TBEI acquires Hardee Equipment

June 12, 2006
Hardee Equipment of Lakeland Florida has been sold to Truck Bodies & Equipment International (TBEI).

Hardee Equipment of Lakeland Florida has been sold to Truck Bodies & Equipment International (TBEI).

TBEI manufacturer of dump truck bodies, hoists, and related equipment under the Crysteel, Ox Bodies, and Rugby Manufacturing brands.

Hardee Equipment was founded in 1965. Its product line includes steel and aluminum dump bodies (Classes 5-8), platform bodies, flatbed dumps, roll-off hoists, cranes, service bodies, and a range of other truck mounted equipment.

“Hardee’s strategic location in the Southeast, and its manufacturing capabilities, make it a great fit for TBEI,” says Dale Pilger, CEO. “With now eight production facilities, and a broad portfolio of products, we can continue to improve our breadth, reach, and speed in serving our customers across North America. Our mission is to raise the performance bar across the industry, and the integration of Hardee Equipment within our operations is just another step forward towards that goal.”

What can Hardee customers expect? “The same respected products, delivered with enhanced service and speed,” Pilger says, “and new levels of product engineering and quality.”

TBEI is now comprised of five major brands. Ox Bodies, headquartered in Fayette, Alabama, manufactures medium- and heavy-duty dump bodies and accessories. Crysteel Manufacturing, headquartered in Lake Crystal, Minnesota, produces bodies for Class 3 – 7 trucks. Its conversion and trailer hoists are particularly suited for municipal and utility applications (through its J-Craft brand). Rugby Manufacturing, headquartered in Rugby, North Dakota, specializes in light- and medium-duty (Class 3 – 7) dump bodies, and conversion and trailer hoists.

TBEI established corporate headquarters in Eden Prairie, MN. The combined divisions represent annual revenues of more than $200M.