Clarience Technologies Acquires P.S.I.
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Clarience Technologies has acquired Pressure Systems International, a leading provider of automatic tire inflation systems for commercial truck trailers. Tire-related technologies are gaining adoption, it noted, as commercial fleets shift toward electric vehicles, and the deal extends Clarience’s string of recent acquisitions.
The announcement by privately held Clarience, which is based in Southfield, Mich., did not disclose the financial terms. The acquisition includes P.S.I. manufacturing operations, as well as its Truck System Technologies operations, both located in San Antonio.
Clarience will operate the two as a distinct business unit. Tim Musgrave, CEO of P.S.I., will continue to lead the business in his current capacity, Clarience reported.
Kupchella
The trailer has to get smart in dealing with tires, rolling resistance and battery life, for instance, as the industry transitions into electrification, and eventually autonomous vehicles further out, Clarience CEO Brian Kupchella said in an earlier interview with Transport Topics.
“As electric vehicle fleets seek to maximize range and minimize downtime, tire rolling resistance plays an increasingly important role in determining EV range,” Kupchella said in noting the latest acquisition.
“Adoption of trailer-specific technology has historically lagged that of the commercial truck industry,” said Charles Roth, commercial vehicles analyst for FTR. “This acquisition, however, is further evidence that both trailer makers and their suppliers alike are willing to make the necessary investments required to provide the market with a vast array of technological solutions aimed to address fleet maintainability complexities, while also being able to access vital data.
Roth
As the pressure mounts to bring these technologies to the market it can be expected that in the future the trailer industry will continue to seek advancements in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), telematics, blockchain, and enhanced visibility into critical equipment operating metrics.”
As autonomous driving technologies begin to take hold, automated maintenance such as tire inflation will be critical for range, safety and uptime, the company noted. With a set of optional sensors, P.S.I.’s TireView feature can deliver a holistic approach to vehicle health, including air system status, potential brake issues and monitoring for wheel end thermal events.
Clarience is the parent company to several brands serving commercial transportation, including Truck-Lite vehicle lighting solutions, Road Ready advanced telematics for trailers, Davco filtration systems, Ecco safety systems (acquired in 2020) and LED Autolamps (acquired in 2021).
This year, Clarience has added Fleetilla, a telematics and asset tracking technology company — nearly doubling the number of products Road Ready already offers.
Clarience also owns Rigid Industries, an LED lighting provider serving the off-road recreational vehicle market, Lumitec, a commercial lighting supplier serving the luxury marine market, and Code3, a lighting and connected systems provider for emergency vehicles.
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Clarience noted P.S.I., with about 2 million systems installed on commercial trailers, has led the way in driving adoption of automatic trailer tire inflation systems. The company, founded in 1993, expanded into the RV trailer market in 2017 with the acquisition of Truck System Technologies, which offers the only original equipment manufacturer-approved, factory-installed tire pressure monitoring system for travel trailers — a system Thor, Forest River and Airstream, among others, make available.
Clarience Technologies, renamed from Truck-Lite Holdings in 2020, reported it has 1,600 associates and operations in Australia, China, Europe and Mexico, including 16 facilities and 10 R&D centers. It supplies products to more than 90 countries.
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