“Red is the new green” is Great Dane’s theme at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. To prove the point, the trailer maker with the dog-in-a-red-oval logo is exhibiting an SSL dry van outfitted with aerodynamic features approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program.
SmartWay options available on Great Dane vans of 53 feet or longer include aluminum wheels, low-rolling-resistance tires, side skirts and front fairings.
Great Dane’s ThermoGuard reefer insulation not only saves fuel but also is made of recyclable materials, the company said. Moreover, the blowing agents Great Dane uses in its insulation have been upgraded repeatedly to meet stiffer environmental standards, beginning with the 1989 Montreal Protocol, the company said.
The latest deadline, a March 2008 ban on HCFC-22, finds Great Dane ahead of the curve thanks to years of forward-thinking research, the company said. The new HFC-245fa creates foam with “excellent cell structure and a low thermal conductivity,” benefiting not only the ozone layer but also trailer users, the company said.
