Solus Solutions and Technologies introduced 10 aerodynamic products for trailers that are sold in packages and promise significant fuel savings.

They are based on the designs of its engineer-founder, Richard Wood.

Chief among them is a Split Skirt that covers the gap usually found ahead of the trailer's sliding tandem when it's moved rearward. The short skirt segment is linked to the tandem and moves with it on tracks, which allows access to a trailer's underside for inspection and maintenance. The skirting's composite material resists impacts and flexes when it contacts hard objects to avoid damage.

Split Skirt is sold in seven variations to meet all conceivable operational requirements, executives said. It has been tested by Solus to deliver fuel savings of more than 5%, and certified by the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay program. Thus it is accepted by the California Air Resources Board to meet its trailer aerodynamic requirements.

Also offered is a wheel cap called the Wheel Cavity Cover that uses deep cavity flow-control principles researched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with which Wood was associated. The composite cover smoothes air flow over wheels to achieve 1.3% fuel savings, Solus executives claimed. A central hole allows access to lug nuts and hub components for inspection and repairs.

Wheel Cavity Cover also meets EPA and CARB requirements. It can be installed on tractor and trailer wheels. The products are produced to Solus's specifications by manufacturers in Virginia, the company's home state.