US Liner Company is introducing Bad Wolf Scuff, a product line that establishes new parameters in the industry for durability and overall performance.
In making the announcement, Michael LaRocco, US Liner’s President said, “Interior protection of dry vans and reefers is a necessity within the trucking industry. The heavy loading and unloading cycles of trailers exposes the lower portion of the walls to damage from forklift trucks, pallets and other material handling methods. Traditionally, the cheapest lower sidewall protection was accomplished using 5/8-inch polyscuff (HDPE – high density polyethylene – otherwise known as ‘milk jug material’).”
The 5/8” HDPE is heavy, reduces available cargo space and exhibits high thermal expansion, according to the company. LaRocco added, “Our customers asked us for an alternative to the HDPE to eliminate the inherent issues. They requested a thinner/lighter material, easier installation, flatter during temperature fluctuations, excellent protection and sold at a reasonable price.”
Never one to shy away from a challenge, LaRocco met with staff and tasked them to develop the first-ever “extruded” glass-reinforced thermoplastic scuff liner. “We created a completely different manufacturing process utilizing scrap generated from manufacturing Versitex and Bulitex. We call this new formulated material ‘Bad Wolf’, said LaRocco.” What is the key difference? Glass content, says the company.
US Liner’s launch of Bad Wolf Scuff as an alternative recycled HDPE material has received positive feedback. In early field testing, Bad Wolf Scuff exhibited superior performance, according to the company. Jeff Meek, US Liner’s VP of Sales and Marketing commented, “The early trials showed that Bad Wolf has met every improvement our customers were looking for in a scuff liner. At approximately 3/8” thick, the new material is thinner than traditional polyscuff, opening up precious cargo room. They also raved about the light weight and ease of installation. We are still tweaking the formula slightly to optimize performance, customer’s feedback has been essential.”
For trailer operators and fleet managers, Bad Wolf Scuff is designed to offer easy installation. “Unlike HDPE materials, the resiliency of Bad Wolf prevented curling and did not require a relaxation period prior to installation. Bowing was non-existent and our trials proved that installers were reporting a marked reduction in installation times,” Meek said.
Bad Wolf is engineered with a rolled, top-edge, which prevents pallets from snagging and damaging the sidewall. The smooth, flat surface is available in white or black at no additional charge. The material is supplied in standard 12", 18" and 24" widths, coiled or flat. Standard order length is 52'. Bad Wolf is available now for OEM specification for new trailers and shipping for field maintenance, repair and retrofit applications.
