Shyft Expands Florida Manufacturing Footprint

The Shyft Group plans to open a new 35,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Jupiter, Fla. The facility will primarily be used for Strobes-R-Us specialty vehicle fleet upfit and retail sales, while providing the Company’s Utilimaster brand with additional regional manufacturing and assembly capacity. Production at the new Palm Beach County facility is expected to begin this fall.

Once complete, the flexible manufacturing facility will bring The Shyft Group’s Florida-based regional manufacturing and distribution footprint to more than 50,000 square feet, immediately expanding the brand’s upfit capacity and retail sales capabilities, according to the company.

“Strobes-R-Us has been a leading supplier of upfit and lighting solutions for federal, state, and local government agencies for decades from its flagship Pompano Beach facility,” said Daryl Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Shyft Group. “Business wins have led to the recent need for expanded capacity in both the Strobes-R-Us and Utilimaster businesses. We are encouraged to see demand continue on an upward trajectory in both the last mile delivery and specialty service fleet arenas. Accordingly, we look forward to welcoming new employees to The Shyft Group family, in short order.”

The expansion is expected to immediately create 40 new skilled trades positions. 

The Shyft Group is known for dynamic work and delivery truck, upfit, and recreational vehicle brands, including Utilimaster, Royal Truck Body, Strobes-R-Us, Spartan RV Chassis, and Builtmore Contract Manufacturing. Strobes-R-Us, in particular, is a premier provider of upfit products and services for government and non-government vehicles, including first responder fleets. The company installs and distributes upfit kits and lighting equipment, including light bars, interior accessories, communication radios, MDT computer docks, K-9 officer upfits, and exterior accessories to a diverse range of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, municipal emergency response vehicles, towing companies and construction companies, specialty service fleets, as well as utility and telecom providers.

This past June, the company—formerly known as Spartan Motors, Inc.—rebranded to The Shyft Group to be more reflective of its next phase of business transformation focused on high-growth commercial, retail, and service specialty vehicle markets, and to follow the divestiture of its Emergency Response business. The name represents speed, efficiency, agility, and a high-intensity approach, which corresponds with the company’s pivot in market focus and the forward momentum garnered in the work truck, specialty service, and delivery vehicle markets. The Company reported sales of $757 million in 2019 from continued operations.