From Ford to Tesla, aluminum has become a prominent part of consumer trucks and cars now. However,
other vehicle manufacturers are now seeing the functional benefits and performance value of
aluminum. Pride Bodies, a manufacturer of service trucks and cranes, has decided to take the aluminum
plunge. From Fleet Owner:
Pride Bodies has released a new service truck body mechanics bumper that is 200 lbs. lighter due to the
use of aluminum in place of steel.
Aluminum reduces weight, fuel costs and provides a material that will withstand the ravages of salt and
liquid calcium chloride, the company said.
“Durable aluminum bodies allow our customers to consequently reduce the truck class while increasing
the payload. With the cost of fuel and the intensity of DOT monitoring of truck weights assembling the
right combination of chassis and truck body is important in today’s economy,” said Russ Lanthier,
president.
Fuel economy is driving everything in the auto industry, and with aluminum’s consistent performance in
the consumer market, it was just a matter of time before industrial vehicles followed suit. For Pride, the
aluminum mechanics bumper may just be the start as the company weighs the possibilities of further
steel-to-aluminum conversions.