A legacy of excellence

In today’s fast-paced and technologically complex business environment, staying competitive and relevant is a challenge for any organization, let alone one with a 107-year history like Moroney Body Works Inc. Our Worcester, Massachusetts-based company has literally been around since the horse and buggy days. However, through strategic partnerships and a commitment to customer satisfaction, our small business has not only survived but continued to prosper.

All in the families

My father and grandfather purchased the business in 1985 from the Moroney family, and in fact, one of their members, Thomas Moroney, stayed on with us until he was about 99 years old. My father and grandfather grew the business and moved locations in roughly 1996 to a bigger facility where we could increase production, have more employees, and grow the business.

As a family-owned-and-operated enterprise, we have all worked together over the years, starting with my grandfather, Norman Quinton Sr., to the present day with my father, Norman Quinton Jr., and myself, Norman Quinton III. Today, my dad and I co-manage the business and we believe that our ability to adapt and innovate has been key to our longevity and viability.

In addition to a broad range of work trucks, Moroney does unique custom builds like bookmobiles and prisoner transport trucks. We also build milk trucks for one company that still does residential milk deliveries. There are basically two sides of our business and my father and I are involved in both. His biggest focus is the custom side and mine is the more traditional work truck and truck body side.

We work with a lot of the local truck dealers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. Dealers often put us in direct contact with the end user, most often when they want us to craft a truck in a particular way. They want us to directly talk to their customers, so we can understand their specific needs and can spec’ their vehicle correctly.

In our neck of the woods, we have a lot of landscapers and professional arborists that need chipper bodies. Other types of customers, like HVAC companies, might order a rack body, or a fence company may need a platform body.

Birds of a feather

We believe in making and keeping our customers happy. We understand that every customer has unique requirements, and we strive to provide durable, practical and tailored solutions to meet their specific needs. In order for us to deliver what we promise, we’ve learned to be very selective about the folks we work with. We work with many outstanding suppliers, but for this story, I’m going to highlight just one.

For over 30 years, Moroney Body Works has worked with Tafco Equipment Co. / Scott Bodies and Hoists. My father saw their products and he liked them and the people building them. It was soon after our acquisition of Moroney and we needed reliable suppliers and he felt like Tafco was a trustworthy company with a great product offering. Over the years, other suppliers have come and gone, but this partnership with Tafco / Scott has turned out to be instrumental in our success, because their broad range of hoists and innovative product offerings synergistically align with our commitment to customization and quality.

When collaborating with our key suppliers, we look to leverage their expertise and products to create customized upfits that address our customers’ specific requirements so we can tailor solutions to various industries. That collaboration enables us to deliver superior products that meet and exceed customer expectations.

In the case of Tafco / Scott, they offer a very robust product, especially their platforms, aluminum bodies, and hoists. Their hoists feature an exclusive 10-year warranty, but we almost never have a claim, even well after 10 years. They also deliver when they say they’re going to deliver, and you can always get them on the phone.

Innovation sells

Tafco / Scott’s extensive product line, comprising over twenty-five truck body models in both steel and aluminum, showcases their ability to cater to a multitude of industries. This versatility allows us to serve a diverse range of customers, from local fleets to large regional players, providing them with tailored solutions that optimize their vehicles for their specific applications.

They have a reputation for pioneering unique products, including their distinctively engineered hoists. Scott Level Lift hoists are a unique combination of both telescopic and scissor hoist styles, with advantages that include improved torsional strength and lift stability.

In recent years, Tafco / Scott has introduced significant hoist-related innovations to streamline the upfitting process. Their patented, integrated, spring-loaded dual-pin interlock system, implemented in their LL400 - LL700 hoist models, replaces the need for traditional body props. This enhances safety and saves valuable installation hours while also ensuring a secure and stable platform for our customers’ equipment.

Additionally, we look for suppliers who are attentive to market trends and emerging technologies. As the demand for electric vehicles rises, for example, Tafco is exploring options to integrate their hoists with electric platforms, providing eco-friendly solutions to environmentally conscious customers. Through collaboration with forward-thinking companies, we can offer our customers state-of-the-art solutions that align with their sustainability goals.

Formula for success

At Moroney, we take pride in our collaborative efforts with all of our valued suppliers.

One such fruitful collaboration with Tafco / Scott occurred several years ago, relating to their aluminum grain body. It sparked an idea in my mind, and I shared it with Lucas Lunz, a sales engineer at Tafco. I suggested, ‘Why don’t we put a roof on it and make the doors shorter at the rear? It would make an excellent chipper body.’

Recognizing the potential of this concept, Lucas took our suggestion to heart and swiftly implemented the necessary modifications. The result was a chipper body that surpassed our expectations. With its durable, lightweight aluminum construction, that chipper body offers unparalleled longevity, ensuring it can withstand the road chemicals in New England without rusting.

The success of such collaboration is not solely limited to product development. Our partnerships extend to the referral of business, with Moroney confidently recommending key suppliers to upfitters outside our territory.

This happened with that aluminum chipper body, and has with other equipment as well.

The collaboration between Moroney Body Works Inc. and key suppliers is marked by shared innovation, proactive communication, and a commitment to delivering exceptional solutions. Through our collective efforts, we have transformed ideas into reality and continuously pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the truck body industry.

As technology advances and market demands shift, we remain dedicated to staying ahead of the curve. By closely working with leading suppliers like Tafco / Scott and others, we can think more broadly and creatively, ensuring that our customers receive best-in-class solutions that help drive their success.

Innovation, imagination, and a can-do attitude launched Moroney Body Works over a century ago. Today, my father and I believe that it’s that kind of mindset that will carry us beyond the next century.