In The News Archives - Page 6 of 16 - Ledwell - Custom Truck Bodies, Trailers, and Parts

Ledwell Joins the Stellar® Distributor Network

Ledwell is excited to announce it is now a part of the distribution network for Stellar Industries, an employee-owned and operated manufacturer of high-quality mechanic trucks and cranes, tire service trucks, hooklifts, roll-off cable hoists, trailers, and service truck and van accessories.

“We’re incredibly excited to join the Stellar distributor network and can’t wait to show our customers the superior lineup of Stellar Mechanics Trucks, Service Cranes and Service Truck Accessories,” says Lesley Ledwell, President of Ledwell. “Stellar’s industry-leading mechanic trucks fit nicely with the quality truck bodies and trailers we currently manufacture for our customers.”

Ledwell will offer the full line of Stellar^® TMAX™ Mechanic Trucks and Telescopic Service Cranes. In addition to mechanic truck and crane products, Ledwell will also carry their complete line of work truck accessory products. That includes toolbox systems, air compressors and power units.

“Ledwell’s mission of providing top-quality equipment that is efficient, reliable and customized to the customer’s needs is directly in line with our own here at Stellar,” says Tim Davison, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Stellar. “We’re thrilled that Ledwell has chosen to add our products to their offerings and are excited about the opportunity to bring Stellar to customers in the Texarkana area.”

Ledwell partners with Stellar Industries

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Stellar was founded in 1990 in Garner, Iowa, and has since expanded operations to multiple U.S. locations. Stellar is an employee-owned and operated manufacturer of high-quality work trucks and trailers, in addition to service truck and van accessories. Through the innovative, growing product line and an expanding distribution network, the company has gained an international presence and become the number one productivity choice in many markets.

Ledwell Team In In The News

Making Equipment and Careers in Texarkana

Ledwell welding and manufacturer hiring in Texarkana

Are you looking for a new career or need a job jumpstart? Whether you are a Texarkana native, a transplant to the area, or a potential newcomer, Ledwell is looking for fresh talent.

Are you a welder? Machinist? Painter? Body mechanic? If you are any of these, Ledwell has a position for you.

If you consider yourself reliable, self-motivated, detail-oriented, and cooperative with a work ethic to prove it, Ledwell is the place for you.

Do you have workable knowledge of manufacturing and mathematics, including reading a tape measure? Do you follow directions and safety procedures? Do you manage your time well but still pay attention to detail? Are you willing to learn on the job site? If you answered “yes” to embodying these skill sets, then Ledwell wants to hire you onto its team!

Ledwell will put the “you” back into USA-made products!

Ledwell is a family-owned manufacturing and fabrication company based in Texarkana, TX. We are looking for experienced or new-to-manufacturing employees to work in the production of a variety of equipment trucks and trailers from the nuts-and-bolts stage to completion.

Our goal is to provide quality products to our valued customers by having and valuing quality employees.

Ledwell is growing and is hiring in Texarkana, especially those workers who are looking for a trade occupation that could lead to an industry career.

Many of our employees have been with the company for decades due to their passion for the work, the supportive workplace environment, and the way the company takes care of its employees through benefits and perks. Ledwell provides on-the-job training, all-encompassing health insurance, and 401K retirement.

Ledwell Manufacturer of Equipment and Parts for sale

As an employee, you will also be guaranteed overtime and paid time off. Position advancement potential as well as raise and bonus possibilities are available. These incentives are not just sign-on bonuses; they continue to remain available to Ledwell workers as employment progresses.

The company’s slogan for the quality of the products it manufactures also applies to the employees it hires and trains: “Not just well made, Ledwell made.”

If you want to be a pivotal gear in a big business that feels like family, apply at Ledwell. Contact Ledwell (903) 838-6531 if you have questions regarding its hiring procedures or application.

Apply Today

Ledwell Team In In The News, Innovation

Engineering Advancements

ENGINEERING THEN

In Ledwell’s early years, engineers created line drawings by hand with pencil and paper. Engineers used huge pieces of drafting paper and kept the drawings on hand to reference when needed.

Even when computers and electronics became available, the drawings were still 2D, and those engineering advancements were not as detailed as the electronic drawings we have today.

ENGINEERING NOW

Ledwell’s engineering department has come a long way in 75 years. Today, engineers use software that allows them to draw equipment and parts using exact measurements. They can add chassis to truck
bodies to determine the weight of a finished product.

They can even go as far as moving axles to meet bridge laws in certain states. These drawings give a 360-degree view of a completed piece of equipment. Documents like the one below are sent to each shop to guide them through cutting and constructing components.

Ledwell Team In Government, In The News, Innovation, Material Handling, Transportation

DLA Distribution Red River Team Increases Performance to 98% On-Time from 87% Thanks to Custom Gull Wing Delivery Trucks

Ledwell serves the material handling industry - Gull Win unloading

The Opportunity

During his 25-year career in the military, Seth Olmstead traveled all over the world—including Japan.

“Japan has a very narrow road network,” he said. “They have to maximize the space they have. One of the things I saw while I was in Japan was delivery trucks that opened on the sides to allow for quick, easy unloading.”

Fast forward to 2020, when Olmstead served as the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Distribution Red River Commander.

He was helping his team troubleshoot moving inventory in inclement weather. DLA services the Department of Defense and State throughout the world, Olmstead said, and when a requisition comes in for material, they fulfill it.

“We were having trouble moving material due to the rain,” he said. “We had $13 billion of inventory, but most of it was stored in cardboard boxes. When it rained, the only thing we had to move the material between warehouse and shipping locations was a flatbed trailer, but you can’t move cardboard boxes on a flatbed in the rain.”

Frustrated with the rain’s impact on his team’s performance metrics, Olmstead knew they needed a better solution—like what he’d seen in Japan.

The Solution: Ledwell Gull Wing

“I told my team to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to get one of those trucks,” he said.

His team researched trucks in Japan and began reaching out to vendors, but those companies would not export them to the United States.

Then, Olmstead’s equipment specialist came to him with good news: not only had he found that type of truck here in the U.S., but it was also made locally at Ledwell.

A meeting was immediately set for him and his team—including a driver and safety personnel—to visit Ledwell and see a Gull Wing, Ledwell’s version of the trucks Olmstead had seen in action in Japan.

Originally developed as a custom product for Wholesale Electric, Ledwell’s patented Gull Wing helped the electric wholesaler revolutionize its distribution model. Its watertight side doors keep valuable cargo dry and make it easier for delivery drivers to unload specific pieces of equipment quickly.

“Steve [Ledwell] and his team were very accommodating,” Olmstead said. “They answered every question we had no matter how crazy or off-the-wall it was. We figured out in about an hour that these vehicles would make a difference. DLA Red River purchased three of the vehicles.”

Adapting the Gull Wings to fit DLA’s unique needs is a process Ledwell is familiar with. Engineer Gary Gathright said several changes and safety features were incorporated into DLA’s Gull Wings, including a safety feature that prevents the truck from moving if one of the wings is open.

“We did the controls differently. We’ve since added those upgrades to all of the new Gull Wing units, whether it be for them or another client,” Gathright said. “We changed how things are operated in the cab, incorporated a greaseable hinge that makes the service life better for the whole unit. A lot of our improvements are customer-driven. We end up incorporating those not just into a unit for that particular customer, but into the unit as a whole, so we ultimately make our entire product line better.”

The Results

With its new Gull Wing units, Olmstead’s team was able to deliver efficiently no matter the weather.

Their performance metrics lifted from 87% on-time to 98% on time in a matter of weeks.

It’s hard to argue with that kind of success. Seeing DLA’s numbers inspired Anniston Army Depot to make their order, which Ledwell is customizing to accommodate Anniston’s lower awnings.

“It was almost seamless,” Olmstead said. “Gary was able to do the calculations for those changes on the fly, and Anniston immediately found confidence in the truck because the engineer gave them the nod that this equipment would work for their needs.”

Founded by a veteran, Ledwell has always had a soft spot for projects that help our military succeed.

“Just being a local source to provide a solution for what is ultimately a local portion of a worldwide provider of support services for our warfighters could, in the future, open up a lot of doors for us to continue our reach as a worldwide company,” Gathright said.

Truck Body Manufacturer Ledwell patented Gull Wing

Do you have a unique, custom truck or trailer need? We'll help you find a solution! Submit the form or call us at 888-533-9355 to get started.

Ledwell Team In In The News, Innovation

Decades of Innovation

For 75 years, Ledwell has continued its legacy of excellence with an expansion of services, an eye for quality, and dedicated customer service. As our customers’ needs grow and evolve, Ledwell’s innovation and product offerings.

You’ll find those developments on this timeline along with some fun facts about Ledwell, including its stint as a film distribution company in the ‘70s.

1946 Buddy Ledwell and his father start Ledwell & Son, a lumber hauling company.

1950 Ledwell shifts to building pick-up racks.

1955 Ledwell begins manufacturing dump trucks.

1955 Buddy incorporates Ledwell & Son. Moves to his new shop at the corner of Waco Street and Robison Road in Texarkana.

1957 Ledwell sells its first feed body and delivers it 100 miles away.

1966 Ledwell becomes a Bobcat dealer.

1971 Ledwell builds satellite antenna that is shipped in sections to South America.

1972 – 1975 Ledwell Film Distribution releases Legend of Boggy Creek (1972), Bootleggers (1974), and Winter Hawk (1975).

1976 Ledwell constructs first HydraTail Trailer.

1977 Ledwell builds first set of water trucks.

1980 Ledwell buys its first Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) machine, a significant step for in-house parts production.

1986 Ledwell celebrates four decades of innovations and relationships.

1990 Ledwell expands and modernizes machine shop, allowing for increased production and ability.

1999 Ledwell expands its international presence with more products going into Asia, Africa, Central and South America.

2008 Ledwell opens office in Fayetteville, North Carolina, to serve customers in the area.

2009 Ledwell Machinery opens, providing Bobcat, Toro, and Stihl equipment to the Texarkana area.

2009 Ledwell partners with First Response Team of America.

2010 Ledwell enters the vacuum truck industry.

2012 Ledwell Office opens.

2013 Ledwell builds its first TMA Crash Truck.

2016 Ledwell manufactures patented Gull Wing.

2017 Ledwell adds powder coating facility.

2019 Ledwell designs and builds first TrakVac.

2019 Ledwell installs first robot welder.

2019 Ledwell manufactures patent-pending HydraTilt Truck.

2020 Ledwell manufactures patent-pending MaxTilt Trailer.

2020 Ledwell receives Innovation Award for Solar Lift Loading Ramp.

2021 Ledwell celebrates turning 75!

Truck Body and Trailer Manufacturer Innovation over the years - Ledwell

Ledwell Team In In The News, Innovation

Manufacturing Solutions for 75 Years

How it started

After returning from WWII in 1946, Buddy and his father L.W. Ledwell Sr. started a lumber company called Ledwell & Son in Texarkana, Texas. One day Buddy needed a certain kind of truck trailer to haul lumber, so he rolled up his sleeves and welded the frame he needed to get the job done.

A neighboring farmer saw the trailer and asked, “Where’d you get that? I need one!” So Buddy built it.

Pretty soon, Ledwell & Son had a burgeoning side business building pickup racks and livestock trailers, and it soon became the focus of the operation. When a farmer or a feedlot owner identified a problem with their equipment, Buddy and his father found a way to manufacture a solution.

Original location of Ledwell and Son Lumber

How it’s going

Seventy-five years later, Ledwell builds custom trailers and truck bodies for just about every industry—from water and feed trucks to their own patented hydraulic trailers—for customers all over the world. If a need arises for a truck or trailer to perform a job or haul a particular piece of equipment, Ledwell finds a way to manufacture a solution.

“We build our trucks and trailers to be tough,” said Steve Ledwell.

“Things that are add-ons for other manufacturers, like stronger steel and thicker water tank linings, are standard on our products. With proper care and maintenance, we expect our customers to get decades of service out of our equipment. That’s what ‘Ledwell Made’ means to us.”

The company also prides itself on service and its US-made equipment, with more than 85% of their parts manufactured in-house.

Today, the legacy of the 75-year old business continues under the fourth generation leadership of Buddy’s granddaughter, Lesley Ledwell Dukelow. Ledwell has grown to employ more than 500 workers and has vastly expanded the company’s plant footprint in Texarkana, along with adding a location in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

“The fact that the business has grown to provide so many jobs while still maintaining a family atmosphere is something we’re very proud of,” Dukelow said. “The level of dedication and service that our team provides our customers has only gotten stronger over the last 75 years.”

Ledwell Team In In The News, Innovation

Section179 Tax Deduction Offers Major Savings

Are you taking advantage of Section179? This part of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the total purchase price of qualifying equipment during the tax year. The U.S. government created the Section179 deduction to encourage companies to invest in themselves.

If you buy or lease a piece of equipment, you can deduct the total purchase price from your gross income.

By midnight on December 31, 2021, equipment must be paid for and put into service to qualify for the Section179 deduction.

The Section179 website offers various tools and educational materials to guide you through what qualifies.

There is even a Section179 calculator to assist in figuring out your potential deduction for the 2021 tax year. Follow the prompts and enter your equipment cost, from software to heavy haul trailers, to determine your deduction and lowered equipment cost after tax savings.

Ledwell manufacturer of equipment for sale qualifies for Section179

Plus, bonus depreciation allows up to 100% depreciation on qualified new and used equipment—including any Ledwell custom manufactured equipment.

Don’t wait! By purchasing or financing equipment in 2021, you can claim a deduction for these items under the existing bonus depreciation rules.

Any of the truck bodies or trailers we manufacture at Ledwell qualifies for this deduction. To order yours today, contact our sales team or browse our site.

Ledwell Team In Feed, Fire, Government, In The News, Transportation

Strategic Partnership Helps Lonestar Truck Group, Ledwell Grow Together

With 24 dealerships in eight states, Lonestar Truck Group isn’t your average truck dealership. If you ask Adam Arrington, Executive Vice President of Sales, there’s one central reason why the company has seen growth and success since it opened in the early 60s: people.

“We have a great team of people that live and breathe this business,” he said. “The culture of this company empowers our people to do their jobs, provide feedback, and make it a nurturing environment where everybody succeeds. Everybody says that, but when you can actually do it, it’s pretty impressive.”

Lonestar Truck Group is one of the largest Freightliner dealer groups in the country, and it counts third-generation family members among its leadership. With 1,200+ employees at its 24 dealerships, the company provides parts, service, new and used truck sales, trailers, finance and insurance, body shops, and more to its customers.

“We sell new and used trucks and trailers to a single owner-operator buying one truck, and we sell to some of the largest public companies in the country when it comes to procuring equipment and parts and service,” Adam said.

And at Lonestar, every task is important, no matter how big the order.

“You’ll never hear someone at Lonestar say, ‘That’s not my job,'” Adam said. “Everyone is willing to roll their sleeves up and get involved, whether it’s working after hours to get a customer a part or getting a truck delivered on time. It’s all we do. It’s our livelihood.”

Adam said that between supply chain and staffing issues, this year has thrown its fair share of challenges at Lonestar.

“This is my 21st year on the Freightliner/Daimler dealer side of the business,” he said. “I’ve never seen supply chains so broken. It’s been a huge disruptor.”

Bulk Haul Feed Trailer for sale by Ledwell with Lonestar Tractor

Relationships with longtime customers and partners like Ledwell have helped Lonestar weather what has been a challenging year for the manufacturing industry.

“For our true partners, like Ledwell, they know we’re doing everything we can to get them what they need and when they need it,” Adam said.

He said his relationship with Ledwell began 20 years ago when he first met Steve Ledwell.

“I always heard stories, but aside from dropping a truck off, I didn’t know who they were or what they did,” he said. “My relationship with everyone at Ledwell has changed drastically over the last six years. Steve and I talk every day except Sunday. Lesley and I talk weekly. I talk to every salesman and engineer in the building at least once a week, whether it’s about inventory, or a project, or trucks that are being upfit for our customers.”

Lonestar Truck paired with Ledwell Feed Trailer

TMA Crash Attenuator Truck for Sale Ledwell

Adam said it’s not just business—it’s personal.

“Ledwell is our largest customer, but on the flip side of that, they’re also our friends,” he said.

Ledwell buys a lot of trucks from Lonestar, but they count Lonestar as a customer as well—Lonestar buys truck bodies, rigging, PTOs, wet kits, trailers, and more from Ledwell. Lonestar also provides secure financing and lease options for Ledwell customers when needed.

Adam said his customers love Ledwell products because of their exceptional quality, endurance, service, and parts accessibility.

“They just take care of things,” he said. “We’ve had issues before, but every time, without fail, the first thing they say is, ‘Where’s the truck?’ No arguing, no complaining. They exhaust every single resource at their fingertips to get that truck, or trailer, or body fixed in a way that’s hassle-free for the customer.”

Adam hasn’t just worked with Ledwell in his current role. When he sold trucks, he said, he had the opportunity to see Ledwell’s hard work in action.

“It was New Year’s Eve in 2003,” he said. “I had a logger call me from Mena, Ark., who wanted to buy a couple of trucks and had to buy them that day because of tax reasons. Installing logging-specific equipment like trailer rides, headache racks, and digital load scales takes eight to ten hours. I called Ledwell at 10 a.m., and they said, ‘Bring it on.’ They had a team of people waiting for us, got it finished, and got it delivered. The customer was happy. I was happy. That’s the way the Ledwell culture is.”

When you work with Ledwell, he said, you aren’t just a customer—you’re becoming part of that family.

“At the end of the day, they’re just good people,” he said.

Ledwell Team In Feed, In The News, Service, Transportation

Add Time Back to Your Day – Efficiency in Feed Transportation

Ledwell Feed Trailer Manufacturer Test Every Bulk Haul Trailer

Ledwell built its first steel bulk feed body in the late 1950s. A couple of decades later, we moved into manufacturing aluminum feed equipment, and we even made a few chicken hauler trailers along the way. We’ve learned a thing or two about the poultry industry over the past 75 years, and we’ve compiled some of our top efficiency in feed tips in this article.

Ledwell Original Chicken Transport Cages

Incorporating some of these practices and equipment add-ons can help you improve efficiency in feed delivery, adding valuable time back into your day. In this book, we’ll cover technology, delivery systems, hydraulics, safety, and service.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us we’re happy to answer any questions.

TECHNOLOGY

In recent years, technology in automated unloading systems has allowed operators to reduce unloading times and be more attentive to their surroundings while minimizing human error while unloading. An
automated system maximizes efficiency in feed delivery and allows the trailer to run at peak performance. You aren’t relying on the driver/operator to adjust the floor to keep the pressure where it needs to be.

Most variations of an automated system are measuring pressure in the hydraulic circuit and making adjustments to the hydraulic flow, keeping the system running at optimal potential throughout the entire unloading process without the operators’ need to make these adjustments manually. This allows the operator to step away from their valves and gauges to be more attentive to their surroundings, open bottom floor gates, or watch a feed bin while unloading.

By continuously monitoring and maintaining the hydraulic circuit to run at maximum potential, you will see improved unload times, reduce the chances of plugging up the system, and extend the life of all
hydraulic components.

A benefit of Ledwell’s automated system is that it is easily retrofittable to any existing trailer.

Classic Drag Chain Feed Trailer for sale by Ledwell

Classic Auger Feed Trailer for sale by Ledwell

DELIVERY SYSTEM

The two most common floor delivery systems in the marketplace are the auger and drag chain systems.

Over the years, the drag chain floor has proven to be extremely dependable and less maintenance, over time, than an auger floor. The chain and crossbar design of a floor chain simply outlast the flighting of an auger screw. In the event that the chain or sprockets need to be replaced or repaired, the repairs are typically quicker and easier to access than a floor auger and bearing system. This results in less downtime for maintenance and repairs.

The 5:1 Gear ratio used to drive the drag chain floor provides exceptional torque for unloading the heaviest of feeds and the depth of the chain pan allows for more volume of feed to be carried to the rear, in comparison with an auger floor, resulting in a higher rate of offloading. Pit dumping with a drag chain is easily achieved by shutting off the discharge leg of the hydraulic system and unloading from the rear of the trailer.

When pellet quality counts, the drag chain floor is the answer. Studies show that a drag chain floor reduced the destruction of pellets through the unloading process by over 60% in side-by-side comparisons to two other auger floors. This can play a huge factor in feed conversion rate with poultry.

Ledwell’s drag chain floor features flat rack and pinion bottom doors that allow for virtually 100% cleanout and no residual feed left after unloading, which may otherwise require downtime for flushing between loads or products.

HYDRAULICS

Traditional wet kits required a large volume hydraulic oil reservoir to run a feed trailer, typically 60 gallons or more. This volume was required due to heat buildup during the unloading process of the feed trailer. The added weight of such a large volume of hydraulic oil makes a direct impact on the amount of payload you could haul in each load.

With today’s advancements in hydraulic oil coolers, you are able to operate with a much smaller oil reservoir, around 10 gallons, while more effectively controlling the oil temperature. This can result in 400-pound weight savings that translate directly to the added payload in each load, greatly affecting your bottom line over the life of your equipment.

There are several other advantages of reduced volume. With less oil, it takes less time to bring the oil up to operating temperature in cold weather. This reduces the time required once you reach your delivery destination and gets you back to reload quicker.

These oil coolers directly affect your bottom line and are also more environmentally friendly. For example, you could completely drain and replace a 10-gallon system six times more often for the same cost as replacing your fluid one time in a 60-gallon tank. This keeps better oil in the system throughout this duration, extending the life of all hydraulic components it is running through. In the event of an oil spill, you are potentially losing six times less oil to clean up and replace.

Ledwell Severe Duty Cooler - Hydraulic Cooler

Hydraulic oil cooler

SAFETY

Times have changed since we first started building feed trailers. Working smart and efficiently also means being safe. Here are a few features we think are important to implement to enhance safety.

If you have access to the top of the trailer via a ladder, we strongly recommend a catwalk system that incorporates a handrail and/or a tram. With these safety features in place, it makes it much safer when access is needed on top of the trailer. For Ledwell, we have made that a standard feature on all our trailers unless otherwise requested by our customers.

There are also disabling devices and alarms available to notify an operator and/or prevent them from moving their trailer when their boom is not saddled. This can be as simple as an amber strobe light and audible alarm in the cab to a device that disables the tractor from moving without the PTO disengaged and boom in the saddle.

Ledwell Classic Feed Trailer - Drag Chain Feedbody

Hand rails for added safety

Those of you who have been in the industry for a while understand the shoulder fatigue involved with opening and closing bottom floor gates day in and day out. To combat that, Ledwell offers Air-Operated Doors that allow the operator to open and close floor gates with the flip of a switch or the push of a button on their wireless remote. Not only does this greatly reduce shoulder fatigue, but it also allows the operator to stand at their controls and monitor their gauges without having to go back and forth opening gates. Pressure gauges can clearly indicate when a bin is near empty and it’s time to push a button and open the next gate.

Incorporating an on-board bio-security system will save the operator time and energy by not requiring them to get out and spray down your equipment manually. This option allows the operator to disinfect their equipment with the flip of a switch in the cab before leaving a farm. Spray points strategically located around the tractor and trailer provide direct application of disinfectant agent via an onboard pump and reservoir, typically located on the front fender of the feed trailer. This is common practice to minimize the chances of cross-contamination between farm to farm.

Stability and center of gravity is another factor to consider when spec’ing your next bulk feed unit. Anti-Lock Braking Systems and Roll Stability Support is a standard feature on any new Ledwell feed trailer. This helps mitigate the loss of control and roll-over situations. Taking stability a step further, we also offer a drop-deck keel design in our bulk trailers that have successfully lowered the center of gravity of the load by up to 30%.

Ledwell Manufacturer of Parts with in-house Machine Shop

SERVICE

Lastly, the last tip to improve efficiency in feed is often not considered on the front end of a purchase decision, but can quickly become a major factor in the productivity of your delivery program. Service and parts availability after the sale.

Before purchasing equipment there are a few questions you should ask your potential supplier. Ask about parts availability, same-day shipping availability, service, and support after the sale. Ask for references or ask others in the industry for their experience.

Downtime can be extremely costly, and in many situations, you simply can’t wait days or weeks for parts. Same-day shipping on most parts is something Ledwell prides itself in and is known for in the industry.

Download your free Efficiency in Feed Transportation E-Book (.pdf)

Ledwell Team In Construction, Government, In The News, Industry, Rental

From the ’50s to the 2020s, Rental One Grows with Ledwell Equipment

Truck body manufacturer - Ledwell and Rental One partnership lasts over the decades

Rental One is a Texas-sized success story. From its origins as a single store called A1 Rental in the mid-’50s, the company was sold to a national brand in 1998 and then reopened as Rental One in 2004 under third-generation family leadership.

“The core of our business is commercial and industrial contractors,” said Mark Lemons, Executive Vice President of Rental One.

Today, Rental One has 17 locations in North and Central Texas, with a service area stretching from the Red River to south of San Antonio. The company’s decades of renting equipment give them solid expertise that its customers can rely on.

“The knowledge level and industry experience we have at Rental One is unmatched, that I know of, anywhere,” Lemons said. “The years and years and years of experience—that’s what makes Rental One special.”

The original founder of A1 Rental, Ray O’Neal, knew Ledwell founder Buddy Ledwell, and the two started doing business in the late ’50s.

“When we started back up as Rental One in 2004, it was just natural for us to buy Ledwell equipment,” Lemons said. “There was already a relationship and a partnership we had built with Ledwell.”

Getting equipment to customers on time requires dependable transportation. That’s where Ledwell comes in.

“We purchase delivery trailers, delivery rollbacks, stake bed delivery trucks, and we’ve purchased some Lube Buddies and water trucks,” Lemons said. “We rent out the water trucks, but everything else is used for our own internal delivery fleet.”

Lemons said Ledwell’s stock of chassis and upfitting capabilities as a truck body manufacturer helped streamline Rental One’s truck purchasing process.

Rental One Equipment and Ledwell work together

Ledwell - Building relationships with Rental One

”One of the challenges in the past was that you had to buy chassis from a dealership, and then you'd have to arrange transportation to take it to the body up fitter," he said. "That created issues with weight ratings and warranty issues. With Ledwell, we can just purchase a truck and have it upfitted, which basically saves you from dealing with the issues and headaches of dealing with two different entities and risking mistakes with vehicle rating, warranty issues, and those types of things.
Mark LemonsExecutive Vice President, Rental One

Lemons said working with Ledwell has been an all-around good experience.

“I would rank Ledwell very highly,” he said. “One of the nice things about Ledwell is that they listen to us, they understand our operation, they understand what our use is for a given trailer or truck, and they’re flexible and tailor things based on our individual needs. They understand the product and what they’ve built for us. And if we have issues, they’re quick to respond and rectify those issues. They’re top-notch.”

He said Rental One values its relationships with vendors.

Ledwell and Rental One Equipment working together since 1950

“Sometimes it’s not all about price; it’s just about having a great relationship,” he said. “We truly look at our vendors as partners in our business. Ledwell is in the top tier of folks we deal with as far as relationship, fairness, willingness to look at a situation and help us out when needed. We want our vendors to view us as a company that has integrity, that is willing to work with them and look at the big picture, not just chasing the cheapest deal.”

Lemons said Rental One has a reputation of not changing vendors a lot.

“We really value that relationship,” he said. “We look for the top vendors, and when we build that relationship, we don’t move around. We’re proud to have a relationship with Ledwell that started in the 50s.”

Ledwell and Rental One Equipment Rental grow together

In The News

Ledwell Joins the Stellar® Distributor Network

Making Equipment and Careers in Texarkana

Engineering Advancements

ENGINEERING THEN

ENGINEERING NOW

DLA Distribution Red River Team Increases Performance to 98% On-Time from 87% Thanks to Custom Gull Wing Delivery Trucks

The Opportunity

The Solution: Ledwell Gull Wing

The Results

Do you have a unique, custom truck or trailer need? We'll help you find a solution! Submit the form or call us at 888-533-9355 to get started.

Decades of Innovation

Manufacturing Solutions for 75 Years

How it started

How it’s going

Section179 Tax Deduction Offers Major Savings

Strategic Partnership Helps Lonestar Truck Group, Ledwell Grow Together

Add Time Back to Your Day – Efficiency in Feed Transportation

TECHNOLOGY

A benefit of Ledwell’s automated system is that it is easily retrofittable to any existing trailer.

DELIVERY SYSTEM

HYDRAULICS

Hydraulic oil cooler

SAFETY

Hand rails for added safety

SERVICE

Download your free Efficiency in Feed Transportation E-Book (.pdf)

From the ’50s to the 2020s, Rental One Grows with Ledwell Equipment

Rental One is a Texas-sized success story. From its origins as a single store called A1 Rental in the mid-’50s, the company was sold to a national brand in 1998 and then reopened as Rental One in 2004 under third-generation family leadership.

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