C.R. England turns to ZF’s new air disc brakes
C.R. England, one of the largest refrigerated transportation companies in North America, plans to transition its entire fleet of 4,000 Freightliner and International trucks to MAXXUS L2.0 air disc brakes, according to ZF.
The companies said they expect all vehicles to be converted by 2024.
“For 50-plus years, C.R. England has been a valued customer and we’re excited to expand this partnership to improve the performance and efficiency of their fleet,” said Julien Plenchette, senior vice president of ZF group’s commercial vehicle solutions division in the Americas. “We are working with C.R. England toward a common goal to achieve zero accidents and leverage technology to help keep roads safe.”
MAXXUS L2.0 offers ease of maintenance and improved performance, in addition to being the lightest truck air disc brake (ADB) on the North American market at 67 pounds, ZF said. As a single-piston ADB, MAXXUS L2.0 has fewer parts than double-piston designs and can therefore reduce complexity and lead to faster, easier maintenance.
Drum brakes experience reduced performance in certain applications, notably downhill situations that can cause a reduction of friction material traction. MAXXUS L2.0’s advanced adjuster mechanism is designed to continuously adapt to maintain an optimal running clearance, even in extreme conditions, helping to provide stable and consistent performance.
“WABCO MAXXUS L2.0 Air Disc Brakes allow C.R. England to improve safety performance, lower our brake maintenance cost, and reduce weight,” said Douglas Kading, VP of maintenance for C.R. England. “We believe these brakes will also enhance our drivers’ experience with the overall braking system. The simple design and ease of maintenance made this an easy decision for us.”
C.R. England, headquartered in Salt Lake City, is only the latest reefer fleet to turn ZF’s MAXXUS L2.0 air disc brakes.
Le Mars, Iowa-based Schuster was the first, placing an order for 100 International LT series trucks with ZF’s fifth-generation ADBs it began taking delivery of in January 2021. The family-owned refrigerated transportation company with 450 tractors and more than 1,000 trailers also cited durability and ease of maintenance for their decision.
“For more than five years, ZF (formerly WABCO) technology has served our fleet well—from the reliability of the product to the ongoing support and training of our technician teams,” said Aaron Weiland, director of maintenance at Schuster. “Schuster completes all maintenance in-house, so maximizing uptime and spec’ing durable products is an absolute must.
“We are confident MAXXUS L2.0 air disc brakes will deliver on all promises.”
