Amid a challenging landscape of supply chain issues, manufacturers are extending the lives of trailers using products such as composite materials and galvanized elements.
The most vulnerable element in a trailer is the floor, which is constantly attacked by moisture and overloading. To protect against moisture, much of the industry is using wood and resin composite floors. Wood is a general-purpose material and is cheaper, while aluminum is lighter and more durable, particularly with high-cycle fleets that do a lot of loading and unloading, said Nick Clinkenbeard, product manager of dry and refrigerated vans at Wabash.’
