Utility Feeling Strong with Expansion and New Steel

DALLAS, TX. — “Looks like it will be a record year,” said Craig Bennett, senior vice president sales and marketing, Utility trailer.

Bennett’s attributing their good numbers to Utility’s focus on private fleets and leasing companies that are, unlike TL carriers, still buying.

Utility also announced two new high strength steel options that will be available for the 4000D-X Composite dry van in Q4.

A high strength steel side panel option is currently available for the DX-100 only, and comes as an alternative to the standard .040″ aluminimu side skin. This move, Bennettt said, is to counter fluctuating aluminum prices.

It uses the same “durable exterior side skin” found on plate trailers, with a .016″ high tensile 80,000 psi, galvanized steel panels the fulle length of the trailer including the front wall.

A new side wall system will also be available as an option for the DX-100 and the DX-101 and the company says that the 18 gauge, 100,000 psi galvanized steel side wall posts in the bay area brings considerable weight savings for increased payload capacity.

With natural gas coming on strong, Bennettt noted, trucks are getting heavier and they’re feeling the pressure to keep things on the light side.

The company also announced an expansion of their reefer manufacturing plant in Marion, VA. as well as a dry van plant expansion in Paragould, AR., the latter seeing 50 new jobs.

Both plants are being expanded to bring in modification centers for “high option and complex trailers,” Bennett said.

 


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