News & Notes

Agile Fleet expands team with key hires throughout 2022

CHANTILLY, VA.—Agile Fleet, a leader in Fleet Management Software, continues to add talent to its team to support the growing need for its products that increase fleet utilization and help right-size fleets in light of the changes in fleet brought on by, amongst other things, the global pandemic and economic hard times. Two new employees join the company in Q3: Ted Cain, vice president of sales; and Mike Hicks, senior director of marketing. They arrive after the promotion of Phelps Rogovoy to vice president of client support services in March.

“Agile Fleet’s team has doubled in size in just the past couple years, thanks to the high-quality of products and services that our team delivers on a daily basis as well as a testament to the point that we are in a sweet spot with respect to what fleet managers need to do their jobs, given the changing fleet landscape,” said Ed Smith, president of Agile Fleet. “With the inclusion of Ted and Mike, we’re supporting our strengths to best position our company and our expansive client base for success.”

Cain, an accomplished sales executive with over 25 years of experience, delivers a proven record of strong management performance and unprecedented top-line growth. Prior to Agile Fleet, Cain served as executive vice president of sales for Mike Albert Fleet Services. He also was a regional vice president for sales and support for Affinitiv Inc. (formerly OneCommand). He is a pure “car guy” at his core and has hit the ground running at Agile Fleet.

“I am happy to be joining the Agile Fleet organization at such an exciting time,” said Cain. “The FleetCommander fleet management information system and key control technologies have a value proposition that transforms fleets and save organizations money, and I am excited to represent them.”

Hicks brings to Agile Fleet 22 years of experience in marketing strategy and business development from diverse organizations such as Penn State’s Smeal College of Business, EnergyCAP Inc. and Remcom Inc.

“Agile Fleet’s FleetCommander application and its development, support, and client success teams have an incredibly positive reputation among our clients and throughout the fleet management space,” Hicks shared. “Our impressive growth is a testament to the hard work of our dedicated staff.”

Smith concluded, “Agile Fleet continues to build our staff, applying as our guiding principles our core values of strong partnerships, initiative, approachability, integrity and flexibility. Ted and Mike have demonstrated these in the time they have been with us, and I’m excited to see our mutual growth over the coming months and years.”

Contracts lay the foundation for athletic surfaces

STAPLES, MINN.—Lay the foundation for school athletics with the help of several awarded suppliers through Sourcewell’s cooperative purchasing program.

These contracts, awarded in the athletic surfaces category, offer access to hardwood, synthetic, rubber, sports vinyl, clay and other athletic surfacing; related equipment, options, accessories, technology and supplies; and services for installation, removal, disposal, refurbishment, inspection, repair, maintenance, training and support.

“We are proud to offer access to these Sourcewell athletic surfacing contracts and suppliers,” said Sourcewell Supplier Development Administrator Joram Manka. “Participating agencies will find these solutions to be turnkey, providing a combination of equipment, products and services, delivery, and installation you can count on.”

Following a competitive solicitation process, Sourcewell awarded cooperative purchasing contracts offering access to these suppliers:

AstroTurf | 031022-AST

Turf fields, running tracks, tennis courts and indoor and outdoor sports surfaces.

FieldTurf | 031022-FTU

FieldTurf synthetic turf; artificial turf surfacing; Beynon running track and polyurethane surfaces; Tarkett indoor athletic floors; tennis, outdoor and pickleball courts; athletic facilities; civil site work; sports construction; and gym sports and fitness flooring.

Gerflor | 031022-GER

Athletic, indoor sports and resilient vinyl sports surfaces; volleyball, pickleball and basketball courts; and multipurpose sports floors. This contract also provides access to the following brands:

• Connor Sports | 031022-GER-2

Weight room, athletic and sports surfaces; hard and portable sports floors; and dance studio flooring.

• Portafloor | 031022-GER-1

Temporary, event, modular, heavy-duty and expeditionary flooring; and temporary walkways.

• Sport Court | 031022-GER-3

Pickleball and basketball courts; athletic, indoor and outdoor sports, and modular sports surfaces; as well as portable sports flooring.

Recreational Group | 031022-REC

This contract provides access to the following brands:

• RG Events Surfaces | 031022-REC-3

Portable, subflooring, athletic, dance, pickleball, tennis, basketball and skating floor rentals; event and dance flooring; rent-to-own options; do-it-yourself or professional installation; made in the U.S.

• Swisstrax | 031022-REC-1

Dance, locker room, fitness, utility equipment, deck, pool-surround and event flooring; do-it-yourself or professional installation; logo painting; low maintenance; safe and durable; made in the U.S.

• Ultrabase | 031022-REC-2

Alternative base solutions, foundation base for turf and sport tile, permeable foundation, replaces concrete and asphalt, stone alternative, modular base panels, recycled and recyclable panels, temporary or permanent, do-it-yourself or professional installation, limited 10-year warranty, made in the USA.

• VersaCourt | 031022-REC-4

Modular, outdoor and indoor court surfacing; in-house game line and logo painting; project management and design; anti-theft solutions; multi-game court combinations; limited lifetime warranty; court accessory options; safe and durable; made in the U.S.

Robbins Inc. | 031022-RBI

Gymnasium, multipurpose, weight room, stage, and performing arts flooring; indoor running tracks; portable basketball courts; and flooring repair and maintenance.

High Bar Brands acquires Viking Sales Inc.

OWATONNA, MINN. — High Bar Brands, the parent company of Minimizer and Premier Manufacturing, is adding to its portfolio of brands by acquiring Viking Sales, Inc of Brighton, Michigan.

Viking is an industry leader in mud flap production and distribution thanks to its established relationships with several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and aftermarket distribution customers.

“We are extremely happy to be partnering with High Bar Brands,” Viking Sales owners Gary & Kathi Kramer and Elizabeth Spitler said. “We feel the fit, culture, and capabilities High Bar Brands brings to Viking will help the brand expand in the industry.”

Viking’s manufacturing process is ISO-9001 certified. Under the High Bar Brands umbrella, the brand will have expanded marketing/sales support and an expansive distribution network throughout North America. The High Bar Brands portfolio will also benefit from the deep-rooted OEM relationships and high-quality manufacturing capabilities that Viking has already established.

“For over 50 years, Viking has provided custom mud flaps to the transportation industry, and we see the addition of those capabilities complimenting the brand portfolio within High Bar Brands,” HBB President & CEO Christopher Thorpe “CT” said. “Along with rubber mud flap solutions, Viking also sources raw polyethylene to manufacture industry-leading mud flaps with custom logos. Their offerings, including Viking’s rain-guard, antispray, and anti-sail technologies, will significantly expand our current portfolio offerings.”

Hart Marx Advisors, Heartwood Partners, and High Bar Brands collaborated to facilitate the Viking Sales acquisition.

“I would like to thank Hart Marx and Heartwood Partners for all of their help in finalizing this important addition to High Bar Brands,” Thorpe said. “A key element of High Bar Brands’ growth strategy is to expand through acquisitions to leverage core competencies of well-established iconic brands. To this end, we continue looking for additional growth opportunities to complement our growing portfolio.”

NTEA releases 23rd edition of Annual Manufacturers’ Shipments Survey Report

FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH.—NTEA’s newly released Annual Manufacturers’ Shipments Survey Report (23rd edition) indicates the 2021 bounce out of the 2020 recession led to a truck equipment industry increase of 16.2% in terms of dollar value shipped, after –15.8% growth in 2020. This publication, featuring 2021 data, enables the industry to estimate market size by dollars and units for 76 product lines. NTEA collects and evaluates aggregate results based on data submitted from 92 participating companies. The resulting report offers directional guidance to help commercial vehicle manufacturers and distributors assess business performance.

Consistent with historic results is significant variation in product line growth rates. Most were up for the year, but some declined. In unit terms, there were more decreases, which is reflective of chassis availability and supply chain issues.

“This report continues to serve as an important business planning tool for the commercial vehicle community,” said Steve Latin-Kasper, NTEA senior director of market data and research. “AMSS data contributes to the accuracy of industry market segment analysis by making it possible to understand how various data sets are connected to each other, and also contributes to an understanding of market size and how product markets and the total industry change over time.”

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. 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 the report ($299 NTEA members, $599 nonmembers) at ntea.com/amss. If interested in participating in the next AMSS survey, email info@ntea.com.

News releases regarding personnel changes, other non-product-related company changes, association news and awards are printed as space allows. Priority will be given to advertisers and affiliates. Releases not printed in the magazine can be found online at www.themunicipal.com. Call (800) 733–4111, ext. 2307, or email swright@the-papers.com.