Betts Spring Co., a maker of resilient flap hangers, and Spraydown USA, which offers louver-like anti-spray mudflaps, say they're jointly offering a combined hanger-flap product.

The integrated spray suppression system combines the Spraydown Aero Guard mud flap with Betts' patented DirectFlex flap hanging system. The hanger is made of spring steel that flexes when a flap encounters obstructions, saving the flap from being torn off.

Aero Guards manage airflow to suppress water spray from tires while generating fuel savings approaching 4 percent, company representatives said. The plastic product was designed in Scotland through extensive testing, and uses a series of interconnected vertical panels to catch water spray while allowing air to flow through. It was first manufactured in the United Kingdom, then in China.

Aero Guards were marketed in the U.S. by Koneta Rubber, but that agreement ended last year. Spraydown USA now markets them through Betts and Life-Time Fenders, a Betts subsidiary.

Meanwhile, Crane Plastics in Columbus, Ohio, agreed to begin making the flaps, but first simplified their design to reduce the number of parts from 136 to 33. That, along with efficient assembly techniques, allowed economical manufacture in the U.S. Crane now exports Aero Guards to the UK and to China, according to Matt Fenneman, Crane's vice president for sales and marketing.

The product's spray suppressant performance enhances vision for motorists and drivers of tractor-trailers that have the Aero Guards. And fuel savings pay the $135 to $260 cost per pair for the combined DirectFlex-Aero Guard product in a few months or even weeks, reps said. More information is at www.BettsSpring.com and www.SpraydownUSA.com.