US trailer manufacturer Wabash National has announced it will introduce a range of “breakthrough technologies” in the cold chain and final mile categories at the Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) gathering in Tennessee next week.
According to Wabash, the company’s TMC exhibit will feature a prototype composite refrigerated van utilising a new, proprietary molded structural composite technology.
“Molded structural composites are used in a wide range of applications, including aerospace, automotive, marine and commercial construction. This is the first time the technology is being used in trailer and truck body manufacturing,” said Brent Yeagy, group president, Commercial Trailer Products.
“What this means for our customers is improved thermal efficiency, reduced fuel costs, increased payload and cargo capacity, optimized utilization and enhanced durability.”
In refrigerated van trailer and truck body applications, Yeagy claimed the molded structural composite technology might provide up to 25 per cent improvement in thermal performance and could be up to 20 per cent lighter compared to conventional designs.
“In addition, the molded structural composite floor systems support higher floor ratings—up to 24,000 pounds in the refrigerated van trailer.”
The exhibit at TMC will also feature Wabash National’s new Cold Chain Series and Final Mile Series truck bodies, a range of aerodynamic solutions, and the company’s new RIG-16 product – a new rear impact guard design that is being introduced for the first time at TMC.