacement Hydraulics

This technology really impressed the judges, with one of them calling it “a game changer.”

Shortlisted:

• John Deere AutoShift Plus transmission
• FPT Industrial eAxle 840.

Engine of the Year < 175 hp

WINNER: Kohler KSD

One of the things that jumped out to the judges was its serviceability, which was a key design target for Kohler.

Shortlisted:

• Deutz 2.9HT
• JCB Stage 5 448

Engine Distributor of the Year – North America

WINNER: Hamilton Power Solutions

The judges said they were most impressed with the overall capabilities of this company, which distributes Deutz, Isuzu and Scania engines.

Shortlisted:

• Husker Power Products, Hastings, Nebraska
• M&L Engine, Schriever, Louisiana

Engine Distributor of the Year – International

WINNER: Pitteri Violini Industriale & Commerciale SPA

The judges said; “Active for more than 90 years in Italy and is considered among the gold standard of engine distributors in the EU.”

Electric/Hybrid Application of the Year

WINNER: Deutz PowerTree

The judges noted; “it’s the future and it’s here now.”

Shortlisted:

• Caterpillar’s Energy Storage System
• National Signal Solar-Hybrid Light Tower with Hatz PMG.

New Power Technology Award

WINNER: Loop Energy eFlow Fuel Cell

The judges noted that the eFlow fuel cell “is changing fuel cell architecture and delivering more peak power.”

Shortlisted:

• Volvo Penta e-driveline
• ZF eCD20 eTrac system

Achievement of the Year

WINNER: Danfoss Digital Displacement Hydraulics

Shortlisted:

• Jacobs High Power Density Engine Brake
• Elevāt Machine Connect system
• Deutz Power Tree
• Loop Energy eFlow fuel cell
• Kohler KSD diesel

Mike Brezonick, Vice President of Editorial, Diesel Progress, said at the ceremony; “Thank you to all the of the companies and individuals who submitted nominations. What happens in these industries doesn’t get nearly enough recognition, we think, and you help us change that, at least in a modest way.

“All of the nominated products and companies have a lot to be proud of.”

The judges

Bob Apple, an independent consultant who spent more than 40 years in the automotive, off-highway industrial, marine and powertrain industries, which included senior positions in manufacturing, sales and marketing and industrial engine sales at Volvo Penta.

John Duncan, who also spent more than 40 years in management positions at major suppliers at including ZF, Rexroth, Hagglunds Hydraulics, InterTractor, Cotta Transmission and Crenlo Engineered Cabs

Greg Moreland, another 40-year man, whose experience covers hydraulics, mechanical drives and electric drive systems and included positions at Teledyne, White Drive Products, Oerlikon Drive Systems and Dana.

Clint Schroer, who spent nearly a decade at Cummins, in both positions at the company’s headquarters and at a distributor before he moved on to roles in digital software and services, autonomous trucking systems and digital strategy.