Dometic, Fontaine to team up on installation of battery-powered AC systems

Installtions of the new system will be made at Fontaine locations across America.

The Trucker News Services

8/22/2008

DALLAS — The Environmental Division of Dometic Corp. has announced an agreement with Fontaine Truck Equipment Co. to install and sell Dometic’s line of battery-powered truck air conditioning systems.

Under the agreement, Fontaine will install the Dometic battery-powered comfort systems on new trucks under a ship-through program to truck dealers.

The announcement was made during the Great American Trucking Show under way here.

Installations will be made at Fontaine’s nine locations across the country.

“The agreement with Fontaine will greatly enhance our sales effort in the U.S. trucking industry,” Lou Siegel, senior vice president for marketing and strategic business development at Dometic, said. “Fontaine’s strategically-placed locations and ship-through programs will make it easier for dealers to order trucks with Dometic’s battery-powered air conditioning systems installed. We will provide training for Fontaine’s installers to ensure each truck gets a smooth, standardized installation.”

Siegel said the demand for idle-reduction products was growing fast, driven by the sky-rocketing diesel prices and a tougher clean-air regulatory environment.

Fleet owners and owner-operators, he said, are increasingly looking to order new trucks with idle-reduction systems installed.

“Dometic’s battery-powered air conditioning systems provide an ideal solution for truckers looking to eliminate idling during rest periods,” Siegel said. “They are fully compliant with CARB clean-air requirements and authorized for use in California.”

Dometic’s battery-powered systems are designed to provide a complete turnkey integrated sultion, including a bank of Group 31 absorbed glass mat batteries, a 2,000-watt inverter, a high-performance alternator with external regulator and 7,000- or 10,000-BTU air conditioning components with digital thermostat control, Siegel said.

Special systems have been designed for day cabs, and options include shore power hook ups and a combination inverter/charger.