MT. LAUREL, NJ -  Automotive Resources International (ARI), announced that it has acquired the assets of Auto Truck Group, headquartered in Bartlett, Ill. Auto Truck Group (ATG) is the leading upfitter in the work truck industry and will become Auto Truck Group LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ARI.

ARI will merge its railroad truck upfitting subsidiary, Fleet Body Equipment (FBE), into ATG.  ATG president Jim Dondlinger and his present management team will continue to lead all Auto Truck Group operations, including Auto Truck Inc. (Chicago), Fort Wayne Fleet Equipment Company (Fort Wayne, IN), Layton Truck Equipment Company (Colorado Springs and Denver, Colo.), Louisville Truck Equipment (Louisville, Ky.), and Fleet Body Equipment (Kansas City, Mo., and Fort Worth, Texas).

According to ARI President Carl Ortell, this acquisition continues the company's successful strategy of delivering industry-best support to companies, government and other organizations with complex and vocational fleet needs.

"ARI has become the fastest growing fleet management company in North America and now the second-largest by lowering fleet costs, increasing productivity and making the fleet a more strategic resource no matter how complex the fleet needs," Ortell noted. "In many cases, our unique ability to deliver superior results is derived from our unmatched truck supply chain expertise.

Our ownership of Fleet Body Equipment since 1983 helped our North American Class 1 railroad customers develop the best possible fleets through industry-specific upfitting expertise.  Today ARI is proud to serve all of the Class 1 railroads.  Likewise, the acquisition of ATG -- the recognized upfitting leader -- will permit ARI customers in the utility, energy, and telecommunications industries to gain a competitive edge through more effective operation of their fleets."

Jim Dondlinger, president of Auto Truck Group, said, "The entire ATG team is excited about our association with FBE as a newly-formed company.  This will permit us to expand capacity, improve utilization of resources, and add more product offerings.  All operations continue unabated as we begin planning to address new market opportunities and broader upfitting capabilities."