Heavy Duty Trucking Managing Editor Vesna Brajkovic was among the first journalists to get an inside look at Hexagon Agility's production facility in Salisbury, North Carolina, where the company assembles natural gas fuel systems for heavy- and medium-duty trucks and buses.
Inside Hexagon Agility's Fuel System Assembly Facility [Photos]
Hexgon Agility President Seung Baik says the company has an 80% market share of natural gas fuel systems, mainly driven by bus customers.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
A behind-the-cab CNG fuel system on a Freightliner truck.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
During assembly, workers put on brackets and prepare coolant, pressure and electrical lines.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon Agility is the largest manufactuer of Type 4 compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders in the U.S., which are used to assemble fuel systems in Salisbury. (Pictured: CNG sub-system assembly.)
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
A side-mount CNG fuel system ready to be installed.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon Agility assembles vehicle fuel systems for CNG and LNG vehicles using Type 4 cylinders.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Prerail for fuel systems.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
The Salisbury facility is equipped with a transfluid bending machine, which bends stainless steel tubing for truck fuel systems.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon Agility workers assembling a main frame, which will hold CNG cylinders to a truck chassis.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon Agility has plans to expand its Salisbury facility to include CNG cylinder manufacturing.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Fuel system installation flows through bays to maximize installation efficiency.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon Agility assemblies CNG fuel systems on heavy-duty trucks in either a behind-the-cab or side-mounted configuration.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Workers later bolt down the fuel systems and finish "plugging in" electrical, coolant and low-pressure lines.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Pictured: Assembly Supervisor Jonathan Thompson (left) and Assembly Lead Thomas Perkins.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
The transfluid bending machine runs 100s of part numbers.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon's Salisbury facility has fabrication and paint shop capabilities, allowing the company to do exterior paint in-house.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
The Salisbury facility employs about 310 employees.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon laser-etches each piece of tubing with a product number and date of manufacture for easy identification and replacement.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon Agility President and CEO Jon Erik Engeset called CNG cylinders an "extremely challenging product to produce."
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon Agility's 200,000-square-foot production facility in Salisbury, North Carolina, assemblies fuel systems for heavy- and medium-duty trucks, and transit buses.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic
Hexagon Agility produces CNG cylinders at its manufacturing facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. The cylinders are then shipped to Salisbury for assembly into vehicle fuel systems.
Photo: Vesna Brajkovic