DeCleene Truck Refrigeration & Trailer Sales (DTR) is commemorating its golden anniversary and 35 years as a Carrier Transicold dealer with a series of celebrations.
The company planned open houses for customers and employees at its Wisconsin facilities in De Pere, DeForest and Oak Creek, which it says are key locations in its mission to serve the trucking industry throughout the state and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with transport refrigeration equipment, specialized trailers and repair services.
“Service is what got us to where we are today,” said Mike DeCleene, president and owner of DTR, which was founded in 1969 by his parents, Don and Dori DeCleene, who retired from the business in 1996. “We’ve always done whatever is necessary to take care of the customer.”
The business was founded as DeCleene Trucking, a fleet operator transporting petroleum products in northeastern Wisconsin. It serviced all the tractors and trailers in the fleet, and in those early years DeCleene also took on outside repair work, where it built a reputation for high standards and exceptional customer satisfaction. In 1980, the company exited the transport business, operating exclusively as an independent fleet service provider.
The operation became a Carrier Transicold dealership in 1984, selling and servicing truck and trailer refrigeration systems for refrigerated transporters, vital links in the cold chain who deliver food and other refrigerated essentials to supermarkets, restaurants and food service operations. The dealership initially served the central and northeastern parts of Wisconsin from its headquarters in De Pere, later expanding southward to the Madison and Milwaukee areas and into Plover and Sparta, blanketing the state with sales and service that helped it twice win Dealer of the Year accolades from Carrier Transicold.
“DTR is a vital part of Carrier Transicold’s North America dealer network, and we congratulate Mike and his team on achieving their 50th anniversary,” said Tom Ondo, vice president of truck trailer Americas for Carrier. “DeCleene has been a pace-setter among its peers and a tremendous example of how to put the customer first in every interaction.”
To complement its business, DTR added other transportation-related products and services, including ComfortPro Auxiliary Power Units from Carrier Transicold; specialized trailers by Trail King, Talbert Manufacturing, Dorsey and Stoughton; Groeneveld Lubrication Systems; and warranty service for Robinair refrigerant recovery systems.
“We couldn’t have gotten here without our dedicated employees and loyal customers,” said Mike DeCleene, noting the DTR team now includes more than 50 employees.
“Looking ahead, we’re going to continue to strive to be the best at what we do.”