Category: Scelzi

Columns / Commercial Vehicle Pro / EV / FordPros / Read / Scelzi

 California Regulators Charge Ahead with EV Work Trucks 

Electric vehicles (EV) in the US have been growing in popularity for over a decade. Tesla began production of its Roadster sports car in 2008 and followed that with various other models in the ensuing years.  Tesla and others have also developed first generation electric pickups and semi-trucks and vans. But power requirements for passenger vehicles and vans are vastly different than for work trucks – especially if those work trucks are outfitted with cranes and generators and hoists, etc. A delivery van or lightweight...

Columns / Commercial Vehicle Pro / CVBNetwork / FordPros / News / Read / Scelzi / Sponsors

The View Ahead Looks Bright Despite a Few Obvious Potholes

As we reach the end of 2023 and look ahead to next year, it is easy to spot some potholes in the road ahead. Will they be as large as those challenges we have sidestepped over the past few years? Consider what we have gone through: Huge Hurdles Behind Us From 2020-2021 we were all shaken by a worldwide pandemic that directly affected our workforce as well as those of our partners, suppliers, and customers. Previously rock-solid supply chains were suddenly bent or completely broken,...

Commercial Vehicle Pro / FordPros / Read / Scelzi / Sponsors

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS COMING TO A WORK TRUCK NEAR YOU

By Bill Vander Plaats, Scelzi Inc. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a hot topic in technology today. Some believe it will change many things in our lives, including how we do business. But how might it affect the work truck industry? For Fleet Owners and Drivers, AI appears ready to accelerate changes in several areas, including: For Truck Body Manufacturers like Scelzi Enterprises, the impact of AI is harder to estimate. But here is what we might see coming soon: UNTIL AI IS READY TO DELIVER...

Columns / Commercial Vehicle Pro / FordPros / Read / Scelzi / Sponsors

LANDSCAPERS FIND PERFECT TOOL FOR THEIR GROWING BUSINESS

C4 Landscaping specializes in residential and commercial landscaping and repair in Linden, California, near Stockton. Between droughts, record rainfall and fires, as well as intense heat waves, the past few years have been very challenging for them, as it has for everyone in the landscaping field. Grass, plants, and other foliage struggle to survive and thrive in these extreme conditions. Owner Joe Cordeiro faces these challenges with 25 years of experience and the best tools he can find. “We look for function first and great...

Commercial Vehicle Pro / Read / Scelzi / Sponsors

THE ALWAYS APPEALING TREND OF BEST-IN-CLASS

Long after the first predictions were made of how solar or wind power or rechargeable batteries would replace fossil fuels, gasoline and diesel engines are still the predominant energy source in commercial work trucks. Those great ideas are coming but they are not here yet. First something becomes possible, then it becomes economical, and finally it becomes well-designed and ready for widespread acceptance. Eventually, the future arrives. But rarely as quickly as predicted. New technologies can yield huge leaps of improved efficiency, but the learning...

Commercial Vehicle Pro / FordPros / Read / Scelzi

SCELZI INC: NO COMPROMISE ON MATERIALS of CONSTRUCTION

As Spring approaches and the traumatic weather patterns of early 2023 settle down to something a bit less exciting, truck body builders are faced with the classic “Good News vs Bad News” scenario. The Good News is that Ford is almost back to full-time scheduling of chassis cabs to dealers and upfitters. This has caused a resurgence of business activity as production lines ramp up to fill backlogged orders and meet current demand. This is great news for all of us, and to our customers....