Miller Electric Mfg. Co.’s new EnPak Mechanic Series was recently launched at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Chicago, March 4 – 6, 2009. The new EnPak offers an innovative way to power a service truck’s tools – crane, compressor, welder and generator – using up to 30 percent less fuel. EnPak can power all of these components with a 27 hp Kubota diesel engine, instead of a 300 hp truck engine, power take-off (PTO) and pump.
QT Equipment is one of the few EnPak distributors in the country and is proud to put the first two units off the assembly line into the field-service fleet of a large highway contractor. The setup was a GMC 5500 chassis with a Dominator I body and 3820 telescopic crane, both manufactured by Iowa Mold Tooling Co. Inc. (IMT).
“For decades, the PTO provision has been the standard way to generate power on the jobsite,” said Doug Root, owner of QT Equipment, an IMT distributor that was key in providing consultative assistance during the development stages of the new product. “With fuel-cost uncertainty and the constant push to become more environmentally friendly, the market is ready for a more efficient way to run a mechanics truck.”
The goal for Miller Electric Mfg. Co. was to create a fuel-efficient product in a single unit that was capable of producing electric power, hydraulic power and compressed air for use on service trucks. The product needed to deliver similar results with a comparable price-point as current PTO-driven equipment. The product also needed to be compact enough to be installed easily on service trucks.
To help create EnPak, Miller asked a small handful of service-truck dealers, including QT Equipment, to provide input to make the power unit’s design as efficient and practical as possible. The result is the EnPak Mechanic Series, a truly innovative approach to on-site power. Running a service truck’s components off of the EnPak’s 27-hp Kubota diesel engine saves up to 30 percent on fuel. Miller has compiled fuel-consumption data for several popular chassis and engines and put together a fuel-savings calculator, available at www.enpak.com.
