By Neil Abt, Managing Editor This story appears in the April 15 print edition of Transport Topics.
MONTREAL — Navistar International Corp. unveiled updated versions of its International 9900i and PayStar 5900 SBA heavy-haul and severe-service models with the Cummins ISX15 engine using selective catalytic reduction technology.
The company made the announcement on April 11 at Expocam, a biennial national truck show here, which was getting under way as Transport Topics went to press.
Separately, CEO Troy Clarke told TT he was confident the company would soon receive 2014 greenhouse-gas certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its proprietary MaxxForce 13-liter engine with Cummins SCR aftertreatment.
The unveiling event in the Expocam exhibit hall for journalists and show attendees was accompanied by loud music of famed Canadian rock band Rush. As a curtain was pulled off of the trucks, Mark Belisle, president of Navistar Canada, labeled the 9900 as having “an in-your-face design with the power that has made it a leader in the heavy-haul market.”
“We are ready for the next generation of heavy haul,” said Belisle, who has held his current position since February 2011.
Belisle said Navistar has sold about 7,000 of the vehicles over the past decade in Canada.
Likewise, the 5900 model “can haul mountain-sized loads in rugged environments,” and is a strong fit for Canada’s oil fields and construction sites.
He said production of both vehicles is under way and deliveries are planned for the summer.
Clarke said the trucks are also available in the United States, but the announcements were timed for the Canadian truck show.
“These are far more important in Mark’s portfolio than in the United States,” said Clarke, whose company is based in Lisle, Ill. “We wanted to make a statement up here.”
The 9900 is available exclusively with the ISX15, while the PayStar will also be available with the MaxxForce 13. The ISX15 offers horsepower ratings range from 400 to 600 hp with 1,450–2,050 pound-feet of torque.
“Canada can be tough on a vehicle and the power of the ISX15 makes our already rugged vehicles adaptable for any environment,” Belisle said in a statement provided with the trucks’ specifications.
In his opening remarks, Belisle echoed the recent Navistar theme: repairing its image.
“We have been through a lot — management changes and product changes,” he said. “We have to win customers back and believe we have all the elements in place to do so.”
He spoke of building company momentum, including the ProStar model with the Cummins engine and the MaxxForce 13, which is about to enter full production.
His comments were similar to those made by Clarke at last month’s Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., where he acknowledged Navistar had gone through “challenging times,” but said it is “not going anywhere but up.”
The equipment manufacturer is dealing with repercussions from its decision to pursue a strategy of exhaust gas recirculation technology for meeting the 2010 U.S. federal standard on engine emissions.
Navistar was unable to meet that standard without the use of emissions credits. Last year management finally yielded and said they also would adopt SCR. Shortly thereafter, chairman and CEO Daniel Ustian departed, as did some other top executives.
The company has been accused in a recent lawsuit of misleading investors regarding its engine technology decisions.
