Arkansas-based J.B. Hunt is replacing its mixed fleet of intermodal containers with new 53-foot, stackable DuraPlate containers from Wabash.

Wabash National, Lafayette, Ind., announced this week it had received the orders, worth more than $70 million, for 6,000 53-foot DuraPlate domestic containers and a smaller number of container chassis.
The 53-foot domestic containers will be of a new design featuring Wabash National's DuraPlate technology. The stackable, "high-cube" design features an uninterrupted sidewall and interior dimensions similar to conventional trailers. These will be the first production domestic containers to use the DuraPlate sidewall material.
The new containers will be the first 53-foot units in the J.B. Hunt fleet strong enough to permit the containers to be positioned on the bottom of a "double-stack" on the railcar. In addition to increased customer acceptance, the containers incorporate many features that will reduce maintenance costs and increase durability.
J.B. Hunt President and CEO Kirk Thompson said the company made the decision based on how well its large fleet of DuraPlate van trailers has performed. He said the move will give J.B. Hunt the largest fleet of exclusively 53-foot containers available. Railroads will have the option of stacking the new containers on top in traditional configurations or in the bottom of 53-foot rail cars. And the standard container fleet will "significantly simplify logistics," he said, compared to a mixed fleet of 48 and 53 feet containers.