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Trac Upgrades Equipment at Four Gulf Ports
Trac Intermodal, a provider of intermodal marine equipment, has expanded and updated its chassis fleet in the ports of Houston, Mobile, Ala., New Orleans and El Paso, Texas.
The upgrade effort for the ports in the Trac Gulf Regional Pool, or TGRP, will handle growth in United States resin exports, according to Trac.
Princeton, N.J.-based Trac added 1,000 chassis to those serving the four ports and refurbished more than 20% of its existing chassis fleet, adding LED lights, tires from the original equipment manufacturer, new brake systems and electrical wiring, along with a fresh paint job, turning them the company’s blue.
Synthetic resin, shipped in the form of plastic pellets, are used in the manufacture of household and industrial items. Expected growth in resin exports last year fizzled due to Hurricane Harvey’s impact on the port of Houston, which typically handles the largest volume of resin.
“We’re expanding the size of our fleet by adding new technology in the form of lightweight chassis to meet the evolving needs of customers,” Trac CEO Keith Lovetro said. The lightweight chassis have radial tires, LED lights and ABS brakes and are designed to handle heavier container loads like resin while still complying with U.S. Department of Transportation limits.
Trac manages nine port pools across the United States and operates a network of facilities, including 600 marine locations, 60 depots and eight Trac service centers. Last October, Trac sold its domestic chassis fleet to Direct ChassisLink, covering 72,000 53-foot chassis, but retained 177,000 marine chassis.