Meritor Launches New Products, Platforms

Jan. 23, 2013
To meet growing demand, Meritor launched a number of products and platforms during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week

To meet growing demand, Meritor launched a number of products and platforms during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week:

• A Meritor-brand shock absorber product line that replaces the Gabriel shocks previously sold by the company and is available immediately to all North American warehouse distributors and OEM dealers.

The new Meritor shock absorbers – American-made in an ISO-certified facility -- are available in three models: cab shocks, standard duty shocks and premium adjustable shocks.

These are the first members of Meritor’s new AllFit series, that address the all-makes market segment demanded by fleets, owner-operators and installers for quality, all-makes shock absorbers.

“These shocks reconcile perfectly with the diverse application and performance demands of the heavy-duty aftermarket,” said Tim Bauer, director, Undercarriage Products. “We understand our customers want choices, so we’ve made this first move to offer this broad grouping of all-makes parts under a Meritor brand. Truck operators can enjoy the benefits of a complete shock absorber from a trusted supplier while our customers can streamline inventory and enhance the operator’s loyalty regardless of a fleet’s brand composition. The all-makes difference is in the bottom line.”

The new shocks – ideal for Class 6-8 linehaul trucks, trailers and key vocational segments like fire and rescue, delivery vehicles, school buses, and municipal vehicles – provide an advanced sealing system, premium hydraulic fluid, and a robust design to reduce excessive misting and extend product life.

The three product classes are: cab shock, designed to isolate the cab from the vehicle’s frame maximizing ride comfort; standard duty, manufactured with premium components to help ensure longevity on the road; premium adjustable, which can be converted to regular, firm or extra-firm settings to support a variety of ride preferences.

• A comprehensive aftermarket drivetrain program, called Drivetrain Direct, designed to meet the parts needs of component rebuilders across the U.S. and Canada.

The program, and necessary support processes, will be available mid-February and provide customers with a host of resources, including drivetrain component experts through the Customer Care Center and all-makes drive axle and transmission component catalogs.

The program – which encompasses clutches, drivelines, starters, alternators, transmissions (manual and automatic) and drive axles – supplies all parts brands, components, and new or remanufactured units. Those brands-and-families include, but are not exclusive to Meritor, Euclid, Mascot, and the newest additions to the new product series: Meritor AllFit and Meritor Green.

• PlatinumShieldII coating is immediately available for Meritor’s new lined aftermarket brakes. The special coating will be available on all new, lined brake shoes, except those with EG and EG2 friction materials.

Previously, the company made this unique coating, which is designed to fight rustjacking corrosion caused by harsh winter road salt and solvents, available only on remanufactured brake shoes for the aftermarket and Original Equipment (OE) truck and trailer brake shoes.

PlatinumShield coating was developed by Meritor to resist micro-abrasion caused by the movement of the brake lining against the shoe table during normal use. Rustjacking occurs when rust forms on bare shoe metal under the lining, causing the lining to lift and crack.

The warranty against rustjacking will be identical that of the remanufactured shoes: three years/300,000 miles (parts only). The company will replace any new lined brake shoe with PlatinumShieldII coating, purchased from Meritor Aftermarket, that exhibits signs of rustjacking. Aftermarket part numbers for Meritor new lined brakes shoes and shoe box kits have not changed. Brake shoe and shoe box kit labels will contain the PlatinumShieldII logo.

• The immediate availability of truck and trailer suspension controls, including ride height controls, load scale, lift axle controls, dump valve units and single-axle dump systems.

The controls are available immediately from the company’s Florence, Ky., and Brampton, Ontario, distribution centers, to all North American warehouse distributors and OEM dealers.

“These new Meritor-brand suspension controls offer customers a quick and easy quality alternative to sourcing these important but often overlooked products from their primary aftermarket parts supplier: Meritor,” said Tim Bauer, director, Undercarriage Products.

These products are members of Meritor’s new AllFit product series that addresses the all-makes market segment demanded by fleets, owner-operators and installers for quality all-makes suspension controls.

The company’s research indicates that truck operators of all sizes – fleets, owner-operators, plus installers – rely heavily on their various suppliers for such components as suspension controls. Meritor’s comprehensive offering offers a one-stop-shopping alternative to the other suppliers.

• MeritorpartsOnline.com, the company’s most advanced, user-friendly electronic catalog and parts ordering system.

Designed to assist fleet parts managers, OEM dealers, warehouse distributors and truck operators, the new system is available immediately, free-of-charge, in the United States, Canada and South America, with other regions of the world to be added in the coming months.

MeritorpartsOnline.com replaces the company’s previous e-commerce system, XpresswayPlus.com, which was introduced in 1998. Current XpresswayPlus users may continue using their existing log-in credentials and any established reporting will transition with the user’s account.

Based on extensive customer feedback and research, the new system features:

  • Improved and intuitive navigation and easy-to-read pages that provide a simple transition from parts searches to order entry
  • New product information, promotions, improved parts comparisons, batch cross-reference upload, and 3D 360 degree rotating and zoom product photography
  • Upload template for both stock and emergency orders, quick order feature
  • Re-order purchase orders from historical data

In the fall of 2013, a second phase of the system will be introduced with additional features, including recommended up-selling and cross-selling, and an ad-maker kit for dealers and distributors.