The company’s exhibit will feature Wabash National’s prototype composite refrigerated van utilizing a new, proprietary molded structural composite technology. Molded structural composites are used in a wide range of applications, including aerospace, automotive, marine and commercial construction, but Wabash says this is the first time the technology is being used in trailer and truck body manufacturing.
“What this means for our customers is improved thermal efficiency, reduced fuel costs, increased payload and cargo capacity, optimized utilization and enhanced durability,” says Brent Yeagy, group president, commercial trailer products for Wabash National. “We’re excited about the potential molded structural composites have for our industry, and we look forward to the feedback from our customers so our engineers can take this technology and our designs to even greater levels of performance.”
In refrigerated van trailer and truck body applications, the molded structural composite technology provides up to 25 percent improvement in thermal performance and is up to 20 percent lighter, compared to conventional designs, while improving puncture and damage resistance. In addition, the molded structural composite floor systems support higher floor ratings – up to 24,000 pounds in the refrigerated van trailer.
