The Fontaine Fifth Wheel Group has expanded to include Fontaine Coupling Solutions, a new company dedicated to the terminal tractor (yard truck) market. Terry Mennen, who has served as a vice president for Fontaine Fifth Wheel since 2007, has been named president of the new operating company. Other Fontaine veterans on the management team include Robbie Laney, director of sales, and Steven Alldredge, product manager.

A team led by Laney began studying the terminal tractor market and analyzing customer needs more than two years ago. The team has narrowed its focus from more than a dozen initial design ideas down to one core design. That design has been refined based on feedback from more than 100 customers that use terminal tractors in various market segments, including warehouse distribution, industrial, and port and rail (intermodal) transport.

“By establishing a separate company that is completely dedicated to the terminal tractor market, we are free to take advantage of Fontaine Fifth Wheel’s unmatched technical expertise as the world’s largest fifth wheel manufacturer, while at the same time focusing a core group of people and resources solely on taking care of this market’s special needs,” explains Mennen. “Our new product is being designed from the ground up specifically for the terminal tractor market. That’s never been done before.”

The company plans to introduce a new product later in 2014.