Reading Truck CEO looking toward future

Like other manufacturers in recent months, Reading Truck Group has had to endure the coronavirus pandemic and shortages of materials.

And while those factors are still a concern for CEO Alan Farash, the maker of truck bodies and equipment based along East Wyomissing Boulevard in southwest Reading has been looking toward a thriving future. The company employs 500 in Reading and 1,300 nationwide. A distribution center in Bowmansville, Lancaster County employs 100.

“We’re super excited,” Farash said in a phone interview last week. “Reading Truck has been here since 1955, for 66 years, and we’re looking at national expansion and expanding locally. We are dealing with remnants of COVID and supply chain disruptions.

“We’re in a growth phase. We are hiring from the local market and helping the local community. It’s an exciting time for us.”

Perhaps the biggest recent news for the company has been a name change. Founded as Reading Bodies, and more recently known as Reading Truck Body, the company changed its name to Reading Truck. The change will help bridge the company’s manufacturing division — Reading Truck Body — with its growing installation and distribution division known as Reading Truck Equipment.

The company said the convergence is an opportunity to serve the industry with end-to-end solutions that deliver lifetime value. Farash said Reading had several divisions and names, and it wanted to create a community in the market with a simple message that it’s the same company.

“We’re working a lot on our image and overall customer expectations in the market,” Farash said. “It becomes easier to do business with us as we modernize the business. We provide full-service solutions. Reading Truck embodies services and we can provide all things to customers, dealers and fleets. All of them are looking for businesses with end-to-end solutions. It’s one company that wants to bring value to customers.”

Reading Truck also made two recent acquisitions: Auto Safety House in Phoenix and Semi Service in Salt Lake City that has locations in both Utah and Idaho. Along with two other acquisitions in the past 18 months, Reading Truck has 22 locations nationwide. All locations are also undergoing exterior and interior transformation to the Reading Truck brand.

“It improves our distribution channels for both local and national,” Farash said.

New model

Besides expanding its footprint, Reading Truck has continued to expand its line of truck bodies, most recently with the introduction of the RM45 crane body, which was recently highlighted at the Utility Expo 2021.

“We’re currently trying to innovate for the customers,” Farash said. “The RM45 was among our acquisition of Caseco (in 2017). This generated from a Master Mechanic older design and redesigned to a crane body. That’s more utility and more value for the segment.”

That truck body is produced at the company’s factory near Tulsa, Okla. Farash said the company can grow in the west with that production and it could produce it in Reading, too.

The company sells to a variety of customers, Farash said, and doesn’t sell overwhelmingly to one particular segment. Customers include utility companies, equipment rental, contractors, oil and gas companies.

“A number of units are work trucks sold by commercial truck dealers to plumbers and contractors,” Farash said.

Committed to city

Keeping small businesses on wheels will continue to be a focus for the next 65 years. Farash said Houston-based J.B. Poindexter, which bought Reading Truck in 2015, has been supportive of the expansion.

He added that Reading Truck is committed to the city and is active in local charities such as the United Way and the company is working with neighbor John Masano and the Masano Auto Park on the 18th Wonder Improvement Association, which works on the quality of life in the Millmont, Oakbrook and Wyomissing Park neighborhoods of Reading.

“We’re super excited to be here,” said Farash, who added that the company is always looking for talent from the local community.

In the near future, he said, he expects a smooth road for Reading Truck.

“We have some short-time hurdles,” Farash said. “We expect things to smooth out in the next 12-to-24 months. The future of the company is bright because of our innovation. J.B. Poindexter, our owner, is very supportive with investments and they’re promoting development such as clean energy electric and alternative fuel chassis.”

Source: Berkshire mont