SAN ANTONIO, TX – It’s not often a company hits the one million mark for making anything, but two trucking suppliers have managed to do it and they did it with a bash on Wednesday.

Meritor Inc. and Pressure Systems International (P.S.I.) celebrated a milestone when the 1-millionth Meritor Tire Inflation System (MTIS) by P.S.I. rolled off the assembly line at the P.S.I. facility in Texas.

As part of the celebration, 31 different trailers from Meritor’s fleet customers will be equipped with a part from the 1-millionth MTIS by P.S.I.

The finished unit was unpackaged and disassembled into different components, which were incorporated into 31 units coming off the line and will be installed by seven key OEM manufacturers.

Introduced in 1993, MTIS by P.S.I. automatically maintains proper and even tire pressure at all times, according to PSI and can be installed on all major trailer axle models in North America. (See the video below.)

“In 1993, it would have been impossible to measure the impact an automatic tire inflation system would have on the trucking industry. The fact that now over one million systems have been produced is a true testament to the safety and environmental impact automatic tire inflation systems are having on transportation,” said American Trucking Association President and CEO Bill Graves, keynote speaker at the celebration.

The system connects all tires on the trailer to a controlled air supply to fill and maintain tires at the desired pressure setting, even while the vehicle is moving. As air pressure drops below the tire manufacturer’s recommended level, MTIS by P.S.I. automatically routes air through a control box and the trailer axles to refill any underinflated tires.

According to both Meritor and PSI the system helps extend tire life by 10 percent and reduces maintenance costs, as well as the risk of roadside tire issues.

The system also increases fuel economy by an average of 1.4 percent, according to a U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration study.