Truck Writers of North America has recognized the rust preventative coating on ArvinMeritor's PlatinumShield Brake Shoes as the top technical achievement for 2009. The award presentation took place at the annual Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) meeting in Tampa, Fla.


The Technical Achievement Award and trophy were accepted by Mac Whittemore, ArvinMeritor's Midwest regional manager, and Paul Greenlaw, national aftermarket fleet manager. Presenters were Tom Berg, Heavy Duty Trucking's senior editor, and Paul Abelson, writer for Road King and Land Line magazines, both members of TWNA's award committee.

The PlatinumShield coating was developed by ArvinMeritor to resist micro-abrasion caused by the movement of the brake lining against the shoe table during normal use. Rust-jacking occurs when rust forms on bare shoe metal under the lining, causing the lining to lift and crack.

"The Technical Achievement Award committee was impressed that ArvinMeritor's PlatinumShield coating offers a practical solution to rust-jacking, a problem that has frustrated countless maintenance managers and owner-operators in the US and Canada," said James Menzies, chair of the committee and editor of Truck News and Truck West in Canada. "As trucking companies search for ways to lower their operating costs, ArvinMeritor has come to market with an effective solution to a costly, long-running problem."

TWNA's judging panel also included Jim Park, HDT's senior equipment editor, along with John Baxter of Randall-Reilly Publishing, Peter Carter of Today's Trucking, and Paul Hartley of Additional Media. To be eligible, a product or service has to clearly exhibit technical innovation, have a wide applicability in the trucking industry, offer significant benefits and be widely available. While complete vehicles are not eligible, components and systems are.

The review process for 2009 began with candidates nominated by the press members of TWNA. From that group, four finalists were selected for an in-depth review. They included Eaton's UltraShift Plus automated mechanical transmission, Rand McNally's IntelliRoute TND 500 GPS navigation and route-planning system, and TruckLite's LED Headlamps (featured in the January edition of HDT).

Using a point system based on each committee member's ranking of the candidates, ArvinMeritor's rust-resisting brake product scored a substantial lead to receive the 2009 TWNA award.

Created in 1988, TWNA is a professional organization whose membership is composed of writers, editors, public relations specialists, marketing personnel and others involved in the business of creating or producing information related to the world of trucking. The very first Technical Achievement Award was presented in 1991 to Grote Industries for its red LED marker light. Since receiving the inaugural award, Grote has sponsored the yearly trophy.

Tech Award's Previous Winners

Previous winners of the annual TWNA Technical Achievement Award are:
- Detroit Diesel DD15 engine with Turbo Compounding, 2008
- Michelin's Durable Technologies tire, 2007
- Cummins Filtration's Fleetguard User Friendly filters, 2006
- Carrier Transicold's Deltek Hybrid Reefer, 2005
- ConMet's TruTurn brake drum, 2004
- Meritor-Wabco's anti-rollover system, 2003
- Bendix XVision night vision system, 2002
- XM Satellite Radio, 2001
- ZF Meritor's fully automated mechanical heavy duty truck transmission without a clutch pedal, 2000
- Donaldson's Silent Partner muffler, 1999
- Cummins' Signature 600 engine, 1998
- Eaton Fuller's AutoShift transmission, 1997
- Rockwell Automotive's ESS (Engine Synchro Shift) transmission, 1996
- Navistar International's flat-floor International 9800 cabover, 1995
- Caterpillar Engine and Navistar International (joint award) for the HEUI (Hydraulic-actuated Electronically-controlled Unit Injectors) fuel system for diesel engines, 1994
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company's G300 tire, 1993
- Cummins Engine's ESP variable torque engine line, 1992
- Grote Industries' LED marker lamp, 1991

In 1990, the predecessor of the TWNA Technical Achievement Awards, then called the Most Significant Awards, were given to:
- Most Significant Vehicle, Freightliner Corp., for the "Business Class" series of Class 6, 7 & 8 trucks and tractors.
- Most Significant Product, United Marketing International Inc., for its Oberg Oil Filter Press.
- Most Significant Service, Suspension Specialists Assn., for its sponsorship of clinics & training programs for its repair shop members.