Carrying the load | TEBCO is growing in eastern Kentucky
TO HOLD AND CARRY all that sand, gravel and asphalt hauled by dump trucks, it takes expertly crafted dump bodies. And a family-owned and operated Kentucky company is an industry leader manufacturing and distributing the custom-built equipment.
Since its founding in 1991 as a distributor of dump bodies and truck equipment in Richmond, Truck Equipment & Body Co. (TEBCO) of Kentucky Inc. has added a manufacturing facility in Winchester and another last year in Stanton served by Clark Energy Cooperative.
“By 2004, TEBCO’s market share and sales figures had grown to the extent that third-party vendors were no longer able to supply us a sufficient number of dump bodies,” explains TEBCO President Michael Faulkner. “Therefore, we began manufacturing our own steel and aluminum dump bodies with the goal of providing the highest quality dump bodies in the country and further solidifying our presence in the national dump body and truck equipment market.”
The company’s new 40,000-square-foot operation in Stanton increases the company’s production capacity. As a result, TEBCO expects to manufacture about 900 dump bodies in 2021. In addition to in-house engineering, the $2 million investment utilizes state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment for steel and aluminum cutting, forming and welding. TEBCO ran nearly 8 miles of new electrical cable in the facility, and “Clark Energy installed large transformers as part of a significant upgrade to the power capabilities of the facility,” says Faulkner’s son, Brandon Faulkner, TEBCO’s vice president and general manager.
“We appreciate TEBCO’s investment in our community and their trust in us to provide reliable electricity at competitive rates,” says Chris Brewer, president and CEO of Clark Energy Cooperative. “When we see the TEBCO name on a truck, we take special pride knowing that our co-op and our consumer-members have a hand in manufacturing its essential equipment.”
Brandon Faulkner noted his family’s long-standing ties to eastern Kentucky and Appalachia. “My dad went to high school in Powell County and was able to build a successful career in part due to the support he received from people there,” he says. “We view this as an opportunity to grow our business while creating better economic opportunities for families in eastern Kentucky.”
TEBCO also specializes in truck equipment maintenance and repairs and has a workforce of about 75 employees.
“We have never strayed from our dedication to superior performance, reliability and customer service,” Brian says.
