INDIANAPOLIS, April 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spartan Emergency Response (“Spartan”), a business unit of Spartan Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPAR), will launch its new 180 Truck Program at the annual Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC International 2016), April 21-23 in Indianapolis, the latest innovation from the company’s Fire Industry Knowledge Center, cutting the typical delivery lead time in half.
Market intelligence verifies there is increasing demand for rapid delivery of new fire apparatus. While this need exists across many markets, it is most pronounced in urban and suburban areas experiencing high population growth and in markets where municipalities have aging fleets. Spartan is applying process innovation to abbreviate delivery times, enabling departments to focus on what they do best.
“Innovation takes many forms up and down the value chain. We’re pushing the envelope in areas beyond product development, including our speed to market. At FDIC 2016 we are showcasing Spartan’s 180 Truck Program which enables an unprecedented order-to-delivery cycle times as short as 180 days,” said John Slawson, Division President, Spartan Emergency Response. “Helping ensure fire departments can remain laser-focused on rescues is mission critical to Spartan.”
Combining decades of fire industry knowledge with the significant manufacturing and engineering talent the company added over the last year, the 180 Truck Program represents a new way of manufacturing custom fire trucks. By getting a head start on full-featured custom production, Spartan can complete a fully-engineered, built-to-order apparatus in six months, without compromising quality. The company will initially offer more than a dozen pumper and aerial models under the program.
Spartan Safety Innovations
While attending the conference, Spartan will showcase its Advanced Protection SystemTM (APS), with features engineered to protect firefighters from life-threatening injuries in the event of a collision. The system employs satellite sensors that prompt airbag deployment when an imminent collision is recognized, eight airbags that protect a wider area of the cab, and Spartan’s intelligent seat belt system designed to reduce chest and torso injuries in a collision.
“Firefighters want to respond to the emergency, not be the emergency,” said Slawson. “Spartan has been serving the firefighting community for over 40 years, and we’re committed to engineering and manufacturing the safest emergency response vehicles on the road.”
Custom Apparatus on Display
At FDIC 2016, Spartan will feature seven complete apparatus (booth #2404), and two cab and chassis models (booth #8205), representing a broad range of Spartan customers and dealerships, domestically and internationally. The units, including a 100-foot tractor-drawn aerial, custom side and top control pumpers, 28-foot boomer, and a multi-functional IPS (Intelligent Pump Solution) pumper, will demonstrate the variation in features and capabilities possible when configuring the vehicles to meet a department’s specific needs.
In addition to showcasing Spartan’s APS safety system, the vehicles on display will feature innovations such as a compact engine tunnel providing increased cab space, a taller forward cab roofline and wider seat options for greater comfort, visibility, and safety; and a flat floor for easier and safer entry and egress.
Also featured at the show, Spartan employee Jason Randall will participate in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb event on April 22 at 1:30 PM, honoring the FDNY firefighters who gave their lives on September 11, 2001. Participants will climb the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center. Randall is a volunteer member of Michigan’s Onondaga Fire Department, where he was recently promoted to Lieutenant.
The exhibition at FDIC runs from April 21-23, 2016. Spartan will exhibit for the duration of the show, with company executives and engineers available in the booth to answer questions about the apparatus on display, the 180 Truck Program, and the Advanced Protection System.
About Spartan Motors
Spartan Motors, Inc. is a leading designer, engineer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty vehicles, specialty chassis, vehicle bodies and parts for the fleet and delivery, recreational vehicle (RV), emergency response, defense forces and contract assembly (light/medium duty truck: Class 3, 4 and 5) markets. The Company's brand names - Spartan Motors, Spartan Specialty Vehicles, Spartan Emergency Response, Spartan Parts and Accessories, and Utilimaster®, a Spartan Motors Company - are known for quality, durability, performance, customer service and first-to-market innovation. The Company employs approximately 1,700 associates at facilities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Indiana. Spartan reported sales of $550 million in 2015. Visit Spartan Motors at www.spartanmotors.com.