A brand as well known in the work truck industry as Morgan Truck Body didn’t get where it is today overnight. The success story began back in 1952 when a man named Elton Mountz opened a welding shop in Morgantown, Pennsylvania. In 1958 when heavy snow collapsed the roof of his shop, he shifted gears to refurbishing and repairing trailers and trucks. Two years later, Mountz expanded his business to include assembly, mounting, and finishing of prefabricated van body kits. And Morgan Trailer Mfg. Co. was born.
By 1970, Mountz added 40,000 sq ft of manufacturing space and a paint facility to Morgan Trailer Mfg. Co. The Morgan team also developed a lighter, stronger body of its own design in 1970, highlighting Morgan’s knack for innovation. As time passed, new designs were developed, product lines expanded, regional distributors were assigned to support Morgan’s growing sales force, and manufacturing and service facilities grew to better serve customers across the country.
PASSING THE BATON
When Mountz was ready to retire in 1990, the owner of an investment group in Houston, Texas, John B. Poindexter, took the reins of Morgan Trailer Mfg. Co. In 2006, the company evolved to become Morgan Truck Body, LLC, and growth continued over the decades with innovative designs that included lighter and composite bodies, expanded product lines, regional distributors, and expanded manufacturing and service facilities.
Today, Morgan Truck Body designs, builds, sells, and services a wide range of specialty Class 3 to Class 7 box truck/straight truck bodies including dry freight, refrigerated, curtain siders, stake and platform, dump, furniture and moving van bodies, and cutaways. In addition, Morgan manufactures a wide range of specialty and custom bodies to satisfy the growing service industry market including farmers, ranchers, contractors, landscapers, equipment and material haulers, private/municipal service providers, and more.
The company works closely with chassis OEMs, continues to grow and innovate by serving the diverse needs of customers, and is committed to meeting the accelerating demand for electrification.
HERE & NOW
Just as it did from the beginning, Morgan Truck Body remains committed to its mission to design, build, sell, upfit, and support the most reliable truck bodies in the world. The company continues to be the preferred global partner in providing innovative middle-mile solutions and connecting the world’s supply chain.
Morgan employs over 2,300 team members in 14 manufacturing locations and eight service centers and has more than 200 Morgan-authorized Repair Centers across the United States and Canada. Morgan Truck Body is the largest in a family of related vehicle producers and upfitters under the parent company JB Poindexter & Co.
FUTURE FOCUSED
As the largest vehicle producer and upfitter in the JB Poindexter & Co business enterprise, it is no surprise that Morgan Truck Body is on the forefront of innovation—and has been for decades. Although the rise in e-commerce and last-mile delivery has only recently accelerated the need for commercial EV trucks, Morgan Truck Body first began working toward electrification and alternative fuel decades ago.
New in 2022, the company launched the Morgan Truck Body Innovation Lab, a dedicated space created to explore and develop materials, processes, and products that address EV solutions. The company is building prototype bodies designed with composite materials that reduce weight without compromising strength. Morgan is also focused on improving aerodynamics and driver interfaces that can enhance awareness and safety. The space provides an ideal environment to bring in customers, partners, and suppliers to interact in a collaborative workspace and provide valuable feedback about concept bodies.
70 YEARS & COUNTING
From its beginnings in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, in 1952 to its nationwide reach and future-forward designs of today, Morgan Truck Body has built its company on 70 years’ worth of success, expansion, customization, and innovation. With an outlook on the future and a dedication to meeting the needs of the industry, we’ll look forward to covering Morgan Truck Body for its next 70 years.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Find out more about Morgan Truck Body’s anniversary and its 70 years in business, visit www.morgancorp.com.
