Mark Roush, director of engineering at Vanguard National Trailer Corp of Monon IN, has been awarded United States Patent #6,959,959 for his design of an over-the-road trailer. The design uses specially engineered structural sidewall posts that provide increased rigidity for the trailer while minimizing the thickness of the trailer sidewalls, thereby maximizing the cubic capacity of the trailer. The posts also eliminate snag points on the trailer interior, permitting easier loading and unloading of cargo while minimizing sidewall damage. This design further allows for interior plastic or composite panels to be easily removed and replaced if necessary, eliminating the need for plywood lining.
The patented design is used in Vanguard National's VIP MaxCube and VIP 4000 plastic-lined trailers. Vanguard VIP trailers are designed, engineered, and manufactured in Monon. Introduced in January 2005, the VIP MaxCube trailer has already sold more than 1,200 units with projections of 3,000-plus units for 2006.