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Trailer|Body Builders
Market Leader
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TRAILER|BODY BUILDERS (USPS Permit 636660, ISSN 0041-0772 print, ISSN 2771-7542 online) Volume 65 Issue 9, is published monthly by Endeavor Business Media, LLC. 201 N Main St 5th Floor, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Trailer/ Body Builders, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualified subscriptions. Subscription prices: U.S. ($79 per year); Canada/Mexico ($79 per year); All other countries ($157 per year). All subscriptions are payable in U.S. funds. Send subscription inquiries to Trailer/Body Builders, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. Customer service can be reached toll-free at 877-382-9187 or at trailerbodybuilders@ omeda.com for magazine subscription assistance or questions. Printed in the USA. Copyright 2024 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopies, recordings, or any information storage or retrieval system without permission from the publisher. Endeavor Business Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person or company for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident, or any other cause whatsoever. The views and opinions in the articles herein are not to be taken as official expressions of the publishers, unless so stated. The publishers do not warrant either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of the articles herein, nor do they so warrant any views or opinions by the authors of said articles.
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Bollinger Motors plans to start producing “saleable units” of its Bollinger B4 Chassis Cab. Trailer-BodyBuilders.com/55137118
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Bollinger Motors
CHASSIS
Mack debuts virtual Truck Builder
For work truck shoppers wanting a pre-order peek at their chassis with a body on it, with proper color, trim, and interior, Mack Trucks has a solution.
Mack’s recently launched, cutting-edge Truck Builder is a digital platform that allows customers to customize their dream Mack truck from the ground up.
This innovative tool represents a comprehensive overhaul of Mack’s previous online truck customization technology and significantly enhances the user experience, the company touts.
“Our new Truck Builder isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a complete reimagining of how customers interact with our products,” said David Galbraith, Mack Trucks vice president of global brand and marketing. “We’ve created an immersive, user-friendly experience that brings the excitement of building a Mack truck to life in new and unprecedented ways.”
The Mack Truck Builder offers an “unparalleled” level of customization, allowing users to personalize every aspect of their truck, and covers the Mack Pinnacle, Granite, Mack Anthem, Mack MD Series and the Mack LR, including MD Electric and LR Electric models.
Customers can explore a full 3D rendering of both the truck exterior and the cab interior, including various trim options. In addition, customers can customize the exterior color with an expanded palette
Users have comprehensive control over component selection across body, powertrain, axles, suspension and chassis, ensuring each truck is tailored to the customer’s needs.
While the current body options for the MD, for example, include only a generic box or utility body (see photo above), a Mack spokesperson told Trailer/Body Builders that the OEM has discussed adding a variety of actual truck bodies to the tool and
“will continue to consider this and other options in the future.”
Multiple viewing angles, including studio view, 360-degree rotation and detailed hotspots, provide a thorough visualization of the customized vehicle.
In addition to a robust and detailed customization experience, Truck Builder goes beyond mere aesthetics by integrating Mack’s financing options and the Mack Connect fleet performance portal into the customization process. This integration provides customers with a comprehensive view of their potential Mack truck ownership experience, according to Mack. The platform showcases Mack’s financing solutions, including loans, leases and insurance options, tailored to meet the specific needs of both over-theroad and vocational applications.
The Truck Builder also introduces users to Mack Connect, a unified dashboard that offers real-time performance data, location tracking, analytics and diagnostic insights. This fleet performance portal enables future Mack truck owners to track performance, optimize routes and identify points of interest using location data, maximize uptime and increase efficiency.
Additionally, the platform highlights Mack’s comprehensive
warranty protection and service contract options.
“By incorporating these essential ownership aspects into Truck Builder, we’re providing customers with a truly comprehensive view of what it means to own a Mack truck,” Galbraith said. “This tool not only allows customers to design their ideal truck but also helps them envision how Mack supports their business long after the initial purchase.”
Once a build is complete, the platform connects customers with local Mack dealers who can refine the specs and bring the custom truck to life, the OEM noted. The builder saves configurations, allowing users to revisit and modify their designs at their convenience. This feature enhances the user experience by providing flexibility and encouraging exploration of different options.
“Truck Builder is more than a configuration tool—it’s a gateway to the Mack experience,” Galbraith said. “It embodies our commitment to innovation and customer service, allowing potential buyers to explore and spec their ideal truck when convenient for them.”
Have an idea for a topic to cover in the November TBB Chassis Roundup? Send a note to kjones@endeavorb2b. com by early October.
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MAC Trailer expands into truck bodies
MAC Trailer Enterprises is extending its production capabilities in the straight truck body sector. With the addition to a new 136,000-sq.-ft.-facility dedicated to this initiative, MAC Trailer is poised to better serve the needs of dealerships and end-users across North America, the company noted.
“We are thrilled to expand our efforts in the straight truck body industry,” said Ken Speedy, director of straight truck products at MAC Trailer Enterprises. “This expansion not only increases our manufacturing capacity but also demonstrates our commitment to meeting the evolving demands of our customers. MAC Trailer
NATDA Trailer Tech Expo: Call for presentations
The North American Trailer Dealers Association (NATDA) has opened its call for presentations for its newest trailer industry event: Trailer Tech Expo Powered by NATDA.
The event, sponsored by Dealer Spike and Novae, will debut at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada from February 25-27, 2025.
The dealer education program at Trailer Tech Expo will consist of both classroom sessions and in-depth software demonstrations (a new offering for NATDA).
Topics sought for classroom sessions will cover cutting-edge strategies and use of technology in the areas of operations, sales, marketing, human
resources, leadership and management, service training, data analytics, and regulatory updates.
For software demonstrations, presenters must provide an in-depth overview of their platform—covering both basic and advanced functionality with ample time for Q&A, the organization noted. Presenters may submit session offerings that provide a deep dive demonstration and instruction for prospective and beginning users or “user group” style sessions for existing intermediate and advanced users.
Software demonstrations are only open to Trailer Tech Expo exhibitors. Interested speakers must submit their
is back in the straight truck game and ready to serve our clients with enhanced capabilities and dedication.”
Expanded Offerings
With the enhanced capabilities of the new facility, MAC Trailer will offer a wide range of straight truck body solutions, including:
• Mounted Bodies and Ship-Out Options: Offering flexibility in delivery and installation to meet specific logistical needs.
• A Wide Range of Styles: MAC Trailer’s diverse product line includes aluminum smooth side, sheet and post, half-round, and steel options, all of which are available in both pronounced and smooth side finishes.
“We invite you to explore our enhanced capabilities and discover how our products can benefit your operations,” Speedy said. “Our team is ready to assist with any questions and provide detailed information about our offerings. We are eager to collaborate with our clients and contribute to their success with our innovative solutions.”
applications online at natda.org/ call-for-presentations-tte.
The submission deadline is September 16.
“We’re excited to be offering a curriculum that focuses on how dealers can use technology to streamline operations and accelerate dealership performance,” NATDA Executive Director Andria Gibbon said. “Our goal with this program is to ensure that every dealership attendee walks away with actionable insights to help their respective businesses grow.”
We have been a preferred manufacturer of premium truck bodies and trailers for more than 40 years. Gincor Werx Live Bottom Trailers are built with experience and customer satisfaction in mind. Our longevity has been fueled by our ability
Godwin Group upgrades Hardox steel offering
All Godwin Group manufacturing brands are making a switch from SSAB 450 Hardox abrasion-resistant steel to Hardox 500 Tuf abrasion-resistant steel as their primary AR steel offering, the truck equipment manufacturer reported.
Effective immediately, all product offerings and options formerly containing AR steel will use the upgrade. This includes everything from whole dump body models to HD series snowplows and all cutting edges.
The switch is being rolled out as a “substantial value-added upgrade” to Godwin product lines with no additional
costs being passed on to customers, the company noted. Hardox 500 Tuf is often used in heavy duty equipment like excavator buckets and crushers due to its superior strength and abrasion resistance. This is an overall wear resistance improvement of up to 40% over 450 Hardox steel, which has become popular in the dump body industry.
The company also pointed out that while many dump body manufacturers use AR400 as their standard AR offering, 500 Tuf offers up to double the wear resistance for fleets.
“It is our intention to continue to raise the bar in our industry,” Godwin Group President Pat Godwin Jr. said. “With trucks becoming harder to get and at higher prices, it is more important than ever that we continue our practice of offering high value equipment that is going to last.”
In some instances, the switch to
Hardox 500 Tuf can make dump bodies more profitable, the manufacturer added. Due to its higher strength, slightly thinner steel can be used in dump body construction to further increase payload without sacrificing durability.
Customers can expect to start seeing a transition from Hardox 450 to Hardox 500 Tuf in all Godwin Group Marketing and specification materials over the next year.
Godwin Group brands include Godwin Manufacturing, Good Roads, Galion, R/S Godwin, WilliamsenGodwin, and Champion Hoist.
The Godwin Group
NTEA – The Work Truck Association has released the 25th edition of Annual Manufacturers’ Shipments Survey (AMSS) Report, designed to enable the commercial vehicle industry to estimate market size by dollars and units for 50 product lines. NTEA collects and evaluates aggregate results based on data submitted from 79 companies. The resulting report offers directional guidance to help industry manufacturers and distributors assess their general business performance.
Featuring 2023 data, the latest AMSS report indicates the 2023 value of shipments increased 9.7% as compared to 2022. Shipments rose 8.9% in 2022. Consistent with historic results is significant variation in product line growth rates. In unit terms, many product lines registered declines relative to 2022. In total, though, units were nearly level with 2022’s numbers, which is reflective of chassis sales data from NTEA’s Monthly OEM Statistics Program.
“Companies can use AMSS report data as a helpful benchmark for assessing changes in market size and growth,” said Steve Latin-Kasper, NTEA senior director of market data and research. “This resource provides insight into a broad swath of the commercial truck and truck equipment industry to support strategic business planning efforts.”
This resource can help
• Evaluate approximate market size
• Assess changes in market growth (in terms of units/dollars)
• Provide insights in determining your company’s market share
There are a number of ways to estimate the size of the commercial truck and truck equipment industry. However, dollar measurement is required in order to compare the industry’s contribution to the larger manufacturing and wholesale trade economic sectors, the association noted. NTEA publishes AMSS data in unit and dollar terms and provides indexes, enabling accurate annual percent change calculation for each market segment. Companies are encouraged
to use report findings to support annual business planning processes.
Survey participants receive a complimentary AMSS report as well as a data tool containing results in an Excel spreadsheet for easier manipulation. Learn more and purchase ($299 NTEA members, $599 nonmembers) at ntea.com/amss.
Stoughton adds Twin State to Southeast dealer network
Stoughton Trailers LLC has added Twin State Trailers as an authorized dealer of Stoughton brand trailers, including its dry van and PureBlue refrigerated trailer and chassis models.
With more than 35 years in the transportation industry, Twin State Trailers is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.
“Our team is excited to represent Stoughton Trailers in the Southeastern United States,” said Chris Vaughn, president at Twin State Trailers. “We are committed to exceeding our customers’ expectations and we feel the Stoughton brand is a great fit for our business.”
Twin State Trailers will offer not only new Stoughton dry van trailers, refrigerated trailers and chassis but service, parts and a broad range of financing options, the company noted.
“We are pleased to have Twin State Trailers join our network of trailer sales and service providers,” said Jeremy Sanders, CCO at Stoughton Trailers. “We believe the expertise and extensive experience of their team, their emphasis on customer service as well as their expansive facilities footprint will help Stoughton to grow its market share in this growing region of the United States.”
Twin State Trailers headquarters is located at 8621 Statesville Road, Charlotte, N.C.
The Stoughton Trailers dealer network provides sales, parts and service to trailer customers across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Stoughton Trailers
Safe Fleet adds Houston facility
Vehicle safety solutions supplier Safe Fleet continues to expand its Commercial Vehicle division’s Safety-As-A-Service (SAAS) network with a facility in Houston. This new location will better service work trucks and the construction, agriculture, refuse, and recycling vehicles, according to the company.
This service location will specialize in using premium solutions from its family of tarping, video, and van storage brands: Roll·Rite, Pulltarps, Vango, American Van, and Rear View Safety. Roll-Rite, Vango, and Pulltarps provide a wide array of automatic, semi-automatic, and rolling tarp solutions that ensure payloads stay covered.
To improve visibility and road awareness, Rear View Safety supplies backup cameras (including those with AI capabilities), side cameras, mobile DVRs, sensors, and monitors. The site will
also provide organizational and safety solutions from American Van in the form of shelving, ladder racks, flooring, and partitions. With a combination of any of these products, clients can expect fully customized upfits, white-glove service, and a dedicated account manager, Safe Fleet added.
Summit $50M expansion targets market growth
Service- and lube-body specialist Summit Truck Bodies will invest $50 million to construct a new state-of-the-art facility in Wathena, Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly announced July 31. The strategic expansion, which will double the company’s production output and create 80 new jobs, aims to meet the rising demand for high-quality service trucks. The new plant is being built next to its existing facility, and construction is expected to be completed in 20 months, according to the statement from the Governor’s Office.
“Summit Truck Bodies’ expansion is proof that our dedicated workforce, quality of life, and central location draw businesses across various industries,” Kelly said. “Kansas will continue to partner with first-class companies like Summit Truck Bodies to ensure communities throughout the state have opportunities to prosper.”
The new facility will include a 200,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing space and 20,000 sq. ft. dedicated to office spaces and showrooms. It will be located adjacent to the existing production and warehouse facility to ensure efficiency, optimize workflow, and double production output. This expansion will focus on service body production and the final assembly of service trucks.
“The most exciting aspect of this expansion is the integration of new technology and streamlined processes that will maximize our production efficiency,” Summit Truck Bodies Plant Manager Chris Walter said. “The advanced equipment will improve fabrication and paint speed, reduce physical strain on our workers, and ensure consistent high quality. This expansion
will significantly decrease lead times and enhance after-sales support, directly benefiting our customers.”
The current 132,000-sq.-ft. facility will be transformed to streamline capability in key areas, shifting its focus to manufacturing lube trucks, drawer systems, cranes, body refurbishments, and parts sales.
“A concerted focus on strengthening our state’s advanced manufacturing sector is not only attracting companies from around the world but encouraging existing companies to expand operations right here in Kansas,” Lt. Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Working with companies like Summit Truck Bodies is what will keep our state on the dominant trajectory of growth we’re experiencing.”
Summit Truck Equipment (STE), a sister company of STB, is focused on selling custom service, lube trucks and equipment STB produces. The recent expansion of Summit Truck Bodies’ manufacturing capabilities will significantly elevate STE’s capacity to meet market needs.
“The expansion of Summit Truck Bodies will improve our responsiveness to market needs, shorten lead times, and improve customer experience,”
Summit Truck Equipment National Sales Manager Daniel DeAces said. “This growth will allow us to hire more sales team members to cover open territories, expand our market reach, build stronger relationships, and gain deeper insights into our customers’ needs. With strategically located sales representatives across the U.S., we can connect with new clients and grow our customer base by leveraging brand recognition, trust, and factory support.”
Summit Truck Bodies
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Yaskawa opens HQ expansion in Miamisburg, Ohio
Yaskawa America Inc. has completed an expansion to its headquarters in Miamisburg, Ohio. The 185,000 sq.-ft. state-of-the-art addition will nearly double the size of the company’s current production space, optimizing its operational capacity to meet the growing demand of the automation industry.
The additional manufacturing space will be utilized to engineer, develop, integrate and build robotic systems, as well as provide additional space for the retrofit and rebuild of previously deployed robots and systems.
“This expansion represents the first phase of Yaskawa’s planned $200M investment in the United States to support the Company’s growth initiatives and its commitment to driving additional development and production in the Americas,” said Steve Barhorst, president and COO of Yaskawa Motoman. “This investment and other planned
investments in the near future along with the Company’s unwavering focus on robotics, semiconductor motion and inverter markets will continue to drive growth and manufacturing forward in the North American Market.”
Yaskawa Motoman celebrated the
opening of the new addition with an event for employees and their families in early August 2024 and will welcome customers, partners, and dignitaries through various separate gatherings throughout the remainder of 2024.
Yaskawa Motoman
Krone, LKW Walter mark milestone with 40,000th trailer
European trailer and ag equipment manufacturer Krone recently welcomed a delegation from the Austrian transport group LKW Walter for the ceremonial handover of their 40,000th trailer as the two companies celebrated their 40-year collaboration. In addition to the handover of the anniversary vehicle, the visit also included tours of the Krone factories and the company’s agricultural machinery production facilities.
Bernard Krone, chairman of the Supervisory Board of Krone Holding SE, and Ingo Geerdes, managing director of Fahrzeugwerk Bernard Krone GmbH, welcomed Christian Bernegger, CEO of Walter Group Holding AG, and Karl Schauer, senior management director at LKW Walter Internationale Transportorganisation AG, as well as Anton Dietrich, managing director of Walter Leasing GmbH in Emsland, Germany.
During the handover, Ingo Geerdes recognized the many years of successful cooperation between the companies.
“Forty years of partnership with LKW Walter and 40,000 units produced— these impressive figures speak for themselves,” Geerdes said. “We would like to thank LKW Walter for the many years of trust and the intensive dialogue, which has repeatedly led to product improvements and innovations. We are very much looking forward to continuing our successful and productive collaboration.’
Founded in 1924, the transport organization LKW Walter is a leader in European full truckload transport. With 1,650 employees, the Austrian private company, which is 100% family-owned, handles more than 1.7 million full truck loads per year. LKW Walter has been a pioneer in the development of combined road/rail transport and short sea shipping since 1984.
“Our Krone craneable trailers are in daily use throughout Europe—most of the way by rail or ship.” Schauer said. “By shifting from road transport to combined transport, we are making a significant contribution to reducing pollutant
emissions and can achieve a total C02 reduction of over 329,000 tons per year.”
In addition to the handover of the anniversary vehicle, the two-day visit to Emsland included a tour of the Krone factories in Werlte and Herzlake as well as the Krone agricultural machinery production facility in Spelle. Here, the
guests from Austria also visited the Krone Museum, which documents the development of the Krone company from a small forge to a globally active agricultural machinery and commercial vehicle manufacturer.
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Shur-Co acquires US Tarp
Cargo covering and cargo control systems manufacturer Shur-Co LLC has acquired US Tarp Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of truck and trailer tarping systems and parts. Shur-Co is a portfolio company of Behrman Capital while US Tarp is a portfolio company of Brighton Partners. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“As part of Shur-Co, US Tarp is well-positioned for continued growth, led by its experienced management team,” Grant G. Behrman, managing partner of Behrman
Capital, said. “We are pleased to support Shur-Co’s expansion as they continue to build out their product portfolio with highly complementary and innovative partners.”
Headquartered in South Haven, Michigan, and with a sales and distribution facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, US Tarp serves specialty OEM customers across the construction and landscaping, agricultural, and recycling and refuse markets, as well as manufactures and distributes aftermarket products for its own and competitor tarping systems.
“US Tarp brings highly complementary product lines, supplementing our own cargo covering offerings, and is a natural growth opportunity for our business,” Chad Heminover, CEO of Shur-Co, said. “With overlapping markets and similar customer bases, this is a great opportunity to continue expanding, backed not only by US Tarp’s current offerings, but also the strength of their innovative engineering and development teams.”
Founded in 2003, US Tarp has expanded its footprint and offerings over two decades, and boasts a strong engineering and product development team, with a history of new product innovation to meet demonstrated customer need.
“At US Tarp, we are most proud of our customer service culture and history of customer-oriented product development,” US Tarp President and CEO Thomas Bronz said. “We are excited to join forces with Shur-Co as we continue to build out our product lines and bring our service-oriented business to new customers and geographies.”
Lincoln Electric Holdings has acquired Vanair Manufacturing, which is based in Michigan City, Indiana. The manufacturer produces mobile power solutions serving the U.S. service truck market, including vehicle-mounted compressors, generators, welders, hydraulics, chargers/ boosters, and electrified power equipment for work trucks.
“Vanair is renowned for their leading high-quality manufacturing, innovation, and engineering expertise in the fast-growing maintenance and repair service truck market,” said Steven B.
Hedlund, Lincoln Electric’s president and chief executive officer. “By joining together, Lincoln Electric will capitalize on this channel opportunity to accelerate growth and broaden our technology platform for long-term value creation.”
Vanair’s equipment portfolio complements Lincoln Electric’s maintenance and repair consumable offering and builds upon the joint development equipment initiatives that the two companies have been pursuing.
Vanair’s annual revenue is approximately $100 million with a low
double-digit percent EBIT margin, and their results will be reported in the Americas Welding Segment.
Lincoln Electric acquires Vanair
US Tarp/LinkedIn
High Bar Brands acquires BettsHD
High Bar Brands has added BettsHD, a division of the 156-year-old Betts Company, to its family of commercial vehicle brands. The Fresno, California-based BettsHD product lines, including metal fenders and mud flap hangers, will retain their name as part of the HBB portfolio.
“We’re excited to welcome a well-known brand like BettsHD to the High Bar Brands family,” said HBB President and CEO Christopher ‘CT’ Thorpe. “The history, reputation, and products make this a perfect addition to our lineup of iconic brands. Our sales and marketing strategy is unique in the industry, and we take a deliberate approach to integrating new brands to ensure everything operates smoothly.”
Thorpe emphasized that HBB will collaborate with key BettsHD employees to integrate the brand into the HBB family over the coming months, aiming to streamline the customer experience.
Derek Quys, senior vice president of sales and Business Development at HBB, added, “BettsHD brings a dynamic product range, and we’re thrilled to enhance our spray suppression offerings by including mud flap hangers and metal fenders. This acquisition enables us to better serve customers who prefer to purchase products by category.”
Bill Betts will remain invested with the BettsHD brand under High Bar Brands, while Betts Company, under Bill’s leadership, will continue to independently operate its other divisions, Betts Spring Manufacturing and Betts Truck Parts and Service. The transaction is designed to allow Betts Company to concentrate on expanding it distribution and spring divisions, he noted.
“High Bar Brands has a strong history of successfully integrating family-owned businesses into their robust sales and marketing framework,” said Bill Betts, president and COO of Betts Company. “Betts Company has a six-generation legacy, and we’re confident that HBB will continue to grow and improve the BettsHD segment while caring for our employees and customers as we have for over a century and a half.”
The HBB portfolio includes Minimizer, Premier Mfg., BettsHD, Dieter’s Accessories, Panelite, and Viking Sales, serving drivers and fleets across North, Central, and South America.
Trane buys Klinge Corp.
Trane Technologies and its Thermo King brand has acquired Klinge Corporation as of August 1.
“Klinge is a natural extension of our strategy, and they share a passion for improving lives through innovative, ultra-reliable temperature control solutions,” said Adam Wittwer, president of Thermo King Americas. “We look forward to working together with the talented Klinge team to accelerate growth, create new value for our respective customers, and, above all, ensure communities around the world receive important goods safely and efficiently.”
Klinge provides transport container solutions for various industries and is one of the world’s providers of specialized ISO refrigerated containers. The addition of Klinge complements Thermo King’s suite of sustainable solutions, which includes container refrigeration units aimed towards moving extremely temperature-sensitive goods for government and other vertical industries.
Klinge Corp. Trane
Focus on service
Cleveland-area trailer dealer TSI renovates facilities, approach to growth during downturn
By John Hitch
NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio— About 30 minutes from Cleveland, not far from the junction of Interstates 71 and 80, sits Transport Services, Inc., a 46-acre trailer dealership that fits in perfectly with the surrounding light industrial area. The 48-year-old business, an authorized Hyundai Translead and Cheetah Chassis dealer, is flanked by storage and landscaping businesses, and the long two-story building’s exterior shares the same non-descript look.
But that’s just a façade. Inside, TSI has been modernized to meet the present and future needs of fleets through a series of renovations to improve the offices, parts, and maintenance areas. Every detail seems thought out for the company’s two most pressing goals: to better serve customers and entice the best technicians.
You notice it right away upon entering the building and walking over the lustrous vinyl planks to the maroon, silver,
and black reception counter. Behind the narrow Corian countertop, renderings of the dealer’s new Toledo branch, planned for March 2025, rest on easels, a sign of TSI’s growth plan. The dealer also has a location in Columbus, Ohio.
Against the adjacent wall are two aluminum Aviator-style leather chairs,
the sort of high-end detail to show the owners value traditional American industrialism and their visitors’ comfort. Above those are the dealers’ four pillars (technically glass signs) that hold up the business—leasing, sales, service, and parts. Though not load-bearing, these pillars hold up the business in good
Adam Therrien, president of Transport Services, Inc, which has locations near Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, with another and coming to Toledo next March.
John Hitch | Trailer-Body Builders
Transport Services, Inc. completed major internal renovations in 2017 and expanded in 2023.
John Hitch | Trailer-Body Builders
times and bad, according to company president Adam Therrien, who invited us to visit the site in June. His father Albert founded the company in 1976 and remains CEO.
“These four divisions position us to uniquely handle our customers’ trailer needs, starting before the purchase or lease is made through the life of the trailer,” Therrien explained. “We are not looking for a one-and-done transaction; rather we are looking to establish longterm partnerships with our customers.”
This has allowed TSI to keep customers not just through one purchase, but the life of their fleet.
And to ensure that longevity, TSI continually invests in the facility, with a major overhaul in 2017 and additional expansion in 2023.
For the employees, the entire second floor, previously office space, was reconstituted as a mid-day oasis from the daily grind. Updates included a swole employee gym with equipment and a dining area dressed like a hip brewpub. The secondary kitchenette alone is bigger than the previous breakroom. While before workers would have to cram into a shared break space, now they can escape to one of three private rooms adjacent to the dining area, each with a comfy recliner and big-screen TV. The two sides fit together like a
tractor and trailer. And with all commercial vehicle techs hard to come by, let alone those who specialize on the back end, TSI’s leadership knows going the extra mile will help ensure the shop can attract and keep the right talent to grow the business.
“It starts with techs—if you don’t have techs to fix your equipment, there’s nowhere to go,” asserted Therrien, who as a teenager worked in the shop over summer breaks. “They’re as important as anybody else in this organization.”
During freight downturns, which the industry is just starting to crawl out of, the maintenance side keeps revenue steadily coming in when sales and leasing dip. And customers need more of their services when they are not able to buy newer trailers.
“Customers who normally are keeping their tractor and trailers longer are going to need service more often,” Therrien offered.
This location alone has 22 bays, four added in 2017 and another six in 2023, while Columbus has seven trailer bays and a three-bay full body and paint shop. Both sites can maintain, repair, and rebuild trailers of all makes and have 11 mobile maintenance trucks to provide services off-site. Each location employs at least 15 technicians.
To show women at TSI are just as
valued as the men, TSI also added a female-specific locker room with its own showers. He cited women’s different approaches to problems and generally high attention to detail make them great assets for the industry.
“There’s not enough of them, truthfully, be it technicians, drivers, office folks, whoever—and I think our industry could use a lot more,” he said.
TSI was named a best place to work by Women in Trucking in 2020, though Therrien takes more pride in building a place where his two daughters could someday work and “feel completely comfortable.”
Upholding relationships
The conference room we met in exudes that level of permanence, from the grandiose mahogany table fit for a Fortune 500 company boardroom to the walls lined with pictures of Cleveland’s art deco colossuses, the Guardians of Traffic (from which the former Cleveland Indians took their new name in 2021).
It’s the kind of place where you feel leadership knows where they came from and expect to be for a long time.
Therrien explained it all comes down to relationships. Fleet customers have gone from sticking with dealers out of loyalty to staying with them until they let them down. That doesn’t mean making
TSI focuses on four main areas of service, including leasing, sales, service, and parts.
John Hitch I Trailer-Body Builders
OPERATIONS PROFILE | Transport
one mistake, but more how they respond to mishaps and miscommunication.
“We need to have the strongest relationship with our customers, ultimately, because we’re going to screw up,” Adam explained. And TSI wants customers to tell them how they screwed up so they can quickly find ways to make it right.
This relationship often starts with one of the 15 salespeople serving the Buckeye State and surrounding regions (Toledo will reach up to Detroit and over to Fort Wayne, Indiana), who basically cold-call prospective fleets.
“They go knock on doors and learn what customers need, and I believe
that’s what builds the relationship that ultimately can lead to opportunities,” Therrien said.
But to keep a customer long-term, TSI must ensure maximum uptime. And that’s proved in the bay.
Expanding maintenance
TSI knows a dealer can’t very well stake its reputation on service if it can’t deliver, no matter how nice the lobby or meeting room is. That meant ensuring the shop has everything it needs.
Along with adding and widening bays, TSI added a 10,000-sq.-ft. parts warehouse that increased inventory and
ultimately, uptime. Fresh paint on the walls brightened up the place, and an outdoor patio invited employees to get out in the sunshine. Enhanced lighting and more security cameras throughout the complex also ensured a higher level of safety and security.
For their occupational safety, scissor lifts replaced ladders in the shop. To avoid a tech troubleshooting a wire harness issue for five or more hours, the shop also invested in ABS and lighting diagnostic tools, which Therrien said “has helped us tremendously get to the root of the cause quickly and more efficiently.”
“When technicians come to us and see our facility, we try to be better than most for safety purposes and for available tools,” Therrien said. “Because ultimately, it makes your life easier. Efficiency is better and they see that we care, so they’re more engaged.”
Getting these new tools was crucial to uptime, as Ray Erne, service operations manager at the shop, noted even skilled techs have issues with electrical troubleshooting. The tools, though, are meaningless if the techs aren’t properly trained to use them.
And if that shop has staffing trouble or improperly trained techs, screw-ups will ensue. That makes the retention of good techs even more important.
Training the next generation
Therrien noted in general that TSI can set itself apart through its training program: Smaller fleets and independent shops don’t always have techs trained to work on modern trailers, which are getting smarter by the day with more electrical components. And many small shops still struggle with decades-old mechanical technology.
“Recently, we had the ability to put some air disc brakes into a customer’s trailer and they declined,” he recalled. “They would rather run the older drums.
TSI replaced ladders with scissor lifts to improve worker safety and efficiency.
John Hitch | Trailer-Body Builders
John Hitch | Trailer-Body Builders
Their main driver was not every repair facility knows how to maintain or fix the disc brakes.
“There is unfortunately an aging of our technicians in the industry, and they have been used to one thing and if they’re not willing to be trained, or learn, that’s a problem,” Therrien continued.
TSI has a robust apprentice program and often recruits from technical and secondary schools. Many of those new techs have more training on the diesel side, so the shop has to convince them “that diesel techs can be great trailer techs,” Therrien said.
To make sure students at one Columbus vo-tech school has more practical knowledge of the sector, TSI is planning to donate a trailer to them.
Therrien added that getting them from schools as opposed to other shops allows TSI to train them to their standards without having to unlearn potential bad habits.
Erne noted many have “minimal skills” at the start, so the shop crosstrains them for one to three weeks with
each of the more experienced techs “until [they’ve] learned every skill out there.” This “completely change[d] our turnaround time for our customers,” he continued.
During our visit, one of the newer techs, Dylan Greve, formally trained as a welder with “zero experience” in the sector before TSI, was learning about wheel-end maintenance from technical advisor Mike Conley, who had as much experience in the industry as Greve had years on earth—25.
The continual pairing of new and old technicians has apparently improved the environment even more than all the facility upgrades.
“We have a very cohesive culture,” Conley offered. “Everybody wants to see each other succeed. We help each other out. It’s one of the best shops I’ve worked in.”
Columbus also employs this model and even brought in 20 graduating high schoolers for a tour earlier this year. They got one lead for a potential hire, which made the time spent on the visit
worth it, according to Therrien.
That cross-training also extends up to the C-Suite.
“A lot of our top C-level execs were not truck folks,” Therrien said. “We don’t have a lot of retreads of folks who have been in the industry for many, many years going from one dealership to the next.”
The HR manager, for example, comes from the IT world. TSI has no mandates on prior trailer experience, but they do require all new hires to be technologically savvy, Therrien said. By constantly refreshing and expanding its facilities, not only the building but the perspectives of those within, TSI is ready to change with the times, as trailers get smarter and customers expect more for less.
“I like bringing in personnel from different industries because some are light years ahead of the trailer industry when it comes to technology,” Therrien concluded. “If they’re already used to it, and we bring it in, or we bring it along, that’s going to be better for us as an organization.” TBB
Technician advisor Joseph Ambrose grinds some flat stock to be used on a trailer’s front end.
‘Grit and tenacity
SmithCo marks 30 years of innovation and growth
By Alex Keenan
tenacity’
hree decades is a long time to be in business, whether as a donut shop or a trailer manufacturer. SmithCo Inc. would know, as the construction, agriculture, demolition, and mining trailer manufacturer celebrated its 30th anniversary this year.
Scott Lovell, president and CEO of SmithCo, has been with the organization for 24 of those 30 years, and has seen it survive thanks to its tenacity and devotion to solving customers’ problems, even during its humble origins and lean times.
“We are in business with the person that buys our trailer,” Lovell said. “If they’re not profitable and they’re not
happy, then we’re not satisfied. In the end, their success means we’re successful, and you build upon that, one person at a time, one trailer at a time.”
Starting small
Greg Smith started SmithCo in 1994 as a man with an idea: To help the construction industry have a side dump trailer that met the Federal Bridge Formula
while also eliminating the potential for end dump trailer tip-over. So, that’s what he did, leasing his first manufacturing facility with only three other employees.
“[Smith] relied on key people that he had identified as trustworthy, honest, and had good ideas,” said Duane Myears, district sales manager with SmithCo. “These were people that thought through problems and came out with a solution.”
And while they only made three trailers in their first year, Smith’s chosen people kept solving problems and growing the company, until by 1997, SmithCo was ready for a bigger facility. Luckily, there was a parcel of land just south of where the original building was, Lovell related, and once the company bought it, work started on a larger facility in 1998, and SmithCo moved into its new home in November 1999.
Now, production had grown from three trailers in a year to 250, and while SmithCo had kept the dedication and adaptability of a company powered by four people, its organization and structure had to catch up to its growing size and productivity. In 2000, Smith hired both Lovell and Myears, building out the team needed to support the 80 or so workers who ran the lines to produce roughly four to five trailers a week.
“There was a core group that had been with Greg for four or five years
The trailer manufacturer prides itself on working with its customers to achieve their goals. SmithCo
that really knew what to do,” Lovell recalled. “There was a lot of institutional knowledge, but not a lot of process and procedures. People needed direction.”
This was especially true at SmithCo, where that core team started out so small that everyone wore multiple hats, drawing on their institutional knowledge and experience when applying themselves to every task.
“The guys that welded the trailers when this place first started were the same guys that painted it, they were the same guys that put the electrical and hydraulic stuff into it,” Lovell explained. “As they grew, they had to compartmentalize the company and the process, and they grew so fast that the process and procedures never kept up with the growth of the company.”
But just as the new millennia saw SmithCo start to grow beyond a small, scrappy company into a well-oiled machine, 2001 ushered in a host of new changes, not all of them good. The economy struggled after the September 11 attacks, with the trailer industry and SmithCo feeling these ramifications as well.
“It got really, really tough,” Lovell remembered. “Within my first year and a half, I ended up having to lay off two thirds of the employees because of the major downturn in the economy.” But
SmithCo’s workers treat every trailer as their own from start to finish, both Lovell and Myears said. Their pride in their work allows them to address issues even when it’s not in their department.
SmithCo
“Sometimes we have to protect the customers from themselves because their idea is too far out there,” Lovell said.
But once that spark is fine-tuned between SmithCo and their client, the company also examines whether the idea is applicable to the wider base of their constituents.
“If we build [a trailer] for just one person, it doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Lovel explained. “But does it have a potential market that we’re going to fulfill? That’s really the genesis of every different model that we have right now.”
It’s this kind of creativity and scalability that helped keep SmithCo afloat during the lean times, Myear noted.
SmithCo never gave up. Even with their reduced staff, those that remained used that time to streamline their new processes and increase their efficiency, preparing them to take off again once the economy rebounded.
And rebound it did—Nowadays, SmithCo can produce over 500 trailers per year and focuses not just on efficiency, but on providing their customers exactly what they need and when they need it.
“One thing we do is we pay attention to our customers, including their wants and their needs,” Myears stated. “If you ever have an issue, let us know. It’s the only way that we can stay at the forefront and say that we’re the best. We need to know what’s happening and we take care of it.”
“Our slogan is, we don’t build trailers, we build solutions,” Lovell agreed. “Our solutions are in the form of a trailer, but we have many different models that are suited for specific applications and markets that our competitors can’t get into because they only build one type of trailer.”
This includes the ability to modify trailer lengths per inch to maximize payloads, Lovell noted, and working with a customer to tailor their ideas and requests to make them the best they can be.
“It’s not just selling a trailer out of the box,” the district sales manager stated. “We were willing to build a guy what he wanted and try something new. It kept the business going when the markets were way down.”
Creating for the cold
One example of this ingenuity was the work SmithCo did with Baffinland Iron Mines. The Canadian company mines iron ore, and they approached SmithCo between 2009 and 2010 needing trailers to withstand the harsh environment north of the Arctic Circle. It took SmithCo until 2013 to finalize the Baffinland trailer design.
The problem was the sheer size of the trailers, which required a six-inch axle that was not the typical tube, but a solid bar. This required a manufacturer who could make a suspension that was able to bear that kind of load even before the trailer was filled, not to mention stand up to the frigid cold.
“Nobody had ever built equipment that was going to work around the clock, 365 days a year that far North in subarctic conditions,” Myears said. “Typically, the world stops working at minus 40 degrees. [Baffinland was] at negative 80 and wanted to keep running.”
This included finding the proper materials to withstand those extreme temperatures. Then, of course, once the trailer design was completed, it needed to be stress tested and adapted based on the company’s daily working conditions.
OPERATIONS PROFILE | SmithCo
“We had to research different steel types and how they reacted to that kind of cold, and then how to weld that material for that cold,” Lovell related. “For the shield gas for the welding wire, we had to do a lot of research to figure out the best combinations for where these [trailers] were going.”
But the final result was worth it. By the end of the project, the 10’ wide and 13-14’ tall trailers weighed almost 50,000 pounds empty and were able to haul 75 metric tons apiece. SmithCo supplied Baffinland Iron Mines with trailers for about six years, until the company’s fleet was properly stocked.
“Those trailers are now still running above the Arctic Circle, hauling this iron ore to a port so they can offload it onto ships,” Lovell stated.
Looking ahead
With that kind of project under their belt, SmithCo has gone on to expand, develop more projects, and is currently working to automate certain parts of their facility’s workflow.
“We’ve got an expansion project that we hope to kick off in 2025 to set up a whole new paint line for us that will
eventually open up some more steel fabricating capacity,” Lovell noted.
Additionally, SmithCo just redesigned its Light Tipper trailer, which is meant for refuse and demolition products, to make it as “bulletproof” for the customer as possible. The Light Tipper was coming through production during the writing of this article, and SmithCo also recently redesigned its construction pup series for improvements, too.
Beyond this, SmithCo’s foray into full automation has been a good learning experience, Lovell stated. While the company already had some semi-automated processes, fully automated equipment is a different ballgame, and it recently installed its first set of robots.
“It’s a two-robot cell system where the set of gantries move back and forth between different cells, and they’re welding our standard SX tub series,” Lovell explained. “They’re doing a good portion of the welding on those to allow us to use human welders at other places within the plant.”
While this process has been exciting, it hasn’t been without its hiccups, including a longer implementation period than SmithCo first anticipated.
“We had a lot more to learn than we originally were led to believe from a programming standpoint, but it’s already given us the ability to produce more tub dump bodies with fewer people than
what we had before,” Lovell said. And that’s a solution that SmithCo’s president is confident the company needs, as they’re planning to grow to
SmithCo celebrated its 30th anniversary with a party at its plant, including grilling, a raffle, facility tours, and more with 26 dealer representatives. SmithCo
produce 1,200 trailers annually within the next seven years.
“That’s our goal, and automation is going to be a part of that,” he added. “It has to be because where we’re located in northwest Iowa, the labor pool just isn’t there.” And the labor shortage is everywhere, Lovell stated, making automation the only way to achieve their growth goals. But he remains optimistic that SmithCo will achieve those goals despite their challenges, just as it has over the past 30 years.
Celebrating a milestone
SmithCo’s 30th anniversary event was one to be remembered. The company celebrated the milestone in conjunction with a dealer conference, where they invited 26 dealer representatives to Le Mars, Iowa, to parley at the convention center in the morning and party at the manufacturing plant in the afternoon. Along with serving some 500 burgers
and 200 hot dogs, “We gave plant tours, had some activities, including a magic show and some pedal tractor-pull for the kids with prizes, and a big raffle,” Lovell said. “We also had Mr. Smith and his wife come back to celebrate that with us. We gave him the microphone to give his thoughts on the company, where it had been, where it came from, and where it is now.”
And the reflection is a worthy one, given how many manufacturing companies go under within three to five years, SmithCo’s president noted.
“It is a tough business to be in because of all the ups and downs and the costs associated with it, and for us to be here 30 years later and to be an industry leader, that was very much worth celebrating,” Lovell concluded.
But considering the creativity and project ownership SmithCo takes of its products, all of its team members are proud of the work they’ve done and know the value of what they create, from the engineers to the welders.
“We always like to think that we still own the trailer when the customer buys it,” Myears remarked. “Years ago, when I first started seeing my kids pointing at the trailer I helped build, I see the same trailers 20 years later and they’re still running the road.”
It’s that kind of steadfastness that helped carry SmithCo back when it encompassed a grand total of four people. And that same steadfastness will push the company forward for many years to come. TBB
The company produces trailers for construction, agriculture, demolition, and mining, with the goal of producing assets that meet customer needs and federal regulations. SmithCo
‘Death, taxes, and distribution’
Analysts ponder what the upcoming election will mean for trucking, equipment markets
By Josh Fisher
COLUMBUS, Indiana—Who wins this fall’s presidential and Congressional elections will impact the trucking and equipment markets—as decisions made in Washington, D.C., often do. And gauging which major candidate will serve the industry best is a quadrennial tradition among trucking industry prognosticators and executives.
At stake: Presidential decisions impact the economy and regulations. These two things impact how manufacturers and suppliers plan and produce for their customers: the carriers and fleets whose own planning and profits are ruled by the freight market and transportation regulations.
“Whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris gets elected, there are going to be some changes one way or the other,” Kenny Vieth, ACT Research president, said hours before Harris accepted the Democratic nomination on August 22.
“But I do think the beauty of this industry is that the U.S. economy is entirely dependent on trucks and truck transportation. And regardless of who gets elected, we’re still going to be eating and drinking and buying clothes and cars and houses the day after the election. We are, as a group, in a very good industry. It’s like death, taxes, and distribution.”
Red vs. Blue (or in the red vs. black?)
With the Democratic National Convention underway just 200 miles to the
While the Class 8 pre-buy could cut into trailer orders ahead of 2027 emissions rules, Jennifer McNealy, ACT Research’s director of research analysis and publications, said trailer OEMs also wonder how the election will affect equipment orders. ACT Research
northeast, the election topic was on the minds of suppliers, manufacturers, carriers, brokers, and others gathered for ACT Research’s Market Vitals seminar here on August 21 and 22.
The twice-a-year seminar shares proprietary insights and forecasts from ACT’s economists, analysts, and industry guests on commercial vehicle and transportation markets.
DAT Freight & Analytics principal analyst Dean Croke, who fielded questions during the seminar, said Republican governments value trucking more. But change could be worse.
“I’m more concerned about the Democratic side of the agenda, pushing regulations based on environmental issues—regulations that are really cost-prohibitive for carriers,” he explained on the opening day of the ACT Research seminar.
Croke added that he is concerned about both sides. He said Trump’s promise to impose more tariffs could create a trade war.
“I think that would be very destructive to the freight market,” he said. “We saw a little bit of that between ‘18-’19 … That disrupted the trade market and set us into that spiral in 2019. So I’m kind of sitting on the fence here, but I err on the side of I think if we kept the same administration, we’d be OK. If we had a new administration, I think that would be more destructive.”
The secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping said recently that Trump’s tariff threats could undermine world trade and lead to more problems.
“The world order has never been under such threat since before the Second World War,” Guy Platten, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping, told the Financial Times.
Economic outlook
Jim Meil, ACT Research principal and industry analyst, said that nearshoring is having a real impact on manufacturing and freight. Mexico’s imports are now 10% higher than China’s, surpassing 2003 market shares before China’s export boom.
“This isn’t the whole story, but we think it’s an important story and at least part of the jigsaw puzzle that brings freight back to North America,” Meil cautioned.
Meil and ACT estimate that 40% of truck freight originates from manufacturing. However, as the U.S. feeds technology sectors, semiconductor fabrication is less trucking-intense than diminishing nondurable goods such as paper and printing-related activities.
Regarding interest rate cuts, both Meil and David Teolis, ACT Research’s chief economist, indicated they expect a rate cut by the Fed in September but probably at 25 basis points.
Teolis expects the Fed’s first cuts to concentrate on being “less restrictive before they become more accommodating.”
“So the idea is don’t get too excited about rate cuts in the early stages of the rate cuts,” Teolis said. “We will see growth pick up, but our view is that we’ll hit a soft patch for the first half of 2025, and then we’ll see an acceleration in the second half.”
Along with the election, potential disruptions include the Middle East conflict, Fed policy moves, China trade, and more.
Wait for it: 2027 prebuy
Intense federal and local emissions regulations are pushing more alt-fuel powered trucks and expensive emissions-reducing technology on internal combustion engines that could increase heavy-duty truck costs by at least $20,000 later this decade.
Equipment buyers, however, might be waiting for things to be more settled. Jennifer McNealy, ACT Research’s director of research analysis and publications, said trailer OEMs also wonder how the election will affect equipment orders.
“They’re telling us their customers are cautious because of the election,” McNealy said. “They want to see what’s going to happen going into 2025 with their demand and what’s happening in freight.”
Diane Hames, VP of commercial strategy for Navistar, said the election could impact how fleets approach a prebuy. Hames said the International Trucks OEM is “looking at scenarios for what ‘25-’26 are going to look like. The industry is struggling to fill the rest of the ’24 order board, particularly in the tractor segment.”
A year ago, Hames was expecting a “strong prebuy for ’25 to ’26 based on what the OEM was hearing during the discourse over regulations.
“That obviously is changing, and I think that a lot of this will be unsettled— at least partially unsettled—until we see
the outcome of the election and what’s happening with the overall freight market and underlying economic fundamentals,” she said.
Might Trump end the EV push?
Despite Trump’s promises to end electric vehicle mandates if elected, the Supreme Court’s Chevron doctrine ruling this summer did not make it easier to end the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board’s clean fleet regulations, such as phase three of the federal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles—known as GHG3.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling on the Chevron doctrine recognizes the importance of Congressional delegations of discretion to agencies like EPA and in status expressly cited the Clean Air Act,” according to a Forbes article by Margo T. Oge, a former director of the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality. Oge argues that the EPA’s new transportation emissions standards fit within its Congressional-given role.
Lydia Vieth, ACT Research analyst for electrification and autonomy, suggested that if Harris is elected, “things will kind of continue as they are.” However, if Trump is elected, it will be “very hard” to totally reverse the EPA regulations on NOx—which are “pretty stuck.”
“The EPA has the authority, under the Clean Air Act, to regulate emissions. So it’s hard to say that is not actually in their purview to do,” Veith explained. “All that
said, it doesn’t mean he wouldn’t try … But we think it will be very hard, in the courts, actually to undo GHG3, given [the] Chevron [doctrine].”
Additionally, OEMs and others have invested a lot of money into decarbonizing transportation, she suggested—so it is unlikely that investment would be abandoned at this point.
Navistar CEO Mathias Carlbaum put the OEM decarbonization plans this way during a discussion with some rival OEM leaders in Washington, D.C., earlier this year: “We’re on this journey here with or without regulations.”
Complexity, opportunity ahead
Trucking drives the U.S. economy (more than 70% of all U.S. freight moves by truck, as the industry touts) and looks
Industry anecdotes suggest that the ‘pause button’ for trailer orders is expected to remain pressed through the remainder of 2024, although dealers are making progress in rightsizing inventory levels, noted Jennifer McNealy, ACT Research’s director of research analysis and publications, in a recent monthly update. ACT Research
for business-friendly administrations and Congresses to thrive, or so goes the conventional wisdom.
“We’re hoping this economy can be stimulated by what’s to come—so seeing a tougher business environment certainly seems contractionary on the freight demand environment,” David Spencer, VP of market intelligence for Arrive Logistics, said in response to a question about the presidential election. “Regulations create unique challenges, but that also creates volatility. So I think from our perspective, there’s going to be challenges and opportunities no matter which administration takes hold.
“It’s kind of like the freight market— it’s hard to tell exactly what those opportunities and challenges are going to be with either administration.”
Kenny Vieth, ACT president, agreed that “complexity is an opportunity” for fleets, speaking to attendees representing some of the U.S. trucking industry’s most recognizable brands. He added that it “always defies logic” that the industry fights back when regulators want to make trucking more complex.
“Barriers to entry in trucking are so low,” Kenny Veith said. “If they would encourage some difficult barriers to entry—that actually makes trucking harder—it would benefit them because, just like the industry, if you can bring value, you can make more money.” TBB
Kenny Vieth, senior analyst and president of ACT Research, goes over the North American Class 8 tractor forecast during his company’s seminar on trucking industry markets held in Columbus, Indiana, on August 22, 2024.
Josh Fisher | EBM Commercial Vehicle Group
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2025 Ford Police Interceptor gets powertrain options, upgrades
By Jade Brasher
Ford Pro’s 2025 Police Interceptor Utility vehicle recently launched with a standard hybrid option and safety and technology upgrades. These upgrades increase efficiency for police agencies and upfitters. While the PIU is still offered with a gas powertrain, the hybrid provides features that benefit the bottom line.
“It’s a zero compromise in terms of performance for the hybrid versus the gas,” Lindsey Bertino, police brand marketing manager at Ford, said. “We rate them at the same top speed.”
The main things police officers and agencies are telling Bertino and the team at Ford focus on the PIU hybrid’s fuel savings, reduced maintenance costs, and lower CO2—not to mention the tech-integration technologies that upfitters appreciate.
Powertrain updates
Bringing the hybrid system to the PIU was a decision that Ford made in 2020, according to Bertino. Using a standard hybrid powertrain benefits police agencies because of their excessive idle times—40 to 60%, on average, Bertino said.
The standard hybrid powertrain features a 3.3-liter, direct-injection V6 engine with a hybrid system. It offers 318 hp and 322 lb.-ft. of torque.
• Three engine options: 3.3-liter V6 hybrid, 3.3-liter V6 gas, and 3-liter V6 EcoBoost
• Hybrid system offers 318 hp and 322 lb.-ft. of torque
• Standard and available police-specific features include Police Perimeter Alert system, Police Engine Idle system, manual Police Pursuit Mode, and Police Dark Car mode
• The PIU’s Ford Pro Vehicle Integration System 2.0 simplifies upfits
The PIU hybrid powertrain is a regenerative battery system that allows law
While the hybrid Ford PIU is standard, law enforcement fleets have additional powertrain options. Customers can choose a 3.3-liter gas engine with 285 hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. There is also an EcoBoost option with the PIU that delivers 400 hp and 415 lb.-ft. of torque. All powertrains, including the hybrid, are all-wheel drive.
engine is off. The hybrid powertrain works by running “on battery power until it doesn’t have enough battery left, then it’ll automatically switch over to gas,” Bertino explained. “As you drive, the battery will recharge itself. So, it’s a cyclical motion that continuously charges and drives, charges and drives.”
“With an officer in idle, the vehicle can actually use that hybrid power to not only power the vehicle, but it can power all of the content in the vehicle,” she said. “Officers have a lot of equipment that they run in the vehicle. They have radios, they have radars, they have laptops—all that could be powered through that hybrid powertrain.”
This will generate hundreds of dollars in savings as a result; Ford estimates savings of up to 838 gallons per year. Over a six-year term of ownership with gas at $3.50 per gallon, Ford’s hybrid PIU could save a police fleet around $17,500, Ford estimates. This number doesn’t include the savings agencies could realize from reduced maintenance costs due to less
law enforcement fleets have additional powertrain options.
Customers can choose a 3.3-liter gas engine with 285 hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. While Bertino touted the performance and quality of the ICE-only PIU, the vehicle’s hybrid counterpart does offer increased horsepower and torque. This is due to “the combination of the internal combustion engine with the electric motor increases the capability of torque and horsepower output beyond that of a traditional internal combustion only vehicle,” Allen Magolan, Ford Performance vehicle engineer, said.
There is also an EcoBoost option with the PIU that delivers 400 hp and 415 lb.ft. of torque. All powertrains, including the hybrid, have all-wheel drive.
Safety upgrades
The Ford PIU is equipped with standard features to improve officer safety. These include ADAS features, such as automatic emergency braking, rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring with cross-traffic
alert, reverse brake assist, and rear cross-traffic braking.
It features the Police Perimeter Alert system, which detects movement around the vehicle and automatically activates the rear camera, rolls up the windows, locks the doors, and sounds a chime so that officers can be made fully aware of their surroundings while remaining safe. Also included is the Police Engine Idle system, which allows officers to leave the vehicle (with their keys) and keep the engine running to power onboard equipment.
Further, Ford designed the PIU to pass its 75-mph rear-impact crash test, ensuring officers are safe on the highways and “earning the vehicle’s pursuit-rated, pursuit-tested distinction,” according to a press release.
Available application-specific features include ballistic panels that fleets can add to the front door panels that provide level III+ or IV+ protection. Level III+ resists non-armor piercing bullets up to 0.30 caliber, and level IV+ resists armor-piercing
The 2025 Ford PIU features a new, standard 12.3-inch LCD instrument cluster for “clearer information display during operation,” according to the release. It features a manual Police Pursuit Mode—activated with the click of a steering wheel button—that allows officers to put the vehicle in a high-performance tuning configuration while keeping their hands on the steering wheel.
rifle ammunition up to 0.30 caliber, Ford stated in its release.
Tech, productivity features
The 2025 Ford PIU features a new, standard 12.3-inch LCD instrument cluster for “clearer information display during operation,” according to the release. It features a manual Police Pursuit Mode—activated with the click of a steering wheel button— that allows officers to put the vehicle in a high-performance tuning configuration while keeping their hands on the steering wheel. The PIU also features a Police Dark Car mode that helps officers remain discreet during stakeouts.
Additionally, the 2025 PIU features the Ford Pro Vehicle Integration System 2.0, which allows easier customization and upfitting.
The integration system is “a hardware and software solution that work together, that allow upfitters easier integration,” Bertino said. “It allows agencies to digitally connect upfits to the vehicle, and that way they can integrate physical switches and soft buttons, and different alerts in the vehicle a little bit more seamlessly than they could historically with just a traditional upfitting.”
The PIU is already equipped with four remappable switches integrated into the steering wheel, allowing the driver to
control equipment such as sirens, speakers, lights, K9 door release, and more.
Police Accessory Independent Timedrelease Output is also standard in the Ford PIU. This feature is a two-part security system for the cargo area that requires the push of an overhead release button in the cockpit area to engage a 45-second timer.
Once the timer is engaged, the officer will have 45 seconds to walk to the liftgate and press a second button to make it open. This feature offers robust security for anything in the PIU’s cargo area. A lockable vault is also available for secure weapons storage.
Finally, the 2025 Ford PIU also features a Ford modem as standard equipment and the option to subscribe to Ford Pro Telematics.
“Everybody was really impressed with the way [the 2025 PIU] drove,” Bertino said about the attendees at the recent Police Fleet Expo who drove Ford’s 2025 PIU. “For 2025 model year, we did a lot of updates—not so much on the exterior of the vehicle, but we did some engine calibration updates, then we did some updates on the screens, on the interior, so it makes a little bit different of a driving experience for our police customers. They were very happy.” TBB
Stellar offers bale-style pulls for steel toolboxes
Stellar Industries is offering what it bills as an “industry-first” bale-style pull-handle toolbox system. This option will be in addition to the previously available aluminum constructed toolbox systems.
“When we first introduced this handle style to the market last fall, our goal was to make our operators’ lives easier,” said Tim Davison, vice president of sales and marketing at Stellar. “We’ve been able to double down on that goal by now including the bale-style pull handle for steel toolbox systems. This gives the customer more options to design the ideal toolbox system for their needs.”
Just like aluminum toolbox systems, the steel option features an easy-to-use design aimed at a more ergonomic and user-friendly experience. The unique dual-action handle design allows users to activate the latches by grabbing the handle from either above or below, according to the company.
The bale-style pull-handle can integrate into an existing Stellar toolbox system effortlessly. The drawer front assembly on a T-handle toolbox system can be directly replaced with a pull-handle front assembly. Additionally, the new toolbox system will continue to carry Stellar’s lifetime warranty, ensuring peace of mind.
The toolbox systems are designed with all metal components, including the latches and handles, ensuring durability and longevity. In addition, drawer fronts are given a standard gray powder-coated finish, but customers will have the option to customize the color to suit their individual preferences and styles.
Buyers Products adds 8-cu.-yd. SaltDogg PRO series poly spreader
Buyers Products has added a new unit to its SaltDogg PRO line of salt spreaders. The new spreader is available with an 8-cu.-yd. capacity, and independent control of the feed and spinner motors provides maximum control over material usage.
“This spreader provides an industry-leading 8-cubic-yard capacity in a 10-foot hopper with the weight and cost savings you would expect from a PRO Series poly spreader,” said Scott Moorman, director of snow and ice at Buyers Products. “The durability and value of our poly spreader lines has been proven over 20 years, and this latest expansion offers a municipal capacity and functionality for a PRO Series price.”
The 8-cu.-yd. spreader works on dump trucks and flatbeds with a minimum 10-ft. bed and 33,000-lb. gross vehicle weight (GVW). The unit is available with electric and hydraulic, auger, and chain drivelines, and features a double-wall and lightweight construction that resists rusting and denting.
Transfer Flow offers fuel tank, toolbox combo
Transfer Flow’s 40-gallon auxiliary fuel tank and toolbox combo is designed specifically for full-size short-bed and longbed Ford, GM, and Ram diesel pickups. The product combines increased fuel capacity with added storage space, providing truck owners with a versatile and efficient solution for their fuel and storage needs, according to Transfer Flow.
The combo features six cu.-ft. of storage space and integrates a secure fuel filler neck located within a locking storage compartment, ensuring both fuel and gear are safeguarded. Crafted from 14-gauge aluminized steel, the toolbox tank offers exceptional strength and rust resistance, the manufacturer noted. The sleek, black powder-coated finish enhances its durability and ensures the tank blends seamlessly with most truck bed rails, thereby reducing any interference with fifth-wheel hitches.
Equipped with the TRAX 4 operating
system, the 40-gallon auxiliary tank can automatically transfer fuel to the OEM fuel tank based on preset levels. Users can also monitor fuel levels, their remaining mileage, and transfer statuses between
Utility adds door sensor for integrated reefers
Utility Trailer Manufacturing recently introduced a door switch sensor option for 3000R refrigerated trailers that have equipped a Cargobull transport refrigeration unit (TRU).
The new door sensor features a switch hidden in the trailer’s stainless steel buck plate and an integrated magnet in the rear swing Barrier Door or on a rollup door, Utility reported. The contact between the switch and magnet when the door is
securely closed ensures the unit maintains thermal efficiency.
“Door switches installed on the exterior door are prone to damage when pulling into docks,” said Steve Bennett, Utility president and COO. “This often leads to corrosion, [it] becomes inoperable, and requires maintenance. The unobstructed location of our new door sensor prevents those issues.
“Effective door sensors and receiving alerts when doors are open are critical when protecting payload that requires consistent temperature monitoring,” he concluded.
The sensor is one of Utility’s trailer-integration offerings that works with the Cargobull TRU, an exclusive option for the 3000R. With the new door sensor, drivers are alerted if doors are open when pulling away from docks, or it shuts off the TRU for more fuel-efficient operation.
their tanks via the TRAX 4 mobile app.
The tank is also fully baffled to minimize fuel sloshing, and it includes all necessary components for a streamlined, straightforward installation.
September 15-19, 2024
TMC 2024 Fall Meeting Raleigh Convention Center, NC tmc.trucking.org
Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL www.fabtechexpo.com
October 20-25, 2024
VIPAR Heavy Duty IMPACT Conference JW Marriott Marco Island, FL vipar.com
November 5-8, 2024
SEMA Show
Las Vegas Convention Center, NV www.semashow.com
January 20-23, 2025
Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week 2025
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center Grapevine, TX www.hdaw.org
February 17-20, 2025
NATM Convention & Trade Show
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville, TN www.natm.com
February 25-27, 2025
ridewellcorp.com
ustarp.com
whitingdoor.com
NATDA Trailer Tech Expo
Reno-Sparks Convention Center, Reno, NV www.natda.org/tte-exhibit
March 4-7, 2025
Work Truck Week
Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN www.worktruckweek.com
March 10-13, 2025
TMC Annual Meeting & Transportation
Technology Exhibition
Music City Center, Nashville, TN tmcannual.trucking.org
March 27-29, 2025
Mid-America Trucking Show
Kentucky Expo Center, Louisville, KY www.truckingshow.com
April 23-25, 2025
TTMA 83rd Annual Convention
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort www.trucktrailer.org
Truck, trailer, and body OEMs
Bruce Williams has been promoted to national sales director of National Accounts for the U.S. for Marathon Brake Systems. Williams will report to President Scott Simmonds in the course of his new responsibilities. Williams has previously worked at both the WD/Dealer level and has experience managing accounts and sales groups for multi-product line manufacturers, and has additional experience with shock absorber and brake work.
Marathon Brake Systems has appointed Joe Smith as business development manager in the U.S. and Canada. Smith will report to Marathon’s president, Scott Simmonds, and will work closely with sales and marketing to grow business in North America. Prior to his promotion, Smith has served the commercial truck and trailer brake segment for over 40 years and worked for several friction manufacturers.
Kevin Bangston has been promoted to president and CEO of Daimler Truck Financial Services North America, effective September 1, 2024. He succeeds Richard Howard, who is retiring after 31 years with Daimler, and will now be responsible for Daimler Truck Financial Services (DTFS) in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Bangston first began his career at Daimler Truck North America in 2001 in corporate finance and went on to hold various leadership positions in Germany, Indonesia, and Japan before his current appointment.
Wabash is transitioning Mike Pettit from his role as senior vice president and chief financial officer to the new position of senior vice president and chief growth officer. Pettit’s new role will focus on driving growth initiatives, expanding market reach, and enhancing Wabash’s parts and services business. Previously, he served in both financial and operational capacities.
Patrick Keslin has accepted a promotion to senior vice president and chief financial officer, advancing from his previous role as vice president of finance at Wabash Keslin has worked in the financial sector for over two decades and served at Wabash for seven years. Now, he will oversee Wabash’s financial strategy, reporting, and performance.
Summit Truck Bodies has transitioned Duston Hansen to his new role as sales representative, where he will cover Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Hansen will take over the position from his predecessor, Dennis Weiler, after serving as the Summit Truck Bodies Service Manager since 2017. Hansen will continue to work with Weiler until Weiler’s retirement in December 2024.
William Burns, CEO of Zebra Technologies Corporation, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Oshkosh Corporation. Burns has worked in the technology sector for over three decades and first joined Zebra Technologies in 2015. Prior to becoming CEO, he served as chief product and solutions officer.
Suppliers and distributors
Dayco has promoted Audrey Harling to vice president and managing director of North America Aftermarket and Global Strategy and Planning. Prior to joining Dayco, Harling worked in the automotive aftermarket and OE operational and commercial spaces, most recently as group vice president and general manager at DRiV (Tenneco) EMEA Aftermarket. Before this, she worked at Valeo Thermal Systems as director of North American Program Management and as head of the Thermal Ford business unit.
Thomas Jauch joined Dayco as vice president and managing director of Global Belts OE. Before his latest posting, he served as executive vice president at Hella and led the company’s global headlamps business, as well as serving as a member of the executive board of Business Group Lighting. He has also held leadership positions at Continental Automotive and Road Broad Automotive.
The VSE Corporation appointed Adam Cohn as chief financial officer and Garry Snow as chief growth officer. Cohn will be responsible for VSE’s financial strategies and lead its global finance organization, including planning, operational finance, the treasury, and more. Snow’s role is newly created and involves overseeing customer and supplier business development and marketing.
Bruce Williams
Duston Hansen
William Burns
Audrey Harling
Thomas Jauch
Kevin Bangston
Mike Pettit
Patrick Keslin
T DA
Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa • Indian Wells, CA
We strongly encourage all Dealers to attend the 34th Annual National Trailer Dealers Association Convention!
Attending the 34th Annual National Trailer Dealers Association (NTDA) Convention can be highly beneficial for dealers, especially during a downturn in the economy. Here’s why attending is essential:
1. Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry leaders, OEMs, suppliers, and fellow dealers to explore new business avenues and partnerships, vital in a challenging economic climate.
2. Industry Trends and Insights: Gain strategic insights from educational sessions covering economic outlooks, profitability strategies, cybersecurity, AI, an OEM panel, and more — essential for optimizing operations in tough times.
3. Keynote Address: Jack Becker, renowned for his lessons in reducing errors, promises an action-packed session to enhance team performance.
4. Vendor Relationships: Strengthen ties with manufacturers and suppliers, fostering new partnerships crucial for maintaining margins during economic pressures.
5. New Products Showcase: Explore innovations from 100 exhibitors, offering insights into future market trends and fleet demands. Strengthen existing relationships or pick up new lines.
6. Benchmarking and Competitive Analysis: Learn strategies from fellow dealers for adapting to economic challenges, valuable for refining your dealership’s approach.
7. Motivation and Morale: Attending the NTDA Convention demonstrates a commitment to professional development and industry leadership. Inspire your team with new ideas and perspectives to tackle challenges creatively.
8. Strategic Planning: Utilize the Convention’s environment for strategic planning, away from daily pressures, to refine longterm goals and innovate amid uncertainties.
9. Join the Fun: Enhance networking at the National Trailer Dealers Foundation Golf Tournament & Fundraiser, enjoy a thrilling Jeep Tour of the San Andreas Fault, or relax poolside.
10. Social Highlights: Don’t miss the NTDA Welcome Reception, evoking Route 66 nostalgia, and the glamorous Awards Dinner, transporting you to the era of the Rat Pack in Palm Springs.
11. DEALER EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FEES EXTENDED THROUGH SEPT. 8!
12. Register: Secure your place at the forefront of the trailer industry. Register now for the NTDA Convention and unlock unparalleled opportunities for growth and resilience in today’s economic landscape. Register at https://ntda.site-ym.com/ page/Register
Visit https://ntda.site-ym.com/page/HousingTravel or housing options.
