Utilimaster Corporation
Encyclopedia
Utilimaster Corporation is the largest producer of walk-in vans (also known as step vans), Parcel Delivery Vans (PDVs) and truck bodies. It was founded in 1973 in Wakarusa, Indiana
. Previously owned by Holiday Rambler
and then Harley-Davidson
, it was bought by senior management along with an investment group led by Kirkland Messina for $65 million in 1996. Currently ISO 9001 and QS-9000 certified.
On November 19, 2009 Spartan Motors
announced it will be acquiring Utilimaster for $45 million in an all cash transaction. Spartan Motors, Inc. designs, engineers and manufactures specialty chassis and vehicles for the recreational vehicle, fire truck, ambulance, emergency-rescue and defense/specialty markets. The company's brand names include Spartan, Crimson Fire, Crimson Fire Aerials, and Road Rescue. The company employs approximately 1,000 workers at facilities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas. Spartan reported sales of $844.4 million in 2008.
Union City Body Company, a former competitor from Union City, Indiana
, was bought by Utilimaster Corp. for an undisclosed amount on November 16, 2005.
Utilimaster's customers include FedEx
, United States Postal Service
, UPS
, Canada Post
, Purolator
, Airborne, Budget, Penske, Ryder TRS, Frito-Lay
, Keebler, Krispy Kreme
, IBC, Canadian Linen and Uniform Service, Cintas, AmeriPride, Verizon, Apria Health Care, and Home Depot.
In 2011, Isuzu
and Utilimaster announced plans for Utilimaster to assemble the Isuzu Reach in their Wakarusa, IN plant. It is a commercial van offering over 35 percent better fuel efficiency.
Also known as step vans, are the primary product of Utilimaster Corporation. They are received as bare chassis and the cab, doors, hood, and cargo area is manufactured by Utilimaster. The sliding doors are capable of being locked in the open position to allow for entry and exit without additional time to open and close a sedan door.
The Utilimaster vehicle provides superior delivery efficiencies as a result of the ability for the driver to enter and exit the vehicle with packages in hand (versus entry and exit through a sedan door). The full height cab and cargo area allows drivers to utilize the vehicle as a mobile office. Operators can enter and exit the cargo area with out bending over (cargo van) or leaving the vehicle to enter through the rear (dock truck). In many fleet operations, Utilimaster vans provide a service life in excess of twenty years.
Vehicles can be customized to include a variety of modular interior packages (refrigerated service, mobile maintenance, shelving and bins, laundry, bread or ladder racks).
Wakarusa, Indiana
Wakarusa is a town in Harrison and Olive townships in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,618 at the 2000 census. Wakarusa is a small farming and manufacturing community located on Indiana 19 just north of Indiana 119...
. Previously owned by Holiday Rambler
Holiday Rambler
Holiday Rambler Corporation was an American corporation which primarily manufactured recreational vehicles. It was founded in 1953. In 1961, Holiday Rambler’s introduction of aluminum body framing ushered in a new era of lighter, stronger and more durable recreational vehicles . This aluminum...
and then Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
, it was bought by senior management along with an investment group led by Kirkland Messina for $65 million in 1996. Currently ISO 9001 and QS-9000 certified.
On November 19, 2009 Spartan Motors
Spartan Motors
Spartan Motors, Inc. is an engineering firm and manufacturer of custom-designed motor vehicle chassis and bodies. The company is based in Charlotte, Michigan with 870 employees and a net profit margin of 2.42% . It was started in 1976 by Charles Robert McManamey and a group of individuals whose...
announced it will be acquiring Utilimaster for $45 million in an all cash transaction. Spartan Motors, Inc. designs, engineers and manufactures specialty chassis and vehicles for the recreational vehicle, fire truck, ambulance, emergency-rescue and defense/specialty markets. The company's brand names include Spartan, Crimson Fire, Crimson Fire Aerials, and Road Rescue. The company employs approximately 1,000 workers at facilities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas. Spartan reported sales of $844.4 million in 2008.
Union City Body Company, a former competitor from Union City, Indiana
Union City, Indiana
Union City is a city in Wayne Township, Randolph County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 3,584.Union City was a stop along the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, a forerunner of the Pennsylvania Railroad that connected Pittsburgh to...
, was bought by Utilimaster Corp. for an undisclosed amount on November 16, 2005.
Utilimaster's customers include FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
, United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
, UPS
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
, Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
, Purolator
Purolator Courier
Purolator Courier Ltd. is a Canadian courier that is 91% owned by Canada Post Corporation, 7% owned by Barry Lapointe Holdings Ltd. and 2% by others....
, Airborne, Budget, Penske, Ryder TRS, Frito-Lay
Frito-Lay
Frito-Lay North America is the division of PepsiCo that manufactures, markets and sells corn chips, potato chips and other snack foods. The primary snack food brands produced under the Frito-Lay name include Fritos corn chips, Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips,...
, Keebler, Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is the name of an international chain of doughnut stores that was founded by Vernon Rudolph in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The parent company of Krispy Kreme is Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc...
, IBC, Canadian Linen and Uniform Service, Cintas, AmeriPride, Verizon, Apria Health Care, and Home Depot.
In 2011, Isuzu
Isuzu
, is a Japanese car, commercial vehicle and heavy truck manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo. In 2005, Isuzu became the world's largest manufacturer of medium to heavy duty trucks. It has assembly and manufacturing plants in the Japanese city of Fujisawa, as well as in the prefectures...
and Utilimaster announced plans for Utilimaster to assemble the Isuzu Reach in their Wakarusa, IN plant. It is a commercial van offering over 35 percent better fuel efficiency.
Walk-in vans
The Utilimaster vehicle provides superior delivery efficiencies as a result of the ability for the driver to enter and exit the vehicle with packages in hand (versus entry and exit through a sedan door). The full height cab and cargo area allows drivers to utilize the vehicle as a mobile office. Operators can enter and exit the cargo area with out bending over (cargo van) or leaving the vehicle to enter through the rear (dock truck). In many fleet operations, Utilimaster vans provide a service life in excess of twenty years.
Vehicles can be customized to include a variety of modular interior packages (refrigerated service, mobile maintenance, shelving and bins, laundry, bread or ladder racks).