Among the company’s announcements were the following: Utility will now feature 100 percent LED lighting on all refrigerated and dry van trailers; the company’s new aftermarket parts distribution center has tripled in size; the company will now offer Hendrickson Tiremaax Pro as an option for all trailer models and it has received its largest order of 4000D-X composite dry van trailers.
Utility has selected a LED mid-ship clearance light and turn signal developed by Grote Industries. The mid-ship clearance light was the last light on Utility’s trailers to be transitioned to LED, the company says.
“This new light will provide greater visibility for all drivers on the road and lower maintenance costs due to the extended service life of LED lights,” says Craig Bennett, Utility’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. The new LED light meets both federal and California regulations for mid-trailer flashing lights.
Utility’s new aftermarket parts distribution center, located in Batavia, Ohio is more than three times larger than the company’s previous location in Sharonville, Ohio. The center encompasses 21 acres and includes a 243,000 sq. ft. warehouse, a 10,000 sq. ft. office, 24 dock doors and parking for 36 trailers.
“The new Batavia Parts Distribution Center is part of Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company’s and the Bennett family’s ongoing commitment to continue to meet the growth and needs of its dealer network,” says Stephen Bennett, Utility’s vice president. “Batavia will allow us to increase our offering of heavy-duty aftermarket products and services to our customers.”
Utility has selected Hendrickson’s Tiremaax as an option for all model refrigerated trailers, dry vans, flatbeds and Tautliners.
In addition to automatic inflation, Tiremaax Pro responds to changes in outside temperature by relieving air from tires when necessary. The system also equalizes the tire pressures across all wheel positions, and utilizes an integrated hubcap design that incorporates a custom valve for each tire position, Utility says. During operation, these valves remain open to allow airflow to and from the tires. This feature is said to provide the ability to control the maximum operating pressure of the tires.
“At Utility we are running a test fleet of 63 trailers with wide-base single tires and are seeing that by keeping the cold tire pressure closer to the tire manufacturers’ recommendation, by adding the Tiremaax Pro system, that tire life was extended measurably,” says Craig Bennett.
An order of more than 1,000 4,000D-X composite dry vans by Ryder also is the biggest order the Utility has received and the largest lease account trailer order Ryder has ever placed, Utility says. The trailers will service Ryder’s ground and freight management systems across North America.
“We are extremely excited that Ryder and CEVA have selected Utility’s 4000D-X composite dry van to support their expanding fleet needs,” says Mike Ashe, manager of national accounts from Utility. “Early on in this process, both Ryder and CEVA determined that the 4000D-X composite’s durability and its innovative composite sidewall was the best trailer for them due to its low tare weight, superior strength, flexible load securement capability and lower operating costs. This order supports the trend that the 4000D-X composite has become the fastest growing model in our history.”
