ST-HYACINTHE, Que. — ElCargo, a Quebec-based manufacturer of mechanical tarp systems, has launched Eco 15/30, a new program designed to help carriers and owner/operators save money.

ElCargo officials say the installation of its mechanical tarp system, which was recently approved for financial assistance by a government program that supports energy-efficient products, can offer fuel savings of nearly 15% in fuel.

ElCargo systems have been certified by the Ministère des Transports du Québec for its Program for Improving Energy Efficiency in Freight Transportation, a program that offers financial assistance of up to 30% of the purchase and installation costs of equipment allowing improvement of energy efficiency, such as aerodynamic enhance devices.

ElCargo claims that its mechanical tarp systems are the only ones to have been scientifically proven. These fuel economy tests, performed by the independent firm FPInnovations last September at Transport Canada’s Blainville, Que-based testing track, found that ElCargo systems can save as much as 14.93% in fuel by reducing the aerodynamic drag of the tractor-trailer assembly when the dumper is empty, compared to an uncovered dumper body.

ElCargo officials say their company is currently the only supplier of mechanical tarp systems to receive certification as an MTQ supplier. ElCargo has said that the MTQ intends to go as far as to inform carriers and owner/operators that grant applications for systems manufactured by other companies will be rejected.

Although the main objective of a tarp system from ElCargo is to protect bulk merchandise inside a dump trailer to prevent losses and to facilitate its opening and closing operations while making this operation safer, the manufacturer has made significant investments in R&D to reduce aerodynamic drag when the dumper is empty.

“Our investments to demonstrate the benefits of our mechanical systems in fuel economy and emissions have paid off. Our efforts allow us to offer to our customers this double advantage, and no matter what the competition says, we’re presently the only one to offer both fuel economy and grant access,” says Réal Royer, president and CEO of  ElCargo Fabrication Inc.