Fontaine Modification has more than doubled the size of its Laredo, Texas, truck modification center with the completion of a 40,000-square-foot expansion, enlarging the busy facility to 67,000 square feet. The company said additional space will enable this high-volume location to offer new services, including more time-intensive equipment installations, chassis modifications, and paint operations.

Modifying Trucks Assembled in Mexico

Fontaine’s Laredo team modifies trucks that are assembled at Freightliner and Navistar plants in Mexico. As these trucks cross the border, they are processed through a marshaling yard for delivery within the United States and Canada. Fontaine’s Laredo operation is connected to this yard, enabling its personnel to work on the trucks while they remain in the OEM’s delivery system to provide a seamless process for end-user customers.

“I’m very proud of our team in Laredo,” says Jamil Young, president, Fontaine Modification. “Everything about the expansion was meticulously planned and very well-organized to the point that construction had virtually no impact on productivity. This speaks to the amazing team that we have in Laredo handling our operations.”

The expansion delivers more space to perform the high-volume fleet services the Laredo operation is known for – including installing electronics, vehicle tracking systems, safety equipment, and graphics packages – while also facilitating new service offerings.

The team is ramping up to offer heavier vocational truck modifications such as hydraulic all-wheel-drive conversions, wheelbase changes, and sit-down dual-drive modifications, as well as high-content installations including auxiliary power units and brake retarders. A new state-of-the-art paint booth enables them to paint large components, truck cabs, hoods, and even entire Class 8 tractors.

Laredo Facility Produces 100,000^th Truck

The expanded facility recently celebrated producing its 100,000th truck. The production honor goes to a 2024 Freightliner Cascadia Class 8 tractor prepped for customer J.B. Hunt Transport Services, one of the nation’s leading motor carriers.

The Fontaine Laredo team got the Cascadia road-ready by providing a customized package of fleet services, including completing pre-delivery inspection, preparing trailer lines, installing telematics, applying corporate graphics, and other preparatory tasks.

“I was excited to witness the production of the 100,000th unit in our plant,” says Juan Salazar, senior director of operations, Fontaine Modification. “This truck is a testament to our entire team’s hard work over the last 12 years to double our production while maintaining quality.”

Salazar further credits the facility’s new operations manager, Eric Padilla, who came on board in 2023, as instrumental in achieving the milestone. Fontaine currently employs 165 in Laredo and is targeting to increase employment to 280 to keep pace with the projected growth rate for the facility.