HOUSTON—Truck Builders is building a brighter future for its upfitting operation.
The custom vehicle manufacturer, which also outfits commercial-kitchen trucks and trailers under its Chef Units brand, previewed its growing capabilities for customers and partners Oct. 14 at its new 26,000-sq.-ft. production facility here on the Northwest side of Houston. The event highlighted seven of the company’s specialty vehicles, including its patent-pending Cybrtrl recently shown at the North American Trailer Dealers Association’s 2025 Trailer Show.
An official grand opening is planned for January 2026.
“The goal was for guests to see all the capabilities that we have—from the command center and experiential marketing truck for the Denver Zoo, to the education coach and mobile kitchen. And we didn’t even have the full spectrum on display. We can do bookmobiles, medical vehicles, and more,” Marco Novo, founder and CEO of Truck Builders and Chef Units, told Trailer/Body Builders. “We wanted everybody to see what we can do, and meet our diverse team of electricians, plumbers, welders, carpenters, and engineers.”
Novo started Chef Units with five employees in a 2,400-sq-ft. building in 2013. He and partner Alfonso Logo, Truck Builders vice president, created Truck Builders after expanding from food trucks into other specialty vehicle segments, including emergency response, analytical testing labs, medical and dental units, and more. The company now boasts 32 employees, expanding relationships with local and state government entities, including the University of Houston—and enough space to upfit 10 highly customized vehicles at a time.
Attendees, including Marina Coryat and Ram Ramaswamy, procurement advisors with Houston’s APEX Accelerator program, were able to inspect seven specialty vehicles inside and out during the event, which showcased a Winnebago 425S mobile zoo with creature-display windows, a Food Portions 44-ft. gooseneck “restaurant on wheels,” the modular Cybrtrl designed to accommodate multiple transport applications, a “barista” van built on a Mercedes Benz 350XD Sprinter with a 170-in. wheel base and three 16,000-watt auxiliary batteries, a Featherlite command-center trailer, and the company’s first coach, a mobile “College Info Road Show” constructed for the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority.
Most custom builds take 6-8 weeks, Novo said, after extensive planning, design, and materials sourcing.
Truck Builders’ upgraded production space, which is part of a larger, brand-new commercial development on Cypress Creek Parkway, was empty except for the vehicles during the preview. Novo expected to begin moving operations over from their current facility later this year.
“Our previous facility was a great step up from where we started, but it had its limitations,” Novo said. “We were sub-leasing, so we weren’t allowed to put up any signage, and we were limited on what we could actually do. So, it is exciting to now have our own space and branding.
“It’s going to be great for exposure—and finally being able to plan long term.”
About the Author
Jason McDaniel
Jason McDaniel, based in the Houston TX area, has nearly 20 years of experience as a journalist. He spent 15 writing and editing for daily newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, and began covering the commercial vehicle industry in 2018. He was named editor of Bulk Transporter and Refrigerated Transporter magazines in July 2020.