ArvinMeritor announced June 27 that Strick Trailers will be offering the Meritor Tire Inflation System equipped with ThermAlert heat sensor technology as its preferred tire management system on Strick, Cheetah and Evans product lines. ThermAlert is the patented technology of the Meritor Tire Inflation System by Pressure Systems International designed to alert drivers of elevated wheel-end temperatures.
The preferred positioning is effective immediately for all new orders. “Tires are the second-highest cost for the trucking industry and the primary maintenance expense for fleets,” says Craig Frohock, senior director of sales and product strategy for North American Trailer Systems. “With this and their customers’ best interests in mind, Strick made its decision to offer the ThermAlert system as part of its standard offering.”
MTIS is designed to automatically monitor and maintain consistent air pressure in heavy-duty trailer tires, helping to decrease tire blowouts. ThermAlert helps alert drivers to take preventive action that avoids damage caused by elevated wheel-end temperatures. The combined system reduces vehicle downtime and tire maintenance costs, according to the company.
“With fuel costs continuing to rise, maximizing efficiencies in tire management becomes even more critical,” says Ben Katz, director of marketing for the Strick Group. “We feel the additional value provided by the ThermAlert feature is important enough to include it as standard on all MTIS-equipped trailers.”
The Strick Trailer Corp. manufactures dry-freight semi-trailers in a manufacturing facility in Monroe, Ind. The Strick Group of companies also includes a manufacturing facility in Berwick, Pa., that produces Cheetah ISO container chassis and customized flatbed trailers, in addition to a manufacturing operation in Sumter, S.C., that produces Evans specialized lowboy and logging trailers.
