CLARIENCE TECHNOLOGIES ACQUIRES PRESSURE SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL
Company Invests in Connected Portfolio as Tire Inflation Becomes Critical for Electric, Autonomous Vehicles
Southfield, Michigan – (Trailer Technician) – Clarience TechnologiesTM has acquired Pressure Systems International® (P.S.I.), the world’s leading provider of automatic tire inflation systems for commercial truck trailers – effectively expanding the company’s technology portfolio to include the tire-related technologies gaining widespread adoption as commercial fleets shift toward electric vehicles.
“As electric vehicle fleets seek to maximize range and minimize downtime, tire rolling resistance plays an increasingly important role in determining EV range,” said Brian Kupchella, Clarience Technologies CEO. “P.S.I. is an industry innovator that expands our technology capabilities, making the company a strong, strategic fit with Clarience Technologies.”
The acquisition includes P.S.I. operations as well as the Truck System Technologies® operations, both located in San Antonio, Texas. The company will operate as a distinct business unit of Clarience Technologies. Tim Musgrave, President and CEO of P.S.I., will continue to lead the business in his current capacity.
“In 1993, we imagined a better way for fleets to keep their tires at the correct tire pressure. We realized quickly we were doing more than forming a new company — we were launching a new industry,” said Tim Musgrave, President and CEO, Pressure Systems Technologies. “Now, as part of Clarience Technologies, we can continue delivering future innovations to transportation.”
With nearly 2 million of its systems installed on commercial trailers, P.S.I. has led the way in driving adoption of automatic trailer tire inflation systems. The company has built upon that success, expanding into the RV trailer market in 2017 with their acquisition of Truck System Technologies (TST). Today, TST offers the only OEM-approved, factory-installed tire pressure monitoring system for travel trailers, a system made available through Thor, Forest River and Airstream, among others.
Michigan-based Clarience Technologies is parent company to several brands serving commercial transportation, including Truck-Lite® vehicle lighting solutions, Road Ready™ advanced telematics, DAVCO filtration systems, ECCO safety systems and LED Autolamps. The company 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 Code 3, a lighting and connected systems provider for emergency vehicles.
New Technologies Arriving to Transportation Shifts Focus to Tire Health
As commercial trucking transforms due to electric and autonomous technology, the importance of tire health management becomes even more critical. Tire rolling resistance is critical to ensure optimal EV range — as nearly every other factor contributing to range limitation will be eliminated in an electric vehicle. What’s more, as autonomous driving technologies begin to take hold, automated maintenance like tire inflation affects range, safety and uptime. P.S.I.’s platform of tire pressure and peripheral sensors deliver industry leading data reliability. Not only can they assist with improving tire life and fuel consumption but can also be part of a complete connected vehicle system that is integral in the advancement of autonomous vehicles. With a set of optional sensors, TireViewTM delivers a holistic approach to vehicle health including air system status, potential brake issues and monitoring for wheel end thermal events. Collectively, these “smarter,” more connected technologies will help Clarience Technologies deliver more complete solutions for an electric and autonomous future.
P.S.I. Joins a Line-up of Industry-leading Technology Brands, including Road Ready
Clarience Technologies was launched in 2020 from several leading transportation technology brands. Company leaders had the vision to see the impact new technologies were about to make to transportation, and they committed early on to forge a new company dedicated to finding better ways of applying these transformational technologies.
One of the Clarience Technologies businesses, Road Ready, has already been working closely with P.S.I. as part of its LogIQ™ smart partner network — a first-of-its-kind group of industry leaders who provide truck and trailer health data to fleet customers through Road Ready’s interface.
Over the past two years Clarience Technologies acquired several other companies to accelerate growth, starting with ECCO Safety Group in December, 2020, whose ECCO and Code 3 brands have strong distribution throughout North America, Europe and Australia. In November, 2021, Clarience Technologies grew its global footprint by acquiring LED Autolamps, an Australian-based provider of commercial vehicle lighting solutions throughout Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Most recently, Clarience Technologies added Fleetilla — a telematics and asset tracking technology company with an offering that complements the Road Ready system—nearly doubling the number of solutions from Road Ready.
In 2020, Clarience Technologies opened its new global headquarters in Southfield, Michigan — also serving as headquarters for its Road Ready advanced telematics business — and established a new global research and development center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Both Detroit and Pittsburgh have emerged as leading epicenters of transportation technology as top talent and private-sector investment are coming together to drive industry innovation. Company officials have already forged strong relationships with several top-tier universities, including Michigan State University and Lawrence Technological University in Michigan and Carnegie-Mellon University and Penn State Behrend in Pennsylvania, which serve as key enablers to foster the innovations required in an electric, autonomous and globally-connected future.
About Clarience Technologies
Clarience Technologies focuses on developing vehicle and fleet management technology innovations for the commercial vehicle, passenger car, recreational off-road machine and pleasure craft markets. Through our data and insights, we improve fleet management, streamline supply chain management and enhance safety on and off the road. Since our Truck-Lite brand introduced the first sealed marker light in 1955, our companies have unveiled a steady stream of innovations that have turned customers into long-term partners. Today, Clarience Technologies is a global company known for its quality and dedication to sustainability – and to providing the technologies that keep our world moving forward. Learn more at www.clariencetechnologies.com.
About Pressure Systems International
Pressure Systems International is the world leader in automatic tire inflation systems, tire pressure monitoring systems and related products for commercial trucks and trailers, as well as its TPMS for the RV market, under the TST brand. P.S.I. is a privately held company based in San Antonio, TX, and exports to 45 countries including China, India, South America, Africa, Australia and Europe. P.S.I. is an ISO 9001 Quality Management certified. For more information about Pressure Systems International visit their website www.psitireinflation.com