Author: rusty

Dodge Center, MN-(BUSINESS WIRE) - McNeilus has announced that it will exclusively use Luxfer G-Stor™ Go Type 4 and G-Stor™ Pro Type 3 carbon composite cylinders for its new NGEN Tailgate compressed natural gas (CNG) system for refuse trucks.

Available in 60-, 75-, 90- and 105-DGE (diesel gallon equivalent) capacities, the NGEN Tailgate system uses an exclusive, streamlined design with 50 percent fewer fitting connections and 25 percent fewer plumbing components. Two to four Luxfer cylinders are placed at the rear-end of the truck instead of on top, which reduces the overall height of the vehicle, eliminates the risk of tree branch or bridge impact to the system and offsets the weight of the front axle. A pressure-relief device (PRD) system spans the full length of the cylinders and provides continuous heat protection.

"The tailgate system offers another lightweight option for refuse vehicles looking to utilize CNG for reducing fuel costs," said Grant Wildgrube, senior project engineer at McNeilus. "It offers weight savings from the cylinders, and is easier to use and access."

McNeilus Strike Protection, a sturdy steel covering, shields key CNG components. The system also features a unique pivoting structure that allows cylinders to be easily shifted, permitting more thorough inspections. Hydraulic tailgate props, designed for easier deployment and visibility from the cab, do not block access between the tailgate and truck body.

The 60-DGE model uses two 22- x 86-inch G-Stor Go tanks, and capacity can be easily increased up to 105-DGE-ideal when refuse collection routes change by season. McNeilus chose Luxfer cylinders because of their full range of sizes and significant weight savings to the system. "We like working with Luxfer because they're open to co-development and always pursuing the next step in innovation," Wildgrube said.

About McNeilus

McNeilus (www.mcneiluscompanies.com), a U.S. manufacturer of refuse vehicles and ready-mixed concrete trucks, has been a leading producer of route-ready CNG-powered garbage trucks since 2006. McNeilus is part of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK).

ELKHART, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Green Alternative Systems (GAS) is using Luxfer's G-Stor™ Pro Type 3 carbon composite cylinders to convert a fleet of Freightliner work trucks to run on clean-burning, environmentally friendly compressed natural gas (CNG). The vehicles will become part of the growing fleet of CNG-powered package delivery trucks deployed by a major transportation company.

Approximately 200 trucks were put into service in 2014, with additional conversions scheduled this year. Every truck uses two high-pressure Luxfer cylinders, each with a capacity of 1,976.8 cubic feet of natural gas compressed to 3,600 psi (248 bar). Consisting of a proprietary aluminum liner fully over-wrapped with aerospace-grade carbon fiber, each cylinder is 16 inches in diameter and 78 inches long. The cylinders are being manufactured at Luxfer's facility in Riverside, Calif.

"A primary reason we chose these Luxfer cylinders is that they're the lightest-weight Type 3 cylinders on the market-16 percent lighter than other cylinders we considered," said Mark Matijevich, GAS general manager. He explained that because of reduced weight, the transportation company should benefit from improved fuel economy, extended range and a reduction in vehicle maintenance costs because of less wear and tear on brakes, tires and suspension systems. "Luxfer was also the only company that offered cylinders with a 25-year service life, which was another factor in our decision," he added.

Armando Ramirez, Luxfer's sales manager for the alternative fuel market, noted that having the option to supply cylinders from two Luxfer manufacturing facilities-in Riverside, Calif., and Calgary, Canada-was an important "security of supply" consideration.

Established in 2006, Green Alternative Systems (www.greenalternativesystems.com) specializes in fleet conversions for the compressed natural gas and propane fuel market. The largest fleet-conversion company in North America, GAS has completed thousands of alternative fuel system installations. In addition to its headquarters facility in Indiana, the company currently operates three facilities in California; two in Florida; and six more in Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and New York. Additional facilities are planned.

An operating company of Luxfer Group (NYSE:LXFR), Luxfer Gas Cylinders is the world's largest manufacturer of high-pressure aluminum and composite cylinders, including both Type 3 and Type 4 cylinders for alternative fuels (for more information, visit www.luxferaf.com). The company also has a global presence in a broad range of other markets, including medical, firefighter and first-responder life support, specialty gas, beverage, fire extinguishers, aerospace, inflation, scuba diving and performance racing. Luxfer Gas Cylinders operates manufacturing facilities in the USA, Canada, England, France, Germany, China and India.

Luxfer Gas CylindersDan Stracner, 951-341-2375

STEPHENVILLE, Texas-(Business Wire)-Significant weight reduction is the primary reason Western Dairy Transport (WDT) recently chose compressed natural gas systems from Trilogy Engineered Solutions for its growing fleet of CNG-powered class 8 heavy-duty trucks-and a major factor is new, lighter-weight, 26-inch-diameter G-Stor™ Go Type 4 cylinders from Luxfer Gas Cylinders.

Trilogy Vice President and Chief Finance Officer Matt Lawrence said: "Switching to Luxfer's new cylinders resulted in a 13 to 18 percent weight savings over Type 4 cylinders Trilogy previously used. We were specifically looking to reduce the overall weight of our systems, and Luxfer has helped us do that." He said that using Luxfer cylinders also yielded a 4 to 5 percent performance increase in terms of diesel gallon equivalents (DGE), a notable improvement since a single heavy-duty truck can consume more than 20,000 gallons of fuel per year.

 In addition to lightness of weight, Trilogy wanted a strong, long-lasting cylinder. "Heavy-duty trucks have a lifespan on the road of up to 10 years," Lawrence said. "That's why Trilogy builds a robust back-of-the-cab system with a rigid steel frame that can endure such long life on the road. The durable Luxfer cylinders we selected have a 20-year life."

For the WDT systems, Trilogy is using boss-mounted Luxfer cylinders in lengths of 60 inches and 90 inches. Three cylinders are installed on a truck. Each 3,600-psi (248-bar) cylinder is built around a purpose-engineered lightweight boss and high-density polymer-liner interface to provide the highest levels of performance and gas retention. Wrapped with aerospace-grade carbon fiber, Luxfer polymer liners have corrosion-resistant, seamless body construction that is free from inherent leak paths.

"The weight savings was a huge game-changer for us," said WDT President and Chief Executive Officer David Shelton, noting that lighter fuel system weight means improved fuel economy and longer range for his company's CNG trucks. Another important reason WDT prefers the Trilogy system, Shelton said, is that it features "two-sided fueling," which allows cylinders to be filled from either side of a truck.

With a fleet of more than 1,000 heavy-duty trucks traveling about 115 million miles per year, WDT (www.wdtmilk.com) is the largest transporter of milk and dairy products in the USA, and the company also serves customers in Mexico. Shelton said that using CNG provides a monthly fuel savings of about $1,000 per truck compared to the cost of diesel. "In addition to the savings, we also like the green image of using cleaner-burning fuel," he said, adding that cooperation between WDT and environmentally conscious dairy shippers has helped motivate the move to CNG.

Luxfer Gas Cylinders President Andy Butcher said: "We are pleased to be supplying our new 26-inch G-Stor Go cylinders to Trilogy. For more than 50 years, Luxfer has specialized in reducing cylinder weight while ensuring the highest levels of safety, durability and performance."

Founded in 2012, Trilogy Engineered Solutions (www.trilogy-es.com) specializes in the design and manufacture of compressed natural gas fuel distribution systems for the heavy-duty truck market. A privately owned offshoot of metal fabricator Wrayco LLC, the company is located in Stow, Ohio.

An operating company of Luxfer Group (NYSE:LXFR), Luxfer Gas Cylinders (www.luxfercylinders.com) is the world's largest manufacturer of high-pressure aluminum and composite cylinders, including both Type 3 and Type 4 cylinders for alternative fuels (www.luxferaf.com). The company also has a global presence in markets such as medical, life support, specialty gas, beverage, fire extinguishers, aerospace, inflation, scuba, and performance racing. Luxfer operates manufacturing facilities in the USA, Canada, England, France, Germany, China and India.

PORT HEDLAND, Australia-Luxfer Gas Cylinders, Germany, has been awarded a contract to supply bulk gas transportation modules to Sub 161, a Queensland-based company that will use 'road-trains' to truck compressed natural gas (CNG) from Port Hedland to a power station that serves the large Solomon iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The Solomon mine and power station are operated by Fortescue Metals Group, which is converting the 125-megawatt station to run on natural gas. Fortescue will replace an estimated 300,000 liters of diesel used each day with 11 terajoules of natural gas.

Sub 161 Chief Executive Angus Karoll has said that converting to natural gas could cut energy costs by as much as 30 percent. Sub 161 will supply natural gas via a 'virtual pipeline' consisting of road-trains of specialized trucks towing trailers loaded with modules manufactured by Luxfer and containing lightweight carbon composite high-pressure gas cylinders made by Luxfer specifically for transporting CNG. Each composite cylinder consists of a seamless thin-wall aluminum liner fully wrapped in aerospace-grade carbon fiber. The eventual number of modules to be supplied will depend on the volume of gas required by the end customer, but the contract is expected to generate over $10 million of sales value to Luxfer.

Using multiple modules gives Sub 161 the flexibility to configure road-trains in various ways, adding more trailers as needed. It is also possible to deploy individual modules where localized gas supply is required, such as remote generator stations.

Supplying the Solomon plant is the first major gas transportation project for Sub 161, which plans to build several natural gas facilities in the Pilbara region to supply other mining operations that currently rely on diesel.