Monroe is a name that has become synonymous with quality, durability and longevity. The world leader in ride performance has been a trusted provider of shock absorbers for more than 100 years by specialising in extremely dependable suspension solutions that have measured up to any and all demands.
Born in 1916 from August Meyer’s ingenuity in Monroe, Michigan, Monroe began as Brisk Blast Manufacturing Company – filling a market gap with tyre pumps for early motorists. From those beginnings, the company evolved into a global pioneer in ride control technology with innovations such as Monroe RideSense, the fastest electronic shock absorber on the market which continuously adapts damping forces every 10 milliseconds for unmatched grip, handling and comfort. This legacy of precision and adaptability now drives Monroe’s expertise in developing robust, high-quality suspension solutions for heavy-duty trucks and trailers built to perform on and off the highway.
In 2020, Monroe Australia started manufacturing 45mm bore shock absorbers out of its Adelaide plant – a revolutionary milestone which put its heavy-duty truck and trailer shock absorber range, Monroe Magnum, on the map. Shortly afterwards, Monroe obtained Road-Friendly Suspension (RFS) certification for two of its shock absorber products. This enabled the company to expand its coverage to popular RFS trailer axles such as Krueger RFS, Hendrickson RFS HT230T/300T/300U and INTRAAX AAL230/250 Front, INTRAAX AANT.
RFS systems are developed to reduce the impact laden axles have on road pavements and most bridge structures. For a suspension system to be considered road-friendly, it must be certified to the requirements set out in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts’ Vehicle Standards Bulletin 11 – Certification of Road-Friendly Suspensions. Monroe’s coverage ability has given the business a heavy presence on the list. The company also offers several other axle options including Weweler Ultra Light Long, York Tecair FB, Fuwa K Hitch KT250 and KT300 and more.
Monroe has reached the pinnacle of ride performance and suspension systems in Australia with more than 40 years of local manufacturing under its belt and a remarkably long legacy of innovation including extensive knowledge gained from the global OE market.
The company also has a strong OE pedigree as an OEM supplier for some of the world’s leading heavy commercial manufacturers. This includes Hendrickson, Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, DAF Trucks and more. By building durable and long-lasting shocks while working with these manufacturers, Monroe has gained extensive knowledge, capabilities and the ability to continuously improve technologies which enhance the performances of these vehicles all over the world.
“Monroe possesses an extremely reliable shock absorber range which is Australian designed, engineered and manufactured for all of the popular trailer axles in the market,” says Monroe Australia National Commercial Sales Manager, Chad Torok. “Australia has some of the toughest environments known to man, and our shock absorbers are proven and tested in these conditions. We have a heritage of durability, and our customers have showcased that through their use of our products.”
Monroe’s local manufacturing aspect delivers various design and performance advantages. For example, all reserve and pressure tubes in the Monroe Magnum Heavy Duty axle range are made from the company’s own tube mill with locally sourced materials, producing high frequency welded tube at speeds in excess of 100 metres per minute. This equates to higher productivity and reduced downtime for the business.
Custom designed rebound and compression valving and mirror finished hardened inner tubes are some of the other unique benefits of this locally manufactured heavy duty commercial vehicle range. Each Monroe Magnum heavy duty trailer shock absorber is also 100-per-cent damping force performance tested to ensure that they are optimised for their specific trailer application. These factors result in ultimate durability.
The quality of Monroe’s products is further assured with world-renowned ISO standards. All ride performance products are made using the latest IS0 9001 Quality System manufacturing processes and to ISO 14001 environmental standards. Design validation testing is conducted in compliance with the latest ISO9001-2015 standards.
“Monroe’s Australian manufacturing footprint is based on coverage requirements and demand,” Chad explains. “We will endeavour to source whatever product is in demand so that we can always provide product availability to our customers.”
Accommodating Monroe’s production process is an established engineering centre in Adelaide which collaborates directly with its counterpart manufacturing plant to specifically design and develop shock absorbers for local conditions. Chad says this is essential for Monroe to deliver its core value proposition which revolves around quality and reliability.
“This process is a huge strength because it enables us to understand the local market and the country’s toughest conditions,” he says. “We deal with a lot of major transport fleets and they’ve seen the benefit of using Monroe shock absorbers due to the product’s longevity.”
Monroe Australia prides itself for offering high-quality products which increase uptime and reduce replacement needs for fleets and installers. Partnerships with all major Australian parts distributors and extensive collaborations with local and international heavy duty commercial manufacturers are the keys which have unlocked its unrivalled design and engineering standards.
“Monroe has the ability to source products from global engineering centres and adapt its technology in the aftermarket for Australia,” Chad explains. “We utilise the same design features of global OEM products, meaning customers can have the confidence that our part is just as good as OE if not better.”
