MATTHEW WILSON INSTALLED AS NEW NTEA PRESIDENT
Matthew Wilson, chairman & CEO of Switch-N-Go, AmeriDeck, and Bucks Divisions of Deist Industries Inc., Hadley, Pennsylvania, was installed as the 52ⁿd president of NTEA. He accepted this position from immediate past president, Jeffrey Messer, president of Messer Truck Equipment, Westbrook, Maine, at the President’s Breakfast on Thursday, March 3, at NTEA’s The Work Truck Show® 2016.
“The time I’ve spent on NTEA’s Board of Trustees has been invaluable,” says Matt. “I’m excited to take on the role of Association president and focus on continued development of our offerings to the membership and industry in the coming year.”
MORGAN OLSON AND MOTIV MAKE AN ELECTRIC TEAM
The award-winning and versatile all-electric powertrain supplier for trucks and buses partners with North America’s leading manufacturer of walk-in vans to put more all-electric delivery trucks on America’s roads. Motiv Power Systems and Morgan Olson are collaborating to provide an all-electric option for Morgan Olson’s popular Route Star walk-in van, built on the Ford F59 chassis.
“We are thrilled to be working with Motiv and utilizing their all-electric powertrain technology,” says Rich Tremmel, VP, sales and marketing, Morgan Olson. “Many fleet managers are exploring alternative fuel solutions and finding electric to be ideal in many delivery applications. We want Morgan Olson to be the body company of choice for these new technologies.”
The new all-electric option of the Route Star walk-in van features up to 20 percent gradeability, 85 miles of range, and a 50 percent battery charge time of 2.5 hours. The design of Morgan Olson’s walk-in van bodies demonstrate a 50 percent faster delivery time over conventional delivery trucks.
“It’s exciting to see leaders like Morgan Olson and AmeriPride embracing all-electric trucks in a significant way,” says Jim Castelaz, CEO, Motiv Power Systems. “Delivery trucks are central to America’s economic health and by powering them with a Motiv all-electric powertrain, fleets gain some stability in their operating budgets, independence from fossil fuels, and reduction of diesel particulate pollution in the communities they serve—a powerful triple benefit.”
NAFA ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR 2016 INTERNATIONAL FLEET ACADEMY
NAFA Fleet Management Association’s 2016 International Fleet Academy (IFA) arrives as a pre-conference event on April 18, leading into NAFA’s Institute & Expo. The IFA offers insight into the world of global fleets, what to do when one’s fleet duties suddenly gain global oversight, and how peers have navigated these changes. The conference will be held in Austin, Texas, at the Austin Convention Center.
“As industries continue to grow beyond their borders and merge with other companies around the globe, fleet professionals can quickly find they need specialized training,” says NAFA’s CEO, Phillip E. Russo, CAE. “NAFA’s IFA is the perfect venue at which to learn more and gain expert insight into the world of international fleets.”
Created by fleet managers for fleet managers, NAFA’s IFA is the premier industry event for global fleet managers. The pre-conference event features discussions regarding global insights for bottom-line value, how to develop a results-driven global request-for-proposals protocol, a deep-dive into global policy development, and more. In addition to educational sessions, the IFA offers networking opportunities and a “Global Fleet Mentor Roundtable,” featuring the best and brightest currently running international fleets.
www.nafafleetacademy.org
GM’S COMMERCIAL iMP USES WORK TRUCK SOLUTIONS AS TURNKEY PROVIDER
Work Truck Solutions, the first online platform that enables commercial inventory searches by body type and chassis, announces its selection as a turnkey program provider for GM’s commercial in-market (iMR) program.
Inclusion in the co-op program enables GM dealers to be reimbursed 50 percent for both the Work Truck Solutions core online inventory solution, as well as additional marketing services. Once a dealer authorizes Work Truck Solutions to handle invoicing and co-op reimbursement, the dealer no longer has to submit invoices for co-op reimbursement or process payments directly to Work Truck Solutions—it’s all taken care of for them.
Work Truck Solutions enables online buyers to look for commercial trucks by body style and chassis, a missing element in the search for truck inventory until now. Dealers who use Work Truck Solutions also have access to back-end analytics, which show them the body types and chassis being searched the most often.
“We look for as many ways to assist our dealers as we can, whether it’s helping them sell the commercial truck inventory they have on hand, finding the commercial truck inventory they need to serve their customers, or just decreasing the amount of paperwork they have to file on a monthly basis,” says Work Truck Solutions CEO, Kathryn Schifferle. “Through our involvement with the GM iMR program we can help alleviate some of the more mundane tasks.”
www.worktrucksolutions.com
MAXON’S GALVANIZING FACILITY TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY APRIL 2016
Maxon Lift Corporation, the leading manufacturer of truck and trailer liftgates in North America, officiated the grand opening of its newly built galvanizing facility on Monday, February 22, with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Maxon has spearheaded the promotion of galvanizing as the ultimate solution for corrosion protection of liftgates. The new facility will represent complete galvanizing in-house capabilities, resulting in reduced lead times. The 27,000-sq-ft facility, specifically built for galvanizing liftgates, sits adjacent to the main factory, allowing for 100 percent quality control and unmatched output. The galvanizing facility is expected to be fully operational by the end of this month.
“Maxon’s vision for an in-house galvanizing facility has been a long-term planned investment that has come to fruition. We are proud of this grand achievement and welcome our customers for future visits to our corporate headquarters in California and our manufacturing plant during the 2016 calendar year,” says Brent Stratton, co-president, Maxon.
For more than 50 years, Maxon Lift Corp. has initiated and developed a variety of innovative products that have become truck equipment industry benchmarks.
www.maxonlift.com
ISUZU COMMERCIAL TRUCK OF AMERICA, INC. CREATES QUITE THE STIR
NTEA’s The Work Truck Show 2016 saw a hefty amount of new products displayed. Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc., probably took home the cake with its unveiling of an all-new entry in the Class 6 medium-duty truck segment—the 2018 Isuzu FTR. During the unveiling, the funky beats coming from Isuzu’s booth crescendoed until the moment of truth. The tarp was ripped from the all-new FTR and the crowd, once invited forward, swarmed upon the new truck to take in the features of a classic brought back to life.
“This truck represents our vision of the future of the medium-duty truck industry,” says Shaun Skinner, executive vice president and general manager of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. “As the adult population grows and as people move to urban centers, there will be an increasing need for delivery trucks that can carry a lot of cargo, but at the same time be fuel efficient, maneuverable, environmentally friendly, and offer a low cost of ownership. The all-new FTR achieves all of these goals.
“The letters ‘FTR’ don’t stand for ‘future,’ but this truck represents the future and it will be here—soon,” continues Skinner. The F-Series truck is slated to go into production in the US in mid-2017. Pricing, available configurations, power ratings, and additional features and specifications will be released in mid-2017.
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MODERN WORKTRUCK SOLUTIONS: MARCH 2016 ISSUE
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