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INNOVATORS " Being at the forefront of the industry has been central to Nuss- baum's business strategy since its inception." – BRENT NUSSBAUM, CEO Nussbaum's theory seemed obvious in its simplicity: Steel suppliers would load the specially spec'd dry van with heavy steel coils by using heavy-duty forklifts that could drive the coils directly into the van, and then the coils would be transported to Electrolux. In turn, the same dry van would be used to transport Electrolux's outbound finished product to the company's distribution centers, allowing the same Nussbaum equipment to remain in the dedicated loop. The proposal intrigued Electrolux since it would save freight costs by using the same trailers for both inbound and outbound loads. Nussbaum began work- ing with Wabash National on a heavy-duty dry van trailer specification. Several months of design and test- ing followed "to make sure nothing would fall through the floor," Nussbaum says. The dual-purpose trailer was designed with a 35,000-pound floor rating for loads 50 percent heavier than a standard dry van trailer. The trailer would be loaded with heavy products typically requiring a flatbed trailer and be reloaded with finished products requiring a dry van. The dry van trailer was designed to load and unload Nussbaum Transporta- tion's dual-purpose dry van trailer, designed with a 35,000-pound floor rat- ing, can be loaded with heavy products typically requiring a flatbed trailer and reloaded with fin- ished products requiring a dry van. more quickly and safely than a flatbed and to offer the added benefit of protec- tion from the elements, helping to re- duce damage claims. Steel coils and other cargo are strapped down to D-rings attached to the trailer's floor. "The driver doesn't have to back into the plant to load the van," Nussbaum says. "A forklift driver meets the dry van at the loading dock, and the driver straps the coils down. It's a much faster loading process for the steel manufacturer." In addition, the heavy-duty trailer would help enhance loading dock efficiency and safety by eliminating delays due to crane availability and inclement weather by removing the need to tarp and untarp. Nussbaum says that while Electrolux initially was concerned that the heavier floor would shrink trailer capacity, the final trailer design preserved the traditional interior widths and lengths of a typical dry van. The enclosed dry van also would help protect cargo from theft. Trying it out In February 2010, Nussbaum received a three-year contract from Electrolux for the first operation using the new heavy-duty dry van. The dedicated operation began hauling material from a steel supplier in the Chicago area to Electrolux's plants in St. Cloud, Minn., and Webster City, Iowa, using 15 trucks and 30 trailers. Nussbaum says that in operation on his company's first dedicated route for Electrolux, the new trailers have reduced deadhead miles significantly and put fewer trucks on the road by eliminating the need for flatbed service inbound to the plant, greatly increasing truck utili- zation. Since the same trailers are used for both inbound raw materials and outbound finished goods, transporta- tion needs have been cut almost in half. Meanwhile, the possibility of moisture damage from tarped flatbed loads has been eliminated. Because the same dry van that pro- vides Electrolux with raw materials is used to haul finished freezers to distribu- tion centers, the company says it now is assured of regular shipment of inbound raw product and has reduced fluctua- tions in transportation costs based on flatbed carrier availability. Electrolux says it now can predict shipping costs more reliably throughout the year. Nussbaum now is expanding the use of the heavy-duty dry van trailer to other industries. "Using this trailer in a roundtrip dedicated solution provides more predictable shipping costs, a very important selling point for customers," Nussbaum says. CCJ INNOVATORS profiles carriers and fleets that have found innovative ways to overcome trucking's challenges. If you know a carrier that has displayed innovation, contact Jeff Crissey at jcrissey@ccjmagazine.com or 800-633-5953. 40 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | FEBRUARY 2012