Jerr-Dan Towing & Recovery Technologies, Towing the Line

Jerr-Dan Towing & Recovery Technologies, headquartered in Greencastle, PA designs and manufactures transporter truck bodies and towing and recovery bodies and equipment. The company has two production facilities in Greencastle and an installation/distribution center in Las Vegas. The company has 380 employees and revenues of $175 million per year. Jerr-Dan distributes its products across North America by a factory-trained independent distributor network; it also has distributors in Europe and Asia.
The Jerr-Dan story started in 1972, when the corporation acquired the rollback and farm equipment division from Grove Manufacturing, which had been making farm equipment and hydraulic cranes since 1959. Jerr-Dan’s innovative style quickly led to the development of new products and new markets, including the Aluminum Wrangler in 1977. Targeted for installation on the traditional one-ton chassis, the Aluminum Wrangler catapulted Jerr-Dan into a dominant position in the vehicle transportation industry. In 1982, Jerr-Dan introduced Wrangler Lite, an extruded aluminum carrier that set a new industry standard. To meet the needs of an expanding market, Jerr-Dan widened its distribution, appointing more independent distributors and factory-owned retail locations, and launched an aggressive product development program. In 1996, the company developed one of the first composite bodies in the industry, using aerospace and automotive technologies to bond composite materials to an aluminum structure, making truly lightweight bodies for medium- and heavy-duty tow trucks.
Well-known wrecker models made by Jerr-Dan today include the Quick-Pick and the HIP 40. Designed for a large number of tows in a short period of time, the Quick-Pick is ideal for impounding and repossession work as well as quick- spot movements in storage yards. A patented variable-width body features a low-profile tapered rear deck for superior rearward visibility. The HIP 40 is a light-duty wrecker with a large number of user-friendly features. Composite body panels reduce weight and add life, and an integrated boom tilts seven degrees below and 15 degrees above horizontal. A counterbalance valve on its lift tilt cylinders ensures smooth, reliable operation.
Jerr-Dan carriers include the sturdy, good-looking Aluminum Elite. It’s built from polished structural aluminum, which provides a better strength-to-weight ratio than most steel car carriers. It has a hard-pulling worm gear winch with planetary speed and a subframe that features long, greaseless slide pads. Jerr-Dan’s hardwood-floored Transporter series comes in 5-, 7.5-, 10-, and 15-ton models, each with a range of optional features suitable for number of industrial carrying needs. The 15-ton model has a deck capacity of 30,000 pounds and a winch line pull of 20,000 pounds. Its deck length options are 24’, 26’, and 28’.
Jerr-Dan was the first company to develop the aluminum carrier deck, independent underlifts, and composite bodies, and it continues to push the boundaries of tow-truck technology today. Last November, it introduced a new heavy-duty wrecker model, the HDL 700/350 Integrated. This 35-ton, heavy-duty wrecker features Jerr-Dan’s patented lightweight and corrosion-resistant composite/ aluminum body construction, and it has an integrated underlift boom. The 700/350 offers the same lifting capacities found in Jerr-Dan’s 35-ton independent wrecker, but at a different price point. The new wrecker model has many of the same features found on Jerr-Dan’s other heavy-duty wreckers.
Jerr-Dan has also launched a new remote-controlled winching operation option, developed jointly with Transportation Safety Technologies, Inc. (TST), a leader in the design, development, and manufacturing of electronic switching systems and components for specialty vehicles. This new option features TST’s Side Arm 2 function remote controller. The Side Arm features a 100-degree operation radius, backlighted switches, an all-weather, high-visibility cover/holder complete with tether and holster, and a low battery LED indicator with nine-volt battery operation. The Side Arm remote control winch option is available for all Jerr-Dan standard-duty and medium-duty carriers. “We are very excited about our new heavy-duty wrecker and partnership with TST to make available a new remote that will assist towers with all winching functions on our carrier products,” said Jeff Weller, president. “Both initiatives demonstrate that Jerr-Dan continues to set the standard for innovation and customer assistance in the towing industry.”
On the same day these two new products were launched, Jerr-Dan signed a distribution agreement with Long Island’s largest Chevrolet dealer, Ramp Chevrolet, to distribute all Jerr-Dan products. Ramp is a family-owned and operated business with one of the largest inventories of recovery vehicles in the United States and more than 58 years of automotive experience.
“Jerr-Dan is committed to providing the highest quality products and services nation-wide,” said Weller. “We are extremely pleased to form this partnership with Ramp, which is a well-run and highly respected truck dealership with a national presence, strong marketing capabilities, unwavering commitment to customer service, and proven record of success in the distribution end of our business. We look forward to working with Ramp and its professional and trained specialists to deliver our full range of products to new and existing customers.”Peter Kontzamanys, general manager of Ramp, said, “We are pleased to join with Jerr-Dan to provide our customers with quality towing equipment that complements our existing Chevrolet truck line.”

Manufacturing in Action, Source : The Manufacturer US