Pratt Industries recently unveiled its Gooseneck Super Lightweight (GSL) 412 intermodal chassis trailer for tanks and containers in commemoration of the company’s 50th anniversary.
The GSL 412 is 700 lbs. lighter than previous models and engineered to be “remarkably strong” for its 4,550-lb. weight profile, Pratt reported. The new GSL 412 maintains the same structural integrity as preceding generations of Pratt chassis, and end users can further reduce the new chassis’ weight to 4,450 lbs. by switching from standard dual tires to super singles.
“The GSL 412 represents Pratt’s renewed commitment to our customers and their needs, a core value that extends all the way back to the company’s founder 50 years ago,” Joel Schubach, Pratt COO and co-owner, said in a news release. “The new GSL 412 embodies our customer commitment by addressing their needs to maximize load capacity and reduce fuel consumption—all in a robust and highly functional chassis design that will stand the test of time.”
Over the previous five decades, Pratt has diversified into tank and container chassis; truss and modular home trailers; gas and energy trailers; heavy haul, lowboy, and gooseneck trailers; EZ ramp utility trailers; flatbed and platform trailers; log and pole trailers; and trailer refurbishment. However, the company’s legacy leadership position in the chassis sector remains a top priority, Pratt said.
Schubach and Garrett Musick, Pratt chief sales officer, agree that Bob Pratt, the company’s founder, would be “exceptionally” proud of the new GSL 412. Both also say the new chassis renews the company’s dedication to its 1974 intermodal roots.
“End users can feel confident that they are buying the most advanced, lightweight intermodal chassis out there, and that we will continue to support that chassis for another 50 years,” said Musick, who also is a co-owner of the company. “That’s an important point, because we still have some of our original chassis in the field, and recently received a request for replacement parts for one of our 1978 models.”
The new chassis trailer is designed with “best-in-class” components, including aluminum landing gear, large-diameter axles, sealed wiring harnesses, and LED lighting, allowing users “to maximize intermodal payload capacity when laden and to save on fuel costs when not,” Schubach and Musick noted.
More than 95% of the new GSL 412 is made in the U.S., the company said.
“This is a strategic business decision that is focused on enhancing economic stability and growth here at home, and to revive domestic industry as a whole,” the co-owners stated. “In its first 50 years, Pratt has seen plenty of economic cycles, but we know keeping things a bit closer to home will improve quality, reduce financial exposure, and enhance supply chain resiliency.”