The Shyft Group Achieves Ford Pro Upfitter Designation – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
NOVI, Mich. — The Shyft Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SHYF), parent company of Spartan RV Chassis and its Red Diamond aftermarket division as well as a North American leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing, assembly and upfit for the commercial, retail and service specialty vehicle markets, was selected to join the Ford Pro Upfitter program, created to provide a seamless end-to-end experience for mutual customers.
This designation underscores Shyft’s coast-to-coast footprint and reinforces the importance of the collective expertise of Shyft’s diverse brand portfolio, promoting cross-brand synergies that drive specialized, customer-focused solutions, according to a release.
“We are thrilled to be named a Ford Pro Upfitter, which is a natural outcome of our long collaboration with Ford,” said Shyft CEO John Dunn. “Commercial vehicle upfitting is a significant part of our business and we take pride in our proprietary Work-Driven Design process to fuel customization and driver satisfaction. We will continue innovating to meet our customers’ needs with specialized solutions.”
Shyft Group brands that will participate in the Ford Pro Upfitter program are Utilimaster, Royal Truck Body, DuraMag and Magnum.
Announced at NTEA Work Truck Week, the Ford Pro Upfitter program builds on the successes of Ford’s Qualified Vehicle Modifier accreditation program and now encompasses a wider variety of upfit vocations, including shuttle buses, motorhomes, police vehicles and more. Upfitters undergo a rigorous auditing process, demonstrating excellence in compliance, quality, manufacturing and customer service, and must meet specified business and volume requirements set by Ford. In return, Preferred Upfitters are permitted to purchase an unlimited number of chassis from Ford – eliminating the manufacturer’s previous cap – and leverage Ford’s marketing power and Pro Dealer network to spur growth.
The qualification process for the Ford Pro Upfitter program involves written assessments of all locations where the upfitting will take place, together with an in-person audit at one of the locations. Shyft and Ford conducted the in-person audit at Shyft’s new facility in Lebanon, Tenn., which serves as a sales and upfitting branch for several Shyft brands. The brands that will participate in the Ford Pro Upfitter program are Utilimaster®, Royal Truck Body™, DuraMag® and Magnum™.
The Shyft Group and Ford Motor Company have worked closely together for decades, achieving several significant milestones in recent years. In 2017, Shyft opened a fleet upfitting facility located adjacent to Ford’s manufacturing facility in Kansas City in order to meet increasing demand and create additional cost savings for mutual customers. And in 2021, Utilimaster announced the success of a pilot program that installed its Velocity F-Series delivery body on Ford’s all-electric E-Transit chassis.
About The Shyft Group
The Shyft Group is the North American leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing, assembly, and upfit for the commercial, retail, and service specialty vehicle markets. Our customers include first-to-last mile delivery companies across vocations, federal, state, and local government entities; the trades; and utility and infrastructure segments. The Shyft Group is organized into two core business units: Shyft Fleet Vehicles and Services™ and Shyft Specialty Vehicles™. Today, its family of brands include Utilimaster®, Blue Arc™ EV Solutions, Royal® Truck Body, DuraMag® and Magnum®, Strobes-R-Us, Spartan® RV Chassis, Red Diamond™ Aftermarket Solutions, and Builtmore Contract Manufacturing™. The Shyft Group and its go-to-market brands are well known in their respective industries for quality, durability, and first-to-market innovation. The Company employs approximately 3,000 employees and contractors across campuses, and operates facilities in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Saltillo, Mexico. The Company reported sales of $872 million in 2023. Learn more at TheShyftGroup.com.
