Thermo King used the occasion of the recent Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, to announce an all-new T-Series of temperature control units for straight trucks, an enhanced guaranteed refrigeration unit maintenance program, and the wider availability of the TriPac Auxiliary Power Unit.
US fleets can begin ordering the T-Series truck refrigeration units starting in May, and deliveries will begin in August, according to Craig Fisher, Thermo King …. The worldwide rollout will occur over the next 12 months. The T-Series will be built at Thermo King plants in the United States, Ireland, and China. The new series eventually will replace all of the truck refrigeration units in Thermo King's current lineup.
“We made major improvements with the T-Series,” Fisher said. “The plastic exterior skin is durable; engine and compressor are more efficient; and our hybrid SmartPower option can reduce fuel consumption and engine emissions by 40% to 60%. Noise is reduced by up to 87% with the hybrid option.”
The T-Series was developed to provide improved performance and a lower lifecycle cost. Highlights of the new units, which have the latest state-of-the-art features and a sleek new design that allows for easy access for service, include:
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A new TSR-2 controller with durable LED technology that helps ensure the correct parameters are set for every load, regardless of the language spoken by the driver.
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A choice of the time-tested reciprocating compressor or the new scroll compressor which has added technology for improved reliability, higher capacity, and greater fuel efficiency.
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Stationary or the optional over-the-road Hybrid SmartPower electric operation for fuel savings and zero emissions. The hybrid option is intended primarily for use
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Enhanced Whisper technology for “the quietest Thermo King truck units ever.”
The T-Series is backed by the strongest warranty the company has ever offered.
Units available include the T-500R, T-600R, T-800R, and T-1000R with reciprocating compressors; T-600, T-800, T-1000, and T-800 Spectrum multi-temperature; and T-1000 Spectrum multi-temperature with new scroll compressor technology.
Maintenance programs
Thermo King SVC has enhanced the Thermo Gard Platinum guaranteed refrigeration unit maintenance program to include four different levels of service and protection tailored to fit customers' needs:
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Platinum Premier — A comprehensive program that lessens customer risk and puts the responsibility on Thermo King, it is tailored to maximize uptime with a fixed cost for easy budgeting with no surprises. It includes coverage for all scheduled maintenance, and all unscheduled or breakdown service.
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Platinum Essential — A more economical option for older equipment coverage, it allows customers to exchange the major component coverage of Platinum Premier for a lower cost coverage option, and guarantees time and materials rates for engine, compressor, and microprocessor repairs.
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Platinum PM+ — This program provides the same affordable rates, regardless of equipment age, with coverage available at a fixed cost for terms of 3 to 7 years. It includes full preventive maintenance service at factory recommended intervals.
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Platinum PM — It is the same as the Platinum PM+ program but it includes “standard” preventive maintenance service at factory recommended intervals.
With each of the four Thermo Gard Platinum programs, service is performed by factory-trained technicians at any of the more than 200 participating Thermo King dealer locations throughout North America.
The upgraded protection program joins the Silver centralized billing program and Gold extended warranty program in Thermo King's Thermo Gard family of cost- and time-saving service and maintenance plans.
TriPac availability
Thermo King also announced the availability of the TriPac Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) as an option for Freightliner Cascadia models with DD15 and Series 60 engines, and for Freightliner Century Class S/T, Columbia, and Coronado models with Series 60 engines. TriPacs will be sold by Freightliner and be available as a factory-installed OEM option.
The TriPac hybrid auxiliary idle reduction and temperature management system provides cab power to keep drivers comfortable without running the tractor engine. This helps saves money by reducing idling and fuel consumption which also reduces emissions and lowers tractor maintenance costs as well.
Fisher said that 60,000 TriPac APUs are in the field today, and they save approximately 90 million gallons of diesel fuel each year. Fisher added that Thermo King plans to introduce a new APU product at the end of 2009.
