International Truck and Engine Corp., a Navistar company, and Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies, a CARLISLE company, are jointly launching a “cool” new product called RouteMax that will provide a new alternative to refrigerated transportation. Together, the companies say they have developed technology exclusively on International DuraStar trucks that efficiently keeps food and beverage shipments cool while in transit.
“Food service distributors throughout North America place their top priorities on keeping their shipments at the proper temperature in the most efficient and reliable manner,” said Steve Guillaume, General Manager, Medium Truck, International Truck and Engine. “With RouteMax, food service distributors and customers alike now have a reliable alternative that is more cost effective than current options.”
RouteMax is a self-powered, extended-route cold plate refrigeration system used exclusively in Johnson truck bodies. It charges devices called “cold plates” –– coated steel plates with tubing that contains a salt-brine solution –– to provide an efficient way to maintain a cool temperature inside the truck body.
A traditional cold plate refrigeration system requires overnight plug-in to re-freeze the salt brine. With RouteMax, the plates are also recharged during the route by a condensing unit that quickly restores the body’s internal temperature and removes heat from the cold plates.
The power to charge the condensing unit comes from International Diamond Logic PowerPack 3, the first OEM factory-installed 3,000-watt AC power solution in the truck industry. PowerPack 3 offers fully integrated, on-demand power. It is available on International DuraStar and International WorkStar models.
Truck bodies with RouteMax provide distinct advantages for food transportation customers, including:
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Savings of up to $6,000 per truck annually when using cold plates versus traditional mechanical refrigerated units
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Lower operating costs: 80-90 percent savings in overall operating cost (when using the electric solution versus diesel fuel)
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Virtually maintenance free
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Ensures high reliability; 15-year lifespan
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Quick temperature recovery increases food/beverage protection
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Environmentally friendly – significantly reduces CO2 emissions
With the estimated $6,000 in savings and more than 100,000 refrigerated trucks in use today, the potential impact of RouteMax on the industry is significant, says International.
While traditional cold plate systems hold the body’s temperature during daily delivery runs of 10-12 hours, the makers said the Johnson RouteMax solution sets a new cold plate standard that serves customers who deliver cold products for 16-20 hours per day. With RouteMax, the temperature is continually maintained because the cold plates are charged when needed by the PowerPack 3 system.
“Large customers and small customers alike should be able to appreciate the improvements to the product reliability and ultimately the bottom line with the launch of this new innovation,” said Ron Ricci, President, Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies.
As an additional feature, fleet managers or customers can monitor the truck body temperature remotely from a password-protected Internet site thanks to AWARE Vehicle Intelligence, an optional GPS-based solution from Navistar Electronics that monitors the truck and body performance.
For more information, please visit http://www.internationaltrucks.com or http://www.johnsontruckbodies.com.
