WAKARUSA, IN – Utilimaster Corp. recently built its 5,000th truck body using its DuraPlate material. Comprised of polyethyiene plastic core that is sandwiched between two sheets of high-strength galvanized steel, DuraPlate is said to be stronger, lighter, and more durable than the traditional truck body construction materials of fiberglass reinforced plywood and aluminum. DuraPlate is also thinner, which increased the amount of inside space by nearly three inches. Initially built for truck bodies ranging in length from 12 to 26 feet, Utilimaster has expanded the market for DuraPlate by offering the material in smaller trucks. The company experimented with different adhesives and developed a technique for bonding the sheets of DuraPlate together rather than using conventional rivets. The smooth surface now allows for an exterior that can display graphics and logos without having rivets poke through.