Pressure Systems International, Inc. (PSI), manufacturer of the Meritor Tire Inflation System by PSI, reported that fiscal year 2004 sales of its premier tire inflation system for the heavy-duty trucking industry broke all previous sales records, according to Frank Sonzala, executive vice president for PSI, and Jim Sharkey, business unit director, Trailer Systems, ArvinMeritor.
Since 1999, Pressure Systems International, Inc., a leader in Automatic Tire Inflation Systems, has distributed its product to trailer manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers in 22 countries through an exclusive distribution agreement with ArvinMeritor.
PSI announced a 45 percent increase in sales over 2003, with record monthly volumes in 11 consecutive months. As a result of its record 2004 results, the Meritor Tire Inflation System by PSI now protects more than 1.5 million tires against under-inflation every day, said Sonzala.
"Our OEM penetration in the trailer market has shown the greatest increase, which is remarkable for optional equipment," said Sonzala. "The Meritor Tire Inflation System by PSI has garnered wide acceptance for its cost-benefit performance for fleets, and has become a necessity for proper fleet tire maintenance."
Historically, the first automatic tire inflation systems that were produced and marketed by PSI used tubes or lines in the axles. PSI's pioneering efforts in the field yielded a number of patented technologies, such as the press plug and Thru-T (developed jointly with STEMCO), which allow the use of the axle tube as the conduit for air pressure, and which greatly improves reliability.
PSI's work in sealing rotary surfaces has enabled the company to offer a truly automatic system with constant air pressure available for rapid tire inflation when needed. In early 2004, PSI put its Technology Tractor and Trailer into service through its Research & Development Department. This vehicle is outfitted with wheel-end computer data recorders that provide a true picture of the dynamics of tire inflation in actual road travel conditions. This provided PSI with data on the affects of altitude, climate, weight, speed and temperature on tire and wheel-end components related to automatic tire inflation. This information has proven valuable in the continued quest for product improvement and design innovations.