In 1956, a young man named Orville Schuster started a business with just one truck and a lot of determination. He began near his hometown, hauling grain around the Sioux City, Iowa area. The company grew over the years, and today, that small operation Orville began is called Schuster Co. It’s still family-owned and operated, but it’s grown into a thriving business, offering both refrigerated and dry van services and fueled by a team of more than 500 employees.
Long Partnership, Perfect Customizations
Operating with dependable refrigerated trailers is an important part of Schuster’s success. For the last twenty years, Schuster Co. has trusted Great Dane dealership Jim Hawk Truck Trailers to provide their Everest reefers. The teams at Schuster and Great Dane know each other well, working closely together to customize Schuster’s reefers to their exact needs.
Jeff Arens, Vice President for Schuster Co., says it’s the combination of strong relationships coupled with great products that keep this partnership strong.
“We choose Great Dane because of the quality of their products. Many people don’t know this, but Le Mars, Iowa is the Ice Cream Capital of the World, and ice cream distribution is our niche business. Because of that, when we customized our Great Dane reefers, we equipped them with ThermoGuard liners, knowing they will hold the right temperature better than anything else out there,” Arens said.
Jeff is referring to the fact that ThermoGuard liners are unlike any others in the industry. Invented by Great Dane engineers, it’s a multi-layered liner design that is virtually impermeable, protecting the insulation and offering exceptional thermal performance. And Everests are the only refrigerated trailer on the road with Microban® protection built into the liner, a technology that reduces bacteria growth and odors. Learn more here.
Lighter Trailers, Heavyweight Advantage
Jeff went on to explain how Everest reefers give his fleet a significant advantage.
“It used to be, the older a trailer was, the more it weighed. But we don’t see that anymore with our Great Dane trailers. Before we operated Great Dane reefers, we weighed our trailers when they were new and again at five years. We found that some had gained 1,500 pounds from water weight gain. Now, our Great Dane trailers are huge for our ROI. We don’t see any more weight gain over five years. This means we can maximize shipping weight and meet our customers’ requirements,” Arens explained. “As an added bonus, they hold up well and have a good resale value.”
Solid Relationships, American Craftsmanship
Solid relationships and quality products, built with American craftsmanship, have led to an enduring partnership and Schuster’s success.
Arens went on to explain:
“The combination of our relationship with the Jim Hawk dealership and the people at Great Dane goes a long way. The product is great, and we love what we receive, but it’s the people who make the product.”
