Wabash National to Showcase Breakthrough Solutions at ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council Exhibition

LAFAYETTE, Ind., Feb. 24, 2016 -- Wabash National Corporation (NYSE:WNC) will introduce a range of breakthrough technologies and designs in its line of cold chain and final mile transportation equipment at the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) annual meeting February 29–March 3 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The company’s exhibit will feature Wabash National’s prototype composite refrigerated van utilizing its new, proprietary molded structural composite technology. Molded structural composites are used in a wide range of applications, including aerospace, automotive, marine and commercial construction. 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,” said Brent Yeagy, group president, Commercial Trailer Products. “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 significantly 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.

“Wabash National was founded on the idea that we could do things differently,” said Dick Giromini, president and chief executive officer. “That guiding principle is apparent in our legacy of innovation and history of firsts in the trailer industry. The use of molded structural composites in our trailers and truck bodies adds to a growing list of ways we’re helping our customers reduce operating costs and improve efficiencies.”

Wabash National’s DuraPlate®, introduced in 1996, was the first sustainable and most successful composite panel for the dry van trailer market. It set a new standard in durability and started a shift in the industry away from sheet and post trailers. Wabash National’s engineering team has more than 100 years of combined experience studying and commercializing composite design and manufacturing processes.

“By employing engineering science and technology, Wabash National led the industry to a new level of equipment performance with our DuraPlate dry van trailer,” Yeagy added. “The way we’re using molded structural composites in our patent-pending engineering designs overcomes the structural deficiencies of previous composite designs in refrigerated transportation. We believe it has the potential to advance the cold chain market in the same way DuraPlate transformed dry van trailers.”

The exhibit at TMC will also feature Wabash National’s new Cold Chain Series and Final Mile Series truck bodies, a range of aerodynamic solutions, and the latest safety innovations, including the TrustLock Plus System, the ID/Aux Stop Light System, and RIG-16 —a new rear impact guard design that is being introduced for the first time at TMC.

Wabash National’s best-in-class trailers, new truck body lines, suite of EPA SmartWay and SmartWay Elite-verified aerodynamic solutions, and performance and safety innovations are helping America’s fleets perform better—from first mile to final mile—in today’s changing operating environment.

Customers attending TMC are invited to stop by booths #1160 and #1254 to learn more. Or contact a Wabash National representative at 877-429-5180 or [email protected].

Visit us online at wabash-trailers.com and wabashcomposites.com.

About Wabash National Corporation

Headquartered in Lafayette, Indiana, Wabash National Corporation (NYSE:WNC) is a diversified industrial manufacturer and North America’s leading producer of semi-trailers and liquid transportation systems. Established in 1985, the company manufactures a diverse range of products including: dry freight and refrigerated trailers, platform trailers, bulk tank trailers, dry and refrigerated truck bodies, truck-mounted tanks, intermodal equipment, aircraft refueling equipment, structural composite panels and products, trailer aerodynamic solutions, and specialty food grade and pharmaceutical equipment. Its innovative products are sold under the following brand names: Wabash National®, Beall®, Benson®, Brenner® Tank, Bulk Tank International, DuraPlate®, Extract Technology®, Garsite, Progress Tank, Transcraft®, Walker Barrier Systems, Walker Engineered Products, and Walker Transport. Visit www.wabashnational.com to learn more.

Media Contact: 
Dana Stelsel
Corporate Communications Manager
Wabash National Corporation
(765) 771-5766
[email protected]

Investor Relations: 
Mike Pettit
Vice President Finance and Investor Relations
765-771-5581
[email protected]