Bulk Transporter

I knew this was coming. Fortunately for me, the timing is good because I recently interviewed Florida Rock & Tank Lines president Rob Sandlin for a story about the ongoing combination of United Petroleum Transports and Florida Rock, which UPT acquired in December 2023. So look for more on Sandlin's tank truck industry legacy, and the integration of these two leading fuel haulers, in the upcoming issue of Bulk Transporter. And congratulations to Rob on an outstanding 41-year career! A tank truck industry era is coming to an end. Rob Sandlin,?Florida Rock & Tank Lines?president of past?National Tank Truck Carriers?chairman, plans to retire May 2, bringing a close to a 41-year career that includes overseeing Florida Rock’s acquisition by?United Petroleum Transports. “The success we’ve experienced over the course of my career at Patriot and Florida Rock & Tank Lines has been very rewarding and something I am immensely proud of,” Sandlin said. “I will miss the daily challenge of building an organization and helping people reach their career goals. I will also miss the interaction and relationships built over the years with our team and customers. “But the company is in good hands with Greg Price, Matt Herndon, and their team. I wish them great success.” Follow the link for more: https://lnkd.in/gu_K6dtF

Turns out there is a growing manufacturer of compressed gas tube trailers and ISO tank chassis trailers whose founder and CEO, Pratap Lingam, has a pretty interesting story—and they're in my own backyard, in the Houston-area suburb of Pearland, Texas. KWIK Equipment Sales LLC also plans to soon introduce new tank trailer designs for transporting liquid natural gas and liquid hydrogen. I think I may need to pay them a visit this summer. Kwik Equipment Sales, a manufacturer of tank container chassis trailers, compressed gas tube trailers, and other specialized equipment, is celebrating 10 years of operation. Pratap Lingam, Kwik Equipment president and CEO, previously worked at Pratt Industries and SandBox Logistics before starting the company in March 2015 in the Houston suburb of Pearland, Texas. After surviving pandemic disruptions, workforce challenges, and market shifts, Kwik produced 750 trailers in 2023 and 560 last year at its 55,000-sq.-ft. facility located on 14 acres, and it’s now a leading manufacturer of highly complex tube trailers—with a 65% market share in the United States. “It’s a great success story for my team and myself,” Lingam told?Bulk Transporter. Follow the link for more: https://lnkd.in/gRHeeHqX

Who will emerge as this year's National Tank Truck Carriers North American safety champions?? We'll find out soon enough. Congrats to all NTTC's Grand, Honor, and Merit award winners! National Tank Truck Carriers’ prestigious North American safety contest last year featured three repeat winners in Groendyke Transport, G&D Trucking, Inc./ Hoffman Transportation, LLC, and Gemini Motor Transport, who’ve combined for 15 championships. But there’s a good chance at least one first-time winner emerges this year. Follow the link for more: https://lnkd.in/gHisU__i

I recently paid a visit to MAC LTT's plant in Kent, Ohio. It was an "illuminating" experience! MAC LTT President Jim Maiorana and his team are doing some pretty cool things. KENT, Ohio—Safety innovation is a guiding light for?MAC LTT. The tank trailer manufacturer introduced its Total Area Lighting Kit (TALK) system more than 10 years ago. MAC LTT also was the first manufacturer to put a ring of lights around the back of a tanker, and, more recently, it rolled out fuel-saving molded aero skirts and life-saving side underride guards for tank trailers. Now Jim Maiorana, MAC LTT president, is out to redefine highway visibility. Follow the link for more: https://lnkd.in/gi8Wf5mN

This was a great experience. I enjoyed spending time with Dan Horvath and Rebecca Brewster, who I'm more accustomed to seeing on stage than across the table, and America's Road Team Captains Pete Palczynski and Anthony Tirone, two impressive Walmart Transportation drivers who previously pulled tanks, and all eight National Tank Truck Carriers Driver of the Year Champion Finalists. The hardest part was picking one winner!

This story features insights from nearly a dozen 7-Eleven and SWTO, LLC leaders, who provide an inside look at the private fuel delivery fleet's expanding operation. A big thank you to SWTO operations director Archie Wood, CTP for helping me put it together. This tank truck fleet is in very good hands with him at the helm. SWTO 2.0: 7-Eleven’s private fleet transforming fuel supply services By Jason McDaniel SWTO?was ready. Well before two major hurricanes struck Florida’s Gulf Coast only two weeks apart, Archie Wood, director of transport operations at SWTO—the private fleet for?7-Eleven?and its integrated fuel supplier,?SEI Fuels—and his crew sprang to action, shifting equipment away from flood-prone areas, staging trucks near strategic fuel terminals, and securing personnel from outside markets. The bulk hauler still had more than a dozen drivers from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas assisting emergency response efforts in Florida and beyond long after Helene and Milton departed. “It’s one thing to be available and support our customers, but when we can see the impact at the street level, it’s rewarding,” Wood said. “We’ve had numerous patrons and first responders come up to our drivers to express their appreciation and thank them for continuing to work amid tough conditions. Many of our drivers were initially evacuated, and then returned to find their homes damaged, but they still reported to work and made fuel deliveries, so we could meet the community’s needs.” Wood’s team is delivering the same steadfast level of support for 7-Eleven. Follow the link for more: https://lnkd.in/gAaRm9ap

Really touching story here featuring a rare interview with John Olsta, The Jack Olsta Co. president and son of founder Jack Olsta, who passed away last April at the age of 81. Guiding light: Founder’s philosophy fuels Olsta Co.’s expansion of facilities, upfit services By Jason McDaniel HUNTSVILLE, Texas—By all accounts, Jack Olsta, founder of?The Jack Olsta Co., was a dynamic, relationship-driven, joyful figure who cared deeply about his community, customers, and employees. He also loved serving the tank truck industry and continued to visit the Huntsville office long after retiring in 2008, providing an invaluable resource for the people now committed to furthering his legacy. “Jack was a lot of fun,” recalled John Olsta, Jack’s son and president of the company. “He’d come in, stir up the pot, then go to his office.” Tragically, Jack suffered a life-changing fall—while still doing what he loved in his shop—in February 2020, beginning a long battle he finally lost in 2024. The Jack Olsta Co.’s namesake creator died April 27 at 81 years old. But even as family and friends mourn his substantial loss, the firm he founded is flourishing, with more growth over the last two years than any other period in its history, adding new systems, services, products, and facilities, including an expansive truck “rig-out” and blower shop. And those involved are certain Jack is smiling down, a twinkle in his eye. Follow the link for more: https://lnkd.in/gsM86Zmr

Read the latest news on Midas Elbow in Bulk Transporter, alongside Fronk Oil Co., Inc. we discuss why cross-drop prevention technology is so beneficial to fuel delivery fleets across the USA. https://lnkd.in/e7Gfg-5u

Bulk Transporter ’s cover story on SWTO notes that the fleet equips Bendix Wingman Fusion 2.0 advanced driver assistance packages: https://lnkd.in/gd3rYWGG

I'm thrilled to finally share this story from the November/December print issue of Bulk Transporter with you online. This transformative new facility is truly impressive. This version features updates to Stainless Tank & Equipment Company LLC's transition plans that occured after the story went to print, and 25 additional images that didn't fit into the magazine, so make sure to check out both versions! The 400,000-sq.-ft. greenfield plant is slated to open in January. BELOIT, Wisconsin—STE?president Chris Sipe just wanted to compete. He’s convinced his company creates highly desired stainless steel tank trailers, but capacity constraints were keeping him from meeting greater demand, growing market share, and evolving beyond STE’s reputation as a manufacturer of “one-off,” highly customized products, so something needed to change. The Hendricks organization agreed—and decided to do something about it. “Our owners want to provide the best products and services,” Sipe said. “They like to lead, and they’re willing to do what it takes to make that happen.” Sipe gave them three options: Shutter the struggling operation, shift to a smaller structure, and embrace the boutique-brand identity, or “invest significantly” in expanding the enterprise with a first-rate new facility. “I guess I’m fortunate that the day I made my pitch, they picked Option 3,” he reflected. The overwhelming result is a highly automated, 400,000-sq.-ft. greenfield site directors deliberately designed for tank trailer production. “It’s massive—with an amazing amount of thought and innovation under one roof,” said Calvin Ewell, president of long-time STE customer?H.R. Ewell, who recently toured the facility. Most significantly, STE’s new plant is right here, in Beloit, Wisconsin, U.S.A. Follow the link for more: https://lnkd.in/ghpkY5PT