From carriages to Masters in Moving Floor Trailers
In 1895, Jan de Kraker (born 23 June 1869 in Hoek) started a carriage and cart factory in Koestraat in Axel. No one could have imagined at the time that there, in Koestraat, the foundations were being laid for a factory that has been developing and building the best and strongest sliding floor trailers in Europe for 35 years.
Looking back
In its first five or six decades, Zeeuws-Vlaamse Carrosseriefabriek built carriages and 4- and 5-ton farm wagons. Transport was still done by horse and cart, and farmers from across Zeeland and Flanders bought from Kraker. A fine example is De Clerck from Haasdonk, which purchased a flat wagon from Kraker on 1 September 1962. Hardly headline news at the time, but the company went on to remain a loyal Kraker customer: in the 1980s they ordered a tipping trailer from Rein de Kraker, in the 1990s a tipper body on a truck chassis, and only recently their second K-Force.
The company flourished until the outbreak of the Second World War.
After the war, business quickly picked up again (1945-1970). The axles with differentials, tyres and wheels from abandoned army vehicles were reused. These parts were used to build the world-famous (at least in the Netherlands and Belgium) powered agricultural trailer. Farmers used these to harvest potatoes, even when the heavy clay soil was saturated with rainwater. Sowing, tilling, harrowing and ploughing were increasingly carried out by mechanically driven vehicles; the horse was replaced by the tractor and trailers were adapted accordingly. In the 1950s, many agricultural vehicles were suitable for both horses and tractors.
In 1950, only agricultural trailers were built: 80 units, 4, 5 and 6 tonnes, most of which were suitable for horses and tractors.
Details of vehicles from the 1950s (click link)
The handwritten archive describes the orders as follows:
- On 22 December 1953, the very first trailer was delivered to Grijp in Balgerhoeke (Eeklo municipality): a two-axle, 9-ton trailer, 5.25 metres long with 1-metre-high drop sides in two sections, built on BPW EZ6008 axles (track 164 cm), with Lemmerz wheels and E20 tyres, pulled by a Mercedes. In 1954 a total of 64 units were delivered, including five road transport trailers:
- The first, on 13 January 1954, went to Musse in Oostburg: a two-axle, 5½-ton trailer, 6 x 2.25 metres, with 30 cm high two-piece sides, BPW EZ4008 axles and 32x6 tyres.
- The second, on 2 March 1954, went to Coens in Ede: a two-axle, 6½-ton trailer, 6.00 x 2.20 x 0.30 metres, BPW EZ4508 axles, 8.25x20 tyres, DAF vacuum brakes, AL springs 8 cm wide with rubber bushes, rear trailing axle, towing gear with nylon bushes, track 164 cm. It was pulled by a DAF.
The third was delivered to Van Damme in Groede, the fourth to Broekhoven in Temse, and the fifth to Raets in Breskens.
The handwritten archive also mentioned the delivery (in 1955) of three powered agricultural vehicles to:
- Wolfert in Hoek,
- Dekker in Eendrachtpolder
- Van de Berghe in Ossenisse.
Furthermore, 17 agricultural trailers and 26 two-axle trailers for road transport were recorded in that year.
Still in the 1950s: in 1956, four powered agricultural trailers were delivered to:
- Adh. Van Waes in Oudepolder (Zuiddorpe): a trailer was built for use behind an Algaur 35 HP tractor, dimensions 4.50 x 2.10 x 0.35 metres, with a Dodge cardan shaft.
- J. Quaak at De Kijkuit: a 3.5-ton, two-wheeled trailer, 3.50 x 2.00 x 0.35 metres, fitted with an overrun brake, aircraft tyres 36 SC, a BPW axle 94 with 55x55 mm shafts, track width 152 cm, and a Pfaff jack.
- Bujize in Sterre: a two-wheeled trailer, 4.50 x 2.10 x 0.35 metres, towed by a Lanz Bulldog tractor with 28 HP.
- Jac. v/d Ree in Zaamslag: details of this build were not recorded.
Alongside these, there were also farm wagons, a shop wagon, and an increasing number of trailers for road transport.
In 1960 we come across some familiar names in the old records, such as:
De Nood (11-tonner), Scheerders (7-tonner), Everaard (11-tonner), Van Steen (10-tonner), De Letter (7-tonner), Van Wijk (12-tonner), Minnaard (various trailers), Wieland (8-tonner), Van Waes (various powered models), De Hoop (12-tonner, 7.20 x 2.31 m), and so on.
We also find mention of two-wheeled powered farm wagons, built for use behind a variety of tractors, including a Ford Ferguson 35 HP. Per mal super most likely refers to a type of tractor from International Harvester (IH), ‘Super M’ series, in particular the Farmall Super M, Ford Dexta, Ford 42hp, Germal D430, 30 pkm 2.2L, 4 cyl. Diesel Ferguson 65, Kramer KL250, Zetor Super, BMC, Termal BW6.
In total, 46 powered farm wagons were produced at that time, including one tipper for Jansen in Ossendrecht.
There were also trailers built purely for road transport, while others were still made for horse and tractor use.
For Uijterhoeve of Sas van Gent, a two-axle 13-ton trailer was produced. For Minnaard of Krabbendijke, a 12-ton covered trailer was supplied, as well as a bare 12-ton chassis.
Internationalisation
Mechanisation in agriculture created demand for new types of vehicles, such as trailers and tippers. Whereas agricultural products had previously been transported mainly within the region by horse and cart, the arrival of vehicles such as tippers made it possible to transport beet, potatoes, onions and more over longer distances. Farmers were no longer supplying only their local markets, but also customers in countries such as Belgium and France.
But it was not only agriculture that was mechanised. At the same time, industrialisation was gaining momentum. In the 1960s, various large companies (Dow, Cerestar/Cargill) established themselves in Zeelandic Flanders, alongside the existing presence of Cokes and Lazotte (NSM, Yara). The development of these companies provided an economic boost for the region, as they also needed (local) suppliers.
Road transport took off in the 1960s and 1970s. Agricultural products were transported in bags as well as in bulk, and demand for tippers skyrocketed, both built on truck chassis and towed as tipping trailers.
Kraker also produced tippers for trucks, trailers and semi-trailers. The location on Koestraat became too small and a larger site was sought. This turned out to be the Vaartwijk between Axel and Magrette, on the main road to Terneuzen. In the 1970s, a large production hall, at least compared to De Koestraat, was built on this site. The surrounding area was large enough to manoeuvre lorries. This laid the foundation for the specialised production of Kraker tippers. The current Kraker Trailers is still located at the same site.
Older residents of Axel still know the location at Vaartwijk 7 as “Kootje Koster's alley”.
Zeeuws-Vlaamse Carrosseriefabriek becomes Kraker Trailers Axel BV
On 1 September 1989, Jan de Kraker and Jan Scheele took over Zeeuws-Vlaamse Carrosseriefabriek from Jannie and Rein de Kraker and continued under the name Kraker Trailers Axel BV. The brand-new entrepreneurs were immediately faced with a challenging request from the W. Tollenaere company in De Peereboom (municipality of Moerbeke), the region of azalea growers. “Jan, I'm looking for a loading platform to unload potting soil in the greenhouses in measured doses, instead of tipping it outside, but it can't be a tipper.” A logical question, because a tipper would not be suitable for the customer in the low greenhouses.
The first sliding floor trailer
The day after the takeover reception (22 September 1989 at Zomerlust), Jan de Kraker and Rein de Kraker went to the IAA international trade fair, which was still held in Frankfurt at the time.
For Jan, that was the first day of his entrepreneurship. And it was a tough one right from the start. He left with a headache at 5 o'clock in the morning, without food or drink. But after a sandwich from Rein, Jan regained some strength.
Refreshed and revitalised, he scoured the exhibition grounds. As the new kid on the block, these made enormous impressions on him.
Outside, he saw Keith's sliding floor system for the first time. At the time, it was imported from America by De Baat in Coevorden, now known as Cargo Floor. In November 1989, Kraker Trailers delivered the first steel shipping container incorporating the sliding floor system to Tollenaere. The first 3-axle semi-trailer with a sliding floor system in Germany was delivered in March 1990 via Siegfried Lanz from Norderstedt, 20 kilometres above Hamburg.
Jan de Kraker quickly realised that sliding floors, then still a real niche market, were the future. Call it foresight, but in 35 years he has more than proven himself right.
Self-supporting sliding floor trailers
Kraker Trailers made a dynamic start and built all kinds of vehicles for numerous companies, such as tippers with side flaps for Bosman, market trucks for Fieret Vis, a flat trailer for Van de Wege, trailers for Scheerders and various market trucks for cheese and flowers.
The tippers with side flaps were not yet fully developed, and the delivery time had been exceeded by a considerable margin. This was a sore point for Wim Bosman, but ultimately the collection took place on a Saturday evening at the Haperen paint shop in Koewacht.
The trailer was still wet and had to be left to dry for an hour at 60 degrees, after which it still had to be assembled. Wim wasn't interested in that:
“I'll take it now, it'll dry on the way!” Jan was woken up in the middle of the night with a phone call:
“It tips perfectly, only the floor stays on the chassis. The rest goes up!”
The side flap lock on the floor had not been made properly. We quickly fixed that, otherwise he would probably have given Jan de Kraker a piece of his mind over the phone, or at least threatened to. Later, everything was fine between Wim and Jan.
By 1992, the number of vehicles delivered had already increased by around 50% compared to the start in 1989. This increase was partly attributable to six self-supporting sliding floor trailers, the first of which was for Minnaard in Krabbendijke. That company had done a lot of research into what their first sliding floor trailer should look like and what specifications it should meet. Minus Goud, co-owner of Minnaard, asked whether the loaded sliding floor trailer could break when it was uncoupled. At that moment, the trailer was loaded with 32 tonnes of vegetables. Jan's response: “Then we'll uncouple it now.” Even after 35 years since the incident, Jan still remembers clearly how his toes were tingling with nerves through his shoes. “Would the trailer supports buckle?” It was a tense moment, but the trailer didn't budge. Minus Goud and Wim Minnaard were delighted, and Jan Scheele and Jan de Kraker regained some colour in their cheeks.
Bosman had ordered a sliding floor with a built-in funnel to unload apples at the Coroos canning factory. The funnel had to be as short as possible and the floor had to reach the doors, which all made sense. However, the apple harvest was enormous that year.
the apples were as big as pumpkins. Wim called to say that instead of apples, apple sauce was coming out of the hopper. He almost pulled Jan through the telephone line.
Anton Verbrugge, a man with a vision
Adrie Meertens, responsible for the vehicle fleet at Verbrugge, gave Kraker plenty of opportunities, including new construction, but also extending trailers from 12.60 to 13.6 metres, maintenance, and the construction of special trailers such as the Knikhuif for Sas Glas and the extendable rear portal for Recticel.
The first series of 12 TMT drum trailers for Verbrugge also contributed to the growth. With these riveted, single-axle drum trailers, Verbrugge gave Kraker Trailers a great opportunity. [scanned photograph available]
Anton Verbrugge was known to be a man with vision.
He asked his old secondary school classmate, Kees Millenaar, to supervise the project.
Kees had been COO at Netam in Leek and was an expert in riveted vehicles.
York UK had initially manufactured the trailers, but that company went bankrupt. Netam
(Kees Millenaar) then built these vehicles, but at a certain point they no longer wanted to manufacture these trailers.
Anton Verbrugge dropped by unannounced one day and, after a tour of the workshop, said to Jan:
“Are you going to make any money from this? If not, you should give me a call. You have no idea how happy we are that you want to build these trailers!”
Aluminium
Slowly but surely, the sliding floor trailer with aluminium loading platform gained ground. Its strength, combined with its low weight, resulted in a high net load capacity. Kraker Trailers continued to build a variety of vehicles, but the proportion of sliding floor trailers increased.
Kraker Trailers did well in those years, with turnover increasing, more customers finding Axel, and production also improving steadily.
Specialisation leads to growth
The growth continued. Not only because of the quality of Kraker moving floor trailers, but also because of sales in Germany. Jan de Kraker quickly realised that he needed to find other markets besides the Netherlands and Belgium. He started pioneering in Germany, together with German salesman Udo Nagler from Munich, to whom Kraker Trailers owes a great deal.
In 1998, Kraker Trailers built more sliding floor trailers than any other type of vehicle and participated in the international IAA trade fair in Hanover for the first time. This required a great deal of preparation and money, but it paid off. After the fair, the order intake was enormous.
First insulated sliding floor trailer
There was a tremendous amount of work, but even during those busy times, Kraker continued to innovate. In 1998, Kraker built the first insulated sliding floor trailer with 50 mm thick sandwich panels. This trailer allows fruit and vegetables to be transported in controlled conditions. The panels were glued together, so no screws or welds were needed. As with any innovation, there were some teething problems. For example, the load could start to ferment if the trailer stood still for a long time during a long and pleasantly warm Easter weekend. The internal temperature could rise to as high as 50º under the roller cover. The adhesive construction was not designed for this, with the result that the floor construction slowly sank. This was solved by installing shear bolts between the bottom edge and in the wall panels.
Kraker developed a tipping container chassis for DOW that incorporated all the options available at the time. This included remote operation from the control room, quadruple stabilising supports, pressure and angle measurement, and a rotary sluice with adjustable speed. Jan’s experience with the DOW cubicle system proved invaluable.
Kraker also built an insulated tipper combination to transport mussels from Denmark to Yerseke.
New factory in Axel
Jan continued to work hard, and in 1999 Kraker Trailers became the market leader in the Netherlands in niche sliding floor trailers, with a total of 50 units. The sliding floor trailers from Axel also began to make a name for themselves in Germany. The forecasts were good, with production set to increase in 2000 as well. However, this meant that investments had to be made in the construction of a new factory.
Old production hall replaced by new factory
After thorough preparation, construction of the new factory began in 2000, and it was officially opened with a celebration in the spring of 2001.
The new construction was no easy task: the old warehouse had an asbestos roof, and removing it was a major operation due to all the legal regulations. But what really made the construction special was that the new factory was actually built on top of the old one. It was a major logistical operation to get the new building ready for use. Because everything happened at the same time: all the “old” machines were moved, new machines were installed and production continued as best it could in the meantime. This was a real team effort.
Everything had been thought of in the development of the new factory. Not only to work faster and more efficiently, but also more pleasantly. But the result was worth all the effort. The new building allowed Kraker to focus on its goal: the development and production of sliding floor trailers.
The number of sliding floor trailers increased: in 2001, two were delivered per week, and in 2002, three. In addition, Kraker also manufactured one other type of vehicle per week, such as a tipper or a trailer. At that time, the internet made its debut at Kraker Trailers and the sales network expanded to Scandinavia, England and Belgium.
Exports increased
It seemed impossible, but sales continued to rise sharply in the following years. Not only in the Netherlands and Belgium, but exports also increased. Udo Nagler was no longer working the German market alone; he was assisted by Axel Roland, a salesman from Roßwein, near Dresden, among others. Production rose by no less than 20%. The competition had also discovered the sliding floor concept, but Kraker held its ground.
There was high demand for customised work. The German economy was picking up, and this was clearly noticeable: Udo and Axel could hardly keep up with the work. Demand was so high that Kraker Trailers had to make various investments to ensure that the workshop could produce the number of sliding floor trailers that were requested. Kraker Trailers was increasingly becoming a factory, something that co-owner Jan Scheele was uncomfortable with, as that had never been the intention. However, he also realised that the sliding floor trailer was no longer a niche product but was increasingly developing into a commodity. After careful consideration, he decided to transfer his shares to Jan de Kraker.
Staying afloat in an economic crisis
After years of growth, everything changed completely. In 2008, the collapse of Lehman Brothers caused a devastating crisis. The banking crisis in 2009 had a major impact on global trade, which came to a complete standstill. There was no more growth. On the contrary, Kraker Trailers was inundated with cancellations. Companies in all kinds of sectors were going under, and Kraker Trailers did everything it could to stay afloat in a declining market. And it succeeded. Was that luck? No! It succeeded by persevering, not giving up and continuing to believe in the product.
There was one thing that had been bothering Jan de Kraker for a few years: he just couldn't seem to gain a foothold in Scandinavia. Kraker Trailers had participated in the Swedish trade fair Elmia several times. In 2009, after waiting in the rain for a few hours, Jan managed to secure a meeting with Per Ørnstrand of PNO Trailers. Jan was able to convince Per of all the advantages of the Kraker moving floor. From that moment on, Kraker Trailers has been supplying PNO with moving floor trailers with and without side doors to this day.
At that time, Kraker Trailers also introduced its unique 5-year warranty on construction and paintwork.
The market picked up again in the following years and Kraker Trailers focused heavily on expanding its dealer network. This paid off, as there was high demand for the reliable Kraker sliding floor trailers in countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Latvia, Austria and Switzerland. Kraker Trailers also continued to professionalise as an organisation. In 2009, Alain Hiel joined the company as quality manager. Jan de Kraker initially wondered, “What should I have him do?” But after a training period, Alain professionalised the organisation with more streamlined production and business operations.
New office
In 2011, Thomas and Sarah de Kraker, the children of Jan and Ellen, laid the foundation stone for the new office.
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The new office was a breath of fresh air, with large workspaces, separate consultation rooms and built with the future in mind. The office was also built with the environment in mind, including the installation of a heat pump, a new development at the time. Until then, the old house had served as the company's office.
Kraker built much of its business on customer demand and specifications, and built up a good reputation in the process. Many innovations left the factory in Axel, such as the first sliding floor LZV or the sliding floor trailer with bagging unit, which packs the product (moist protein-rich animal feed) in a large plastic bag during unloading. In the agricultural market, for example, Kraker introduced the shorter and flexible CF-Agri.
Vision for the future
But Jan de Kraker knew that the way to produce more profitably lay in line production, and he had a vision. He discussed this with Marc Boussen, chief engineer. He too saw the advantages of Jan's idea, and so Kraker embarked on what was perhaps the greatest innovation to date: the development of K-Force.
“A standard trailer, equipped with a limited number of options, which can be assembled in any European certified workshop using screw connections instead of welded joints.”
The trailers are efficiently delivered as a kit according to the ‘three-in-one’ principle, which results in considerable savings on transport costs and is good for the environment.
One fully assembled trailer transports the chassis and parts of two other trailers; the walls are transported separately but can also be attached to the outside of the trailer.
K-Force, the bolted trailer
The plan to develop a bolted trailer were finalised. Jan did not rush into anything, and no expense was spared in developing the revolutionary K-Force. To build K-Force, a factory of approximately 10,000 square metres was needed, equipped with new machinery such as fully automatic welding and drilling robots and the new, integrated paint line.
When introducing something as revolutionary as K-Force, there was initially quite a bit of scepticism in the market. This was fuelled by the teething problems that are part and parcel of any development cycle. However, continuous development bore fruit. K-Force trailers now transport a wide variety of products throughout Europe, including bulk (agricultural) products, waste, wood chips, pallets and many other products.
A good ambassador for K-Force is Lammert Minkes, who traded in his K-Force (built in 2016) on 1 May 2025, after 1,250,000 virtually trouble-free kilometres. This K-Force from the 0 series is sure to find a new owner. With a new floor, this trailer can be used for years to come.
Unique features of K-Force
The multifunctional K-Force has a rock-solid floor construction, a long service life and a low weight. The modular design with screw connections is a huge advantage when it comes to maintenance or repairs, as downtime is kept to an absolute minimum. The production method allows K-Force to combine aluminium with steel wherever possible and necessary: a unique combination. Another significant advantage of K-Force is its proven high residual value.
Kraker Trailers has grown into a sizeable company with 150 employees, global exports and a continued focus on further growth. Yet at its core, it has managed to retain the values of a family business. This is evident, among other things, from the fact that employees feel there is little distance between management and the shop floor. Ellen, Jan's wife, in particular, ensured that Kraker Trailers was more than just another employer: in the event of births, illness, etc., she always arranged a suitable gift on behalf of the company. And the Sinterklaas celebrations at Kraker Trailers are something that the employees' children in particular always look forward to. Until 2024, Ellen ensured that there was a personal gift for every child. She has now left Kraker Trailers, but the tradition continues.
There are many employees who have been working at Kraker Trailers for decades. Patrick Wieland joined Kraker for his graduate internship (his thesis was about a welding jig) and after graduating, he joined Kraker. In May 2025, Patrick will have been working at Kraker for 30 years. Something that adds an extra dimension to this story is that not only does Patrick's brother (Jean-Paul) work at the Vaarwijk site, but both men's father, despite his advanced age, still brings trailers to Spuiterij de Muynck.
Engineer Marc Boussen, who played a major role in the development of K-Force, has also been working at Kraker Trailers for decades. He joined the company in 1992 and has witnessed all the developments at Kraker Trailers.
European sales organisation TrailerTec
Around 2016, Kraker Trailers joined forces with D-Tec to set up sales and service partners in various European countries under the name TrailerTec.
The TrailerTec team advises transport companies on which trailer and which options are best suited to their type of work. All TrailerTec branches have workshops and warehouses where customers can go for delivery, maintenance, repairs and parts.
Innovation means progress
At Kraker Trailers, innovation never stops. A company that does not innovate will eventually be overtaken by others. At Kraker Trailers, we are well aware of this, and innovation is a continuous process. In recent years, various types of K-Forces have been developed, including K-Force Agri, K-Force SD, K-Force Steered and K-Force Waste.
The configurator makes it possible to add 250 options to the model. This generates the correct drawings and parts lists and is a fast and reliable “tool” for the engineer.
Moving Smart wins award at IAA
Another good example of innovation is Moving Smart, which was awarded second place at the International Trailer Award during the IAA in Hanover in 2024.
Moving Smart is a new, advanced telematics system. It provides drivers with valuable insights into the performance and operation of their sliding floor trailers. The collected data is sent via the 5G network to an internally developed platform where fleet managers can track the trailers in real time via the Kraker dashboard. Any problems are immediately reported to the driver via smart alerts sent directly to their app.
Moving Smart's innovation is the patented wear sensor in the floor. Not only are pressure, temperature and floor speed measured, but also tyre pressure and brake system interventions.
Folding bumper provides extra free space
In 2021, it became clear that the new legal status of the bumper made it impossible to unload into a cistern or onto a conveyor belt.
Jan de Kraker took action and a year later, a new option, the folding bumper, had been developed, configured and was in stock. Kraker was the only one who did his homework and took action in time. The folding bumper was created as a result of a change in the law. Who could have guessed that an imposed requirement would ultimately become a very successful option?
This option makes work easier and safer for drivers. Unloading often takes place above a bunker or tipping tank. As the name suggests, this bumper folds up, creating 15 centimetres of extra free space and protecting the lighting.
E-Force, the very first sliding floor trailer with a clean drive system
Since 2021, Kraker Trailers has been developing E-Force, the first clean-drive sliding floor trailer. This trailer was unveiled at the 2022 IAA. E-Force stores braking energy in a battery pack and uses this energy to power the middle axle during acceleration and when loading and unloading with the sliding floor. This results in fuel savings and a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions. E-Force contributes to a lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and a better environment.
With plans to further increase excise duties on diesel oil, E-Force can be a valuable investment.
Kraker Trailers and Smart Trailer Solutions
From 1 January 2024, there has been a clear separation between production and sales. A salesperson wants to sell everything and sees opportunities everywhere, while in a factory, money must be made with standardised trailers. Is it profitable to develop a new option/type? What are the expected numbers? Does this customer also purchase standard vehicles? Or are we doing this to please the customer and will we not see them again for the next five years, except for warranty issues? Development takes a lot of time, and we need to use that time as efficiently as possible. Kraker Trailers is mature and dares to say no if it is not profitable or if no follow-up orders are expected. In Western Europe, standardisation is a must.
Under the leadership of co-CEOs Stephan Willemstein and Alain Hiel, Kraker Trailers is now fully focused on the efficient production of K-Force.
Alain and Stephan have both been with Kraker Trailers for many years, Alain since 2009 and Stephan since 2016. Alain manages the production process and Stephan is responsible for the material flow and everything that goes with it, such as strategy, framework agreements and stock management.
All sales, rental and leasing activities now fall under Smart Trailer Solutions. All marketing activities have also been incorporated into this company. It is run by Jan de Kraker and his son Thomas de Kraker, who is currently still responsible for the Benelux region and the stock trailers in Europe.
Innovation and quality pay off
K-Force has also been discovered outside Europe. For this, it is necessary that the side walls fit into a 40-foot container, which requires the side wall to be divided.
This is possible with the K-Force principle, as several prototypes have proven in daily practice.
Founded in 1895, Kraker Carriage Works is now Masters in Moving Floor Trailers. Jan de Kraker's most innovative step? The development of K-Force. Thanks to a close-knit team of professionals from all departments, his vision became reality. The result is an innovative success story that definitively positions Kraker Trailers in Europe and, with its latest development, the so-called divisible side wall, very emphatically beyond.