Fitzgerald Peterbilt sells off all six locations

Fitzgerald Peterbilt sells off all six locations

Peterbilt of Atlanta on Tuesday announced the acquisition of the assets of Fitzgerald Peterbilt's four Alabama locations, including dealerships in Birmingham, Huntsville (Madison), Montgomery (Hope Hull), and Gadsden.

In conjunction with the acquisition, the company also changed its name to Pearson Peterbilt Group, LLC, effective today to reflect the company's expansion beyond its historical Georgia footprint.

That announcement followed news released Monday that The Larson Group (TLG Peterbilt) is acquiring Fitzgerald Peterbilt’s two Virginia locations in Glade Spring and Fancy Gap, effective Aug. 3.

Scott Pearson, President of Pearson Peterbilt Group, said his company’s acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for both organizations.

"We are honored to have reached this agreement with the Fitzgerald family,” Pearson said. “They have built a highly respected organization with outstanding employees and a strong reputation for serving customers throughout Alabama. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue that legacy."

Pearson added that the move is “a natural fit” for his company. “The transition from Peterbilt of Atlanta to Pearson Peterbilt Group reflects our growth while maintaining the values, customer focus, and commitment to excellence that have defined our organization for years."

TLG Peterbilt President and CEO Glenn Larson noted that his group is “proud to welcome the employees and customers of the Fitzgerald Peterbilt locations in Fancy Gap and Glade Spring to TLG,” adding that the expansion into Virginia “strengthens our presence in the Southeast and allows us to better serve customers with the industry-leading service TLG is known for. We look forward to building on the relationships developed by the Fitzgerald team.”

With the expansion, TLG now operates 36 locations across 12 states.

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International planning layoffs at Ohio plant as CV series sunsets

International Motors informed the state of Ohio last week that it will lay off up to 1,341 employees after it reached a deal to sell its Springfield, Ohio, plant to Roshel Defense Solutions.

Canada-headquartered Roshel designs, builds and tests heavy armored vehicles and secure transport systems for the military, law enforcement and other government groups.

The deal, expected to close in October, is for International’s plant at 6125 Urbana Road and the truck specialty center at 5975 Urbana Road. It coincides with the sunsetting of International’s Class 5-6 CV series, which was manufactured at the facility.

“It is further expected that all of the company’s Springfield operations at SAP and TSC will be concluded by the sale closing date and that virtually all employees who are employed by the company at those locations will be terminated from employment with the company effective that date except for employees who are on certain types of leave of absence as of the sale closing date,” a letter from International said.

Some of the employees are represented by the United Auto Workers union and will receive negotiated agreements. Other employees not covered by collective bargaining may be offered severance pay terms and benefits contingent on terms and conditions.

Roshel said it intends to commence work at the Springfield locations at some point. In March, it said plans included expanding production of commercial, special and armored vehicles.

“Adding this Springfield facility, with its rich history, to our U.S. footprint strengthens our ability to support U.S. defense and commercial automotive programs locally,” said Roman Shimonov, CEO of Roshel. “It will allow us, along with our partners, to combine the expertise of the Springfield workforce with our advanced manufacturing capabilities to address a broad range of evolving customer requirements.”

Samara Strycker, executive vice president and CFO at International, said in March that the deal represented a successful path forward for the plant.

“We have been focused on finding a buyer that values the capabilities of this historic facility and the community,” Strycker said. 

International’s announcement followed an announcement last week from Daimler Trucks North America that it is moving production of Freightliner and Western Star trucks from Portland, Oregon, to the Carolinas. --Beth Colvin, TPS

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Truck busted in El Paso with drugs, cash

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Gang and Narcotics Unit (GNU) on July 29 conducted a targeted interdiction operation involving a commercial tractor-trailer as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

During the operation, investigators seized approximately 119.8 kilograms (264 pounds) of cocaine and $7,000 in U.S. currency, likewise the tractor-trailer believed to have been used in connection with the trafficking operation. The estimated street value of the seized cocaine is approximately $4 million.

The investigation remains active and ongoing. The sheriff’s office said no additional information is being released, to protect the integrity of the investigation.