Aerofficient adds two new product lines to its aerodynamic fairing offerings
Aerofficient, a leading designer and manufacturer of aerodynamic enhancement devices for heavy duty truck trailers, used the occasion of the American Trucking Associations Annual Management Conference and Exhibition - being held this week in Las Vegas, NV - to announce two new product lines: fairings for intermodal container chassis and a lower cost line of fairings for dry van and refrigerated trailers.
Working with one of North America’s largest railroads, Aerofficient created its new chassis fairings to withstand the rigors of intermodal transfer yard operations and extended highway driving, said Jim Reiman, the company’s CEO.
A patent-pending design feature of the new fairing allows it to withstand damage when a container is being loaded onto a chassis. The top of the fairing will flex and bend to absorb the shock of an imperfect loading operation.
“We spent a great deal of time and resources studying this market before creating our new intermodal chassis fairing,” he said. “Durability and the necessity to absorb shocks and collisions with containers during the loading and un-loading process were identified as ‘mission critical’ design criteria.
“It is now well established that side fairings can significantly reduce fleets’ operating costs through fuel savings, but only if the fairing can survive the rigors of real-world operating conditions. If a trailer has to be pulled off the road to repair or replace a fairing - even if it’s done at no charge, it still ultimately costs the customer money and dramatically affects the ROI.
Fairings for vans
Aerofficient’s other new product is a line of fairings for dry van and refrigerated trailers, called Aerofficient Basic. These fairings feature the exact same geometry, panels and attachment clamps as Aerofficient’s hinged line of fairings, but do not have the hinge.
The Basic line “will have the ability to bend inward and outward to negotiate obstacles as high as 18 inches and will not warp in the sun or crack in the cold,” Reiman said. The fairings “naturally shed snow and ice, weigh just 97 pounds per side in standard installations and are offered in multiple configurations.
“Adding the hinge is an expense that some fleets just do not need due to the nature of their particular transport,” he explained. “The Basic line is still the same superior flexible, durable product as our original hinged product, it just doesn’t have the hinge.
“Those fleets with less experienced drivers, steep loading docks and unpredictable or extreme conditions will be encouraged to use our original hinged design. Those with less extreme conditions will find the Basic line a more cost effective solution since both lines generate the same fuel savings.”
For more information, visit www.aerofficient.com.
Photos
Aerofficient’s new chassis fairings have been designed to withstand the rigors of intermodal transfer yard operations as well as extended highway driving.
The Aerofficient Basic fairing is a more cost effective solution than the company’s original aerodynamic trailer fairing.
