ATLANTA - Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products (L&P CVP) is shaping today's mobile business model with technologies and innovative materials that boost efficiency on and off the jobsite. At the 2009 NAFA Institute & Expo, L&P CVP displayed products from its line of lightweight, composite automotive interiors; MAG Dock, a magnesium-based docking station and eCoupled wireless technology. 

"The commercial vehicle industry continues to evolve as fleet operations turn to alternative fuels, fuel efficient vehicles and cost-saving tactics to provide their products and services," said Ross Haith, group vice president of marketing, sales and service for L&P CVP. "L&P CVP continues to engineer products that improve mobile efficiency and offer fleets more options to meet the demands of mobile business."

Lightweight Interiors Deliver Fuel Efficiency

Under its Masterack operations, L&P CVP is the industry's leading designer and manufacturer of composite shelving and composite interiors. Interiors constructed from composite materials are proven to provide a lightweight, fuel-efficient alternative to traditional steel interiors. Composite interiors designed for General Motors and Ford work vehicles can decrease a vehicle's overall weight up to 205 lbs. and equate to nearly four percent in fuel savings when compared to steel. Composite interiors on display at the 2009 NAFA Institute & Expo included QuietFlex III for the Ford E-Series and the Contour Storage System (CSS) for GM work vans.

In 2009, L&P CVP is extending its product offerings to include interior shelving and storage options for smaller, fuel efficient vehicles. L&P CVP is a leading manufacturer of steel and composite interiors for the Chevrolet HHR, Ford Transit Connect, and Dodge Caravan.

Through its family of brands (Masterack, Crown North America, Team Fenex and Gamber-Johnson), L&P CVP offers complete storage, docking and upfit solutions for virtually all vehicle platforms used by commercial and government fleet operations throughout North America.  

"Operating under today's mobile environment requires a balancing act between hard work and efficiency," said Haith. "As fleets invest in more fuel efficient vehicles to deliver their services and products, we are committed to providing interiors for new and smaller vehicle platforms as a logical extension of our current business model."

Other products displayed at the 2009 NAFA Institute & Expo exemplify L&P CVP's commitment to product innovation that delivers efficiency to the mobile workspace. MAG Dock and eCoupled wireless power are two recent engineering accomplishments redefining what it means to work on the road.

MAG Dock

For the engineers at Gamber-Johnson, an L&P CVP company, reinventing an industry standard required a new material - magnesium - to deliver the required performance standards at a competitive price. Magnesium is second only to titanium in strength and 33 percent lighter than aluminum. Its metallurgical characteristics made it a prime candidate for the engineering behind MAG Dock.

Die cast from a magnesium alloy, MAG Dock is a lightweight yet exceptionally strong docking station. The docking station, weighing less than six pounds, is less than half the weight of its steel counterparts. MAG Dock, designed for the Panasonic Toughbook 30, is the industry's first magnesium-based docking station and is the only magnesium docking station that is Toughbook Tested and Approved. Gamber-Johnson tests its docking stations to meet Panasonic's Toughbook testing criteria.

eCoupled Technology

L&P CVP engineers addressed the issue of lost time on the road by designing wireless power applications for commercial work vehicles. Using an innovative and advanced technology called inductive coupling, L&P CVP's use of eCoupled technology offers freedom from cords and charging adapters on the road.

In recent field tests with customers, L&P CVP has validated the time saving potential of this technology and applied customer feedback to develop new products for commercial applications. Technicians working with the technology used wireless power in shelving applications to wirelessly charge power tools. Using their feedback, L&P CVP engineered new applications for eCoupled technology, including a space saving, door mounted charging station for wirelessly charging power tools.

L&P CVP's wireless charging applications include a center vehicle console pocket, computer cradle and two van interior charging stations. The center vehicle console pocket, which fits into the cab of work vans, emergency response and fleet vehicles, is designed to hold and charge cellular phones and flashlights. The universal computer cradle secures and charges laptop computers on the road. Van interior charging stations placed in the back of the vehicle use wireless power to keep tools charged and always ready for work.

"Our family of brands continues to create innovative and meaningful products that redefine the way we conduct business on the road," said Haith. "L&P CVP and our parent company, Fortune 500 diversified manufacturer Leggett & Platt, are committed to innovation and use research and development as a channel to pioneer new and extraordinary technologies."