Start by Listening to the Customer

The first thing you have to do when undertaking any big project is your homework. The good news for you is: we've been doing our homework for over three decades. Rustin, our founder, was still in college when he started building truck equipment for the building supply industry. Some of his first sales trips up and down the East Coast were to call on millwork companies.

For most of the thirty years we've been in business, we weren't a truck body manufacturer. We were a truck body customer. We designed our Swap Body system to work with any manufacturer's body, so we purchased them. Then we started repairing them through our Service Center. We got a front row seat on how to build a truck body, and we also learned how they break down. This put us in the unique position to understand what was missing in the body industry. This is where Victory was born.

Our knowledge of the building supply industry comes from decades of hands-on experience. Honest conversations with our customers taught us what they need in a truck body. We've talked to logistics managers running national fleets and local lumber yards. We understand the realities of millwork delivery. So how are we putting that experience to good use? We're building the ultimate millwork delivery truck. Let's take a look.

Make Good Design Standard

Built better by default. That starts with some design choices. Some features you won't notice right away, and others are obvious the moment you see them. It's well known that the standard dry freight box on the market hasn't changed much in decades. We refuse to accept "standard." Our goal is a body that lowers your total cost of ownership. Look at the trucks in your current fleet and compare them to ours. What we call standard, other manufacturers might call premium. We see it differently.

We cut our teeth working with building supply companies in the Northeast. That means bone chilling winters and humid summers that put materials to the test. To start things off we use a fully welded steel subframe that's painted to prevent corrosion. We use galvanized steel for high splash and road salt areas like the wheel pans and front end plate. The rear frame, from top header to bottom sill, is 10-gauge (1/8") stainless steel, gusseted at the corners to resist flexing and cracking.

The sidewalls use composite panels rather than sheet-and-post. Composite can handle more impacts before it tears, whether that is branches on a residential route, a dock wall or a careless forklift operator. It also keeps looking presentable years in, which shows up directly in resale value. It also repairs easily. The major leasing companies spec composite for exactly these reasons, and close to every semi-trailer built today uses it.

The front and top radius use heavy-gauge aluminum. This protects the front wall from the inevitable impact. We use cast aluminum for our corner caps instead of plastic. A stronger cap also adds structural rigidity to the front of the body. Corner caps are one of the most visible parts of a body. They're also frequently replaced, so we designed them to last the life of the body.

Add Some Features that Make the Customer's Job Easier

We're confident in the base configuration of our standard dry freight box. But we designed it so customers can easily reconfigure it for their existing fleet. No two businesses are alike, and neither are their trucks. That's why we offer a wide range of customization options, from lift gates and doors to cargo control and lighting. For this build, we worked with the truck dealer to match the specs of one of their building supply customers.

Base Design Tweaks

For this particular body, the customer opted for composite swing doors in place of our standard roll-up rear door. What hasn't changed is the stainless rear frame we mentioned earlier. It's still built from the same material and has the structural gussets like its roll-up sibling. All Victory bodies come standard with a galvanized ICC bumper; however, the bumper on this truck is a two-step version with a cutout for a walk ramp.

Added Safety Features

On the outside of the truck, several small touches add extra safety. Extra marker lights on the bottom rail give the truck added visibility at eye level. Strobes mounted at the back of the truck make the truck visible to oncoming traffic. Some delivery teams use wheel chocks when unloading the truck, so we added a holder for them. Drivers always know where to find them. Sometimes a curbside delivery calls for traffic cones. That's why this body includes a cone holder underneath.

Inside Features

Inside the body is all about building supply delivery. This truck can transport diverse cargo like bulky flooring, trim, and fragile windows. Delivery teams need flexible tie-down options beyond a few fixed anchor points. We mounted wood slats and three rows of e-track to the walls on aluminum hat-posts. We find that hat-posts are stronger than roll-formed Z-posts. Our spacing helps to brace the wall against shifting cargo. The bonus for delivery teams is the absence of sharp edges, preventing snags on cargo or injury to hands. Wood scuff along the floor protects the sidewalls. We reinforce the front wall's scuff with galvannealed steel to withstand loading impacts.

We rout the hardwood floor for F-track. We mount corresponding track to the ceiling so delivery teams can use shoring bars. Motion-activated LED lights illuminate the cargo area. They shut off automatically to conserve battery power. We painted the floor at the rear of the body hi-vis yellow, so crews can spot the rear opening at a glance. Caution-themed grip tape on the rear sill prevents slips when exiting the cargo area.

Deliver a Great All-Round Experience

The secret is quite simple. The recipe for an awesome millwork delivery truck body is deep industry knowledge, excellent engineering and manufacturing, and putting the customer at the center of every decision. The last step is recognizing that the hard work doesn't stop after the sale. Our mission is to build long-lasting truck bodies for every customer. We're committed to providing elite service after the sale too. We're here to troubleshoot any problems, find replacement parts, even collision repair. We're relentless in pursuing that mission. Partner with us, and we'll build a quality body that keeps your fleet ahead of the competition for years to come. When you choose Victory, we're confident it will be the best truck body you ever operate.