Shiny Returns

Your fleet is your livelihood. Not only do your trucks need to do the heavy lifting in your business, they need to be properly maintained for driver safety, and kept looking sharp for both employee pride and the positive projection of your business in the community. The VIS-Polish can help accomplish that.

The VIS-Polish, demonstrated by Vehicle Inspection Systems on the floor of the 2016 Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport (WWETT) Show, is a robotic wheel-polishing system that restores aluminum truck rims to a mirror finish. It can quickly refurbish road-weary wheels to reveal any hidden damage before a wheel can break. It is easy to use, as all the tech needs to do is install the wheel to be polished, start the system and walk away.

“Oxidation can eat through a dirty wheel or camouflage cracks without the driver even knowing,” says Lauren Del Brocco, marketing manager with Vehicle Inspection Systems. “Not only does keeping the wheels clean make the rig look nicer, it adds life to the wheels and allows the driver to keep a closer eye on their condition.”

The system is available for 19.5-, 22.5- and 24.5-inch aluminum wheels, including super singles and wide-base steer. Its automatic, enclosed process contains the dirt, dust and noise of aluminum wheel polishing in a sturdy work cell, isolating the aluminum and polishing dust from the operator, practically eliminating the health hazards present during manual or assisted wheel polishing. Even the most soiled and oxidized wheels are typically fully clean after the maximum 45-minute polishing cycle. For fleet operators and truck dealers, the system boosts fleet pride while enhancing vehicle safety and ensuring maximum vehicle resale value.

SAFE AND SPEEDY

“The system is so much faster and safer than polishing wheels by hand,” says Del Brocco. “All you have to do is put the wheel in and press a few buttons, and you’re good to go.”

The system’s computer automation means it’s faster than manual polishing and never has to take a break. The computer is programmed to apply a set amount of polishing motion and pressure to each wheel, ensuring all wheels come out looking similar. Its automated service allows technicians to multi-task to reduce maintenance labor costs, as the unit requires very little attention during operating cycles. While the 2016 WWETT Show was the first as an exhibitor for Vehicle Inspection Systems, Del Brocco feels that the attendees are the target market for the polishing system.

“The majority of the attendees at this show own multiple trucks running aluminum wheels, whether they are from the septic pumping industry, hydroexcavation, sewer cleaning or mining and gas industry,” says Del Brocco. “This is a great product for both the dealers that are selling those guys their trucks, and the operators that have multiple trucks in their fleet and are concerned about both the safety and appearance of their trucks.”

Del Brocco says the biggest goal the company had coming into the WWETT Show was simply to introduce its product line to the water and wastewater industry. She was enthused by the feedback they received on all their products on display, but especially the VIS-Polish, which was being demonstrated on the show floor.

“We’ve gotten a ton of great comments, and a lot of good leads,” she says. “This is a big show; probably a much larger show than what we’re used to, but that is good. I feel we’re making great inroads into this industry.”

Del Brocco says the company is already looking into what it’s going to feature at next year’s WWETT Show. “I would say being here and talking to the attendees at WWETT tells me that we are perhaps an even better fit for this show and this industry than what we had originally anticipated,” she says. “So many of these guys are running large fleets, and there is a lot of pride in not only making sure those fleets are safe, but that they look good. That’s our market.” 866/847-8721; www.vischeck.net.