Class 8 truck manufacturers aren’t the only diesel engine producers affected by government exhaust emissions regulations. Diesel-powered refrigerated trailer temperature-control systems are classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as nonhighway units subject to Tier IV regulations that become law next year.
For Thermo King, the pending regulations – as well as existing California Air Resources Board rules – created a dilemma: Should the company simply upgrade its existing line of temperature-control systems to comply with the new regulations? Or was this an opportunity to redesign its products completely to not only meet emissions regulations but also provide customers with greater efficiency and more cost-effective operation?
Thermo King opted to do the latter. The company’s new Precedent line of temperature-control trailer systems is, in the words of Thermo King president Ray Pittard, a complete game-changer for both the company and the refrigerated food industry as a whole. “We have invested $60 million in this new product,” Pittard said. “It is one of the largest – if not the largest – product developments in the history of Ingersoll-Rand.”
At a press event at its headquarters in Bloomington, Minn., Thermo King launched the Precedent, its new trailer temperature control platform it says was built from the ground up to deliver increased fuel savings and performance while lowering lifecycle costs and providing regulatory compliance. The company also announced that beginning Jan. 1, 2013, it also will offer a full range of truck and auxiliary power unit solutions compliant with EPA Tier IV final regulations for engine emissions designed for increased fuel efficiency and emissions control.
“Building on a long history of state-of-the-art engineering, we called on our global development teams to create breakthrough solutions that add value while providing regulatory compliance,” said Pittard. “The innovative Precedent platform and new truck and APU solutions provide our customers with the peace of mind that they have met regulatory requirements while delivering leading performance, significant fuel savings and lower lifecycle costs – all tested under real-world conditions.”
The Precedent features a new platform for the trailer market designed to be fully compliant with the new EPA Tier IV final regulations. The platform’s lineup includes:
• The S-600, a greater-than-25 horsepower single-temperature unit with an evergreen engine for use in California;
• The S-700, a greater-than-25 horsepower high-capacity single-temperature unit with an evergreen engine for use in California; and
• The C-600, a less-than-25 horsepower single-temperature unit with an allowed useful life in California of seven years.
