We are often fascinated with the promise of futuristic sports cars and “concept” vehicles that bear only a faint resemblance to today’s models. Sometimes we become so obsessed with thinking about the long-term future that we fail to appreciate the achievements of today – until we see them up close.

Such was the case at last month’s NTEA Work Truck Show, where a visit to the Ford booth allowed visitors to see the latest in state-of-the-art truck body design. Scelzi Enterprises was proud to display one of their newest enhanced service body trucks, fully loaded with the latest in work truck technology.  

FEATURES OF THIS WORK TRUCK

Featured in the Ford booth at the show:

1. An 11-foot Scelzi Service Crane Body
   • LED work lights that work on all corners, in the cargo area, and even in the compartments
   • Perforated cab protector
   • Polyurea-lined cargo floor for non-slip safety
   • 24-inch rear work deck with vise stand
   • Class 5 receiver hitch
   • Scelzi roller drawers with “Press-down, Pull-out” operation
   • Patented Scelzi Electronic Master Locking System Ⓡ that locks all compartments from the truck ignition key/FOB
   • Crane reinforced body frame on the passenger side, and an AutoCrane EHC-32
   • Enpak A30GBW (by Miller) welder/generator/air compressor/battery charger
2. A 2024 FORD F-350 chassis cab, 84 CA, fully loaded with Ford’s integrated VIS 2.0 System

FORD VIS 2.0: THE MAGIC BEHIND THE CURTAIN

The external features of this truck body are impressive enough that Ford booth visitors were giddy just to walk around and appreciate the top-tier caliber quality features. But when they got to the cab and could observe a brief demo of the VIS system, their smiles grew even larger. The VIS system helps upfitters like Scelzi seamlessly integrate their equipment in one place without most of the frustrations they typically experience on accessory-heavy truck bodies.

“I don’t claim to understand all the technology,” states President Mike Scelzi, “but I can appreciate how well the VIS system simplifies the operations of a feature-rich truck body like ours. And our engineers tell me that once they played with the programming interface a little bit, they really love using it.”

DEALER AND END USER BENEFITS

The VIS system is not just a time-saver for truck body upfitters. The system also helps end users by moving more of the controls to the cab’s digital dashboard screen. “This is a huge leap forward in user-friendliness for the truck body owner,” states Scott Martzen, one of Scelzi’s in-house experts on the system. “I have spent the past two years collaborating with the Ford team on the VIS system, and it has completely transformed how we approach upfits. The system simplifies integration by providing direct access to chassis CAN signals, eliminating the need for additional modules or complex wiring. This not only streamlines the installation process but also gives us the ability to implement advanced safety features more efficiently. The inclusion of soft switches within the factory interface is another game-changer—it allows us to customize controls without additional hardware, reducing complexity and improving reliability. With these capabilities, we’re able to deliver upfits that are not only more efficient but also safer and more intuitive for the end user.”

NOT DONE YET

The Ford VIS 2.0 is just the latest chapter in work truck tech development, with plenty more enhancements to come. At Scelzi Enterprises, it is one more opportunity to help build the best solutions for their customers that are humanly possible. “We are nowhere close to being done yet,” emphasizes Mike Scelzi. “In some ways, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Stay tuned for the next 5 years as robotics along with AI (artificial intelligence) guide more of our designs and production techniques. Our dealers and end users will be the big winners.”

The future may not be here yet, but present-day technology is already great at Ford and at Scelzi Enterprises.