FlowBelow has completed the relocation of its headquarters to a new 33,000-sq.-ft. production and assembly facility in Austin, TX.
“The new facility will increase FlowBelow’s production capacity ten-fold, which will allow the company to readily meet the volume demands of the nation’s largest trucking companies and semi-truck manufacturers,” the company said.
The FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit includes quick-release wheel covers and a pair of tandem fairings installed on the tractor that work together as a complete aerodynamic system to address the airflow around the exposed rear wheels of the tractor, the company said. “The system reduces aerodynamic drag and improves fuel efficiency of the tractor by 2.23%, typically providing a return on investment for long haul trucking fleets in one year or less,” the company said.
The company projects sales of approximately 10,000 AeroKits in 2015 and more than 30,000 AeroKits to be deployed on US long haul trucks by 2016.
“Our new facility will allow us to reduce our lead times, improve product quality, and prepare for continued growth, while maintaining all manufacturing in the Unites States,” said Josh Butler, founder and president. “In addition to the significant growth we are experiencing with large fleets, we are on track to become a Tier 1 supplier to a major truck OEM by year end which will further enhance the distribution and ease of access to our products by leading trucking fleets.”
“More than 160 fleets have now adopted FlowBelow’s semi-tractor AeroKit, including Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nussbaum Transportation and Hirschbach Motor Line,” according to the company. “With widespread adoption, the FlowBelow AeroKit has the potential to save the US trucking industry $1 billion per year in fuel cost and significantly reduce the industry’s carbon emissions.”
“The AeroKit can be installed on new and existing semi-tractors in less than one hour, and fleets conducting rapid fleet-wide installations report that a single technician can install one AeroKit in 30 minutes,” the company added. “The FlowBelow AeroKit is unique in that it addresses aerodynamic drag on the tractor’s rear wheels, whereas the majority of aerodynamic devices available on the market today address trailer aerodynamic drag. The AeroKit is complementary to other aerodynamic devices installed on the trailer, allowing a fleet to capture all available fuel savings from aerodynamic improvements across the entire vehicle.”
