Autocar Concrete Pump is New Weapon for Family Company
1/26/2016
A family-owned concrete pump operator in Texas has found a secret new weapon to improve their productivity, build their customer satisfaction and competitive advantage: Instead of following the crowd they made a change and purchased a new pump and Autocar chassis to transform their business.
Unruh Concrete Pumping, in Blossom, Texas, knew they needed to minimize downtime with the purchase of a new custom chassis and 60-meter pump to operate in the Dallas area. Pumpers often focus mainly on the pump itself when purchasing a new pump truck, with few options considered when it comes to the truck or chassis underneath. But Earl and Chris Unruh, father and son owners of Unruh Concrete Pumping, learned through hard experience if the truck chassis is down with issues, the pump can’t get where it needs to be and it’s worthless to both the company and customer. So the Unruhs decided to make a change. With support from Irving Equipment along the way, they had a custom Autocar 12x6 chassis built to perfectly integrate with Irving’s 60-meter KCP pump.
Now Earl and Chris’s secret is out – there’s more than one player in the concrete pump chassis industry. Unruh Concrete Pumping is thrilled to gain the personal attention and direct relationship with Autocar. The Unruhs contacted Irving Equipment to purchase a new pump and got a big surprise when President Joe Irving recommended an Autocar chassis with Cummins ISX12 power, and Allison automatic transmission. Chris explains, “Joe flew me up to Irving Equipment in Ohio to test out the truck for myself. I already have six other pumps running on another common brand truck. I know what I do and don’t like and what we struggle with. Autocar pretty much addressed all our concerns. After a full inspection, numerous discussions, and a test ride, making the switch was easy”.
The Unruhs took delivery of their new pump Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. They had a job scheduled the next day for another pump, but decided to test out the new Autocar with the KCP pump instead. The truck and pump ran great, no issues – one day after delivery. This was a new experience for the Unruhs, as they were unfortunately accustomed to often having start-up issues taking weeks to correct before placing other new chassis and pumps into service. They drove the new pump truck the following day in their home town’s Christmas parade, where they discovered another benefit of their custom Autocar ACX™ chassis. The enormous 12x6 vehicle managed a turn through a small intersection in the parade without having to stop, backup, and perform a three point turn - a practice that was the norm even with their other smaller 6x4 and 8x4 concrete pumps.
The Unruhs are impressed with the performance of their Autocar 12x6 chassis, with the smoothness of the ride much better than they ever anticipated. The pump weighs just under 100,000 lbs., several thousand pounds lighter than most competitive models the same size, mainly due to the Autocar’s stronger, weight-optimized design. They were pleasantly surprised when the Autocar demonstrated an average of 3.72 MPG over the course of several thousand miles, while their other smaller and comparably sized pump trucks averaged less than 2 MPG over the same highways.
Chris Unruh added, “This truck was built for me and the needs of my business. It’s a comfort knowing Joe Irving, of Irving Equipment and Glenn Pochocki, of Autocar, are personally committed to our business together and both are literally a phone call away. And they know me on a first name basis.” Autocar also provides free factory-direct lifetime technical service support 24/7 through their Autocar Solutions® service command center.
Glenn Pochocki, Autocar’s Director of Vocational Sales, works closely with Joe Irving. Said Glenn, “Autocar is a major player in Class 8 vocational COE chassis, yet we’re still unique as a truck OEM where we work hard for, and appreciate, every single concrete pump truck sale. We custom engineer each chassis based on the requirements of the specific pump, so it’s built right the first time, every time.”
Concrete pumpers looking for alternative chassis options from a more personal truck company can visit Autocar at the World of Concrete show in Las Vegas, February 2-5, 2016. Visitors can also talk to Chris Unruh, along with other Autocar pump chassis customers, at Autocar booth C6412, where Autocar trucks will also be displayed for a hands-on experience.
About Unruh
Unruh Concrete Pumping is family-owned and has been in the concrete business over 35 years. The company operates seven concrete pump trucks ranging from 36 to 60 meters. Unruh serves customers in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana from their two locations in Blossom and Texarkana, Texas. www.justpumpit.net
About Irving Equipment
Irving Equipment is a family-owned & operated dealer, distributor & service center for KCP and CIFA concrete boom pumps as well as Loop Belt material conveyors, knuckle boom cranes, and other truck-related equipment. Based in Tiffin, OH, Irving Equipment is expanding their foot print with new production, service and office facilities to be opened spring, 2016. www.irvingequipment.net
About Autocar
Autocar® is the oldest motor vehicle make in the United States and built America’s first truck, in 1899. Focused on purpose-built trucks from the very beginning, today Autocar is the leading American manufacturer dedicated to severe-duty cab-over trucks. Autocar has strong and growing positions in the markets for the biggest, baddest trucks on the road, such as Class 8 concrete pump trucks, refuse and recycling trucks, terminal tractors, and other severe-duty vocational applications. www.autocartruck.com
A proudly American-owned company, Autocar is headquartered in Hagerstown, Indiana and is affiliated with GVW Group, based in Highland Park, Illinois.