MADISON, WI – Exponential growth at Idle Free Systems, a manufacturer of auxiliary power units (APUs) for trucks and school buses, has meant the company needs to double its manufacturing space, according to the company. Idle Free will use the additional space to significantly increase the number of systems it produces and ships daily.

“Year-over-year sales from 2010 to 2011 were up 100 percent, and with the on-going expansion of our national dealer network, we are expecting to double revenue again in 2012,” he says. “This expansion will help us implement lean manufacturing practices which will not only support our current manufacturing levels, but facilitates the ability to quickly and easily increase production to meet our significant sales growth,” said Robert Hopton, CEO of Idle Free Systems.

An APU is a system which can be installed on Class 8 trucks to help drivers eliminate discretionary idling. Traditionally, when a driver parks for the night to sleep, he or she keeps the truck running in order to run the heater or air conditioning in the sleeper cab. This practice has led to a tremendous amount of unnecessary emissions, according to Idle Free. Installation of an Idle Free APU allows drivers to turn off the truck and rely on this auxiliary system for heat, air conditioning or electricity in the sleeper cab. This not only cuts down on CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions, but saves fuel.

Idle Free considered many different communities to support its expansion, but in the end decided to keep its manufacturing in Watertown, Wis.