LAS VEGAS -- Meritor launched two new product series, Meritor AllFit and Meritor Green, with new all-makes shock absorbers the first in the Meritor AllFit line.

"A proliferation of brands can create a commoditization of the product," said Pedro Ferro, vice president of Meritor's aftermarket business, during the announcement Tuesday during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week. "We are trying to introduce ore engineered products into the all-makes line we are even going to put our brand name into engineered all-makes products. We didn't do that before; we used the Euclid brand."

"Over a number of years we've talked about the triangle, our good/better/best strategy, and preaching lifecycle costs," said Terry Livingston, general manager, Global Product Management and Shared Services, Aftermarket & Trailer. "We're bringing to life that triangle."

AllFit products, he said, have the same engineering, research and technology Meritor puts into one of its genuine original components -- but it won't be up to the same performance level as the Meritor genuine brand, which will be indicated in boxes featuring a large red bull.

"You need to compare apples and apples" when buying aftermarket parts, Livingston said. "We've had many fleets ask for this. We're trying to delineate what is genuine, what is approved aftermarket."

Meritor AllFit will serve as the Meritor all-makes family, and Meritor Green will become the Meritor remanufactured offering.

Meritor's Euclid aftermarket brand is not going away, although it is in essentially the same tier as the AllFit products. The brand has too much history, and will continue to be the name under which the traditional Euclid under-chassis parts have been sold.

Meritor's Mascot brand will still be used for remanufactured drivetrain parts, but other reman parts will be sold under the Meritor Green brand.

AllFit Shocks and More

Meritor announced the following product expansions that will be marketed under the new Meritor AllFit series:
- Meritor shock absorbers
- Meritor suspension controls
- Meritor all-makes drivetrain.

The Meritor AllFit shock absorber product line replaces the Gabriel shocks previously sold by the company and is available immediately to all North American warehouse distributors and OEM dealers.

The new shock absorbers American-made in an ISO-certified facility - are available in three models: cab shocks, standard duty shocks and premium adjustable shocks. They provide an advanced sealing system, premium hydraulic fluid, and a robust design to reduce excessive misting and extend product life.

By clearly identifying and segmenting products in the marketplace and aligning with multiple owner life-cycles for specific vehicles, itll be easier for end-users to match their needs with our broad product offering, Livingston said, adding that new, more cohesive packaging designs have been developed in line with a globally-driven aftermarket approach.