Todco Holds ‘Oldest Door’ Contest to Mark 60th Anniversary

Todco is celebrating its 60th anniversary of manufacturing dry freight and insulated roll-up doors, dry freight swing doors, walk ramps, and aftermarket parts.

The company was started in 1957 in Hartford City, Ind., and relocated to Marion, Ohio in 1962 where its products are still manufactured. The company also operates a second factory in Tecate, Mexico.

To help celebrate the company milestone, Todco is holding a contest to search for the oldest Todco roll-up door that is still in operation and on the road today.

The winner will receive a check for $1,000 and a new Todco door in exchange for the original so that it can be placed on display in the company's research and development department.

Those interested in participating should email photos, the door serial number, and contact information to [email protected] by July 31, 2017.

“Todco is proud of our 60 years of innovation and customer support for our valued OEM and distributor partners and fleet customers,” stated Joe Owen, president. “We look forward to the future with great optimism."

Related: Spec'ing Trailer Doors and Floors

Follow @HDTrucking on Twitter

NSC: Motor vehicle deaths reach nine-year high

For the first time in nearly a decade, preliminary 2016 data from the National Safety Council (NSC) read more

January spot truckload market improves: DAT

Economic Watch: Retail Sales Jump But Price Pressures Building

Retail sales, one of the largest drivers of the U.S. economy, advanced in January, pointing to increased overall growth in the first quarter of the year. At the same time, prices on the retail and wholesale level posted big gains, and the manufacturing component for industrial production ticked higher.

Retail sales rose 0.4% in January from the month before, according to the Commerce Department, while the December level was revised upward for a 1% increase rather than the originally reported 0.6% gain.

This latest hike was better than a consensus estimate by analysts. Except for auto dealers, every major retail sector reported better January sales, according to MarketWatch.

So-called core retail sales, which exclude sales of autos, gasoline, building materials and food, posted a 0.4% increase in January, the same as December's upwardly revised rise. Compared to the level from January 2016, sales were up 5.6%.

This better than expected start of the year is going to add some credence and support to the strong recovery in consumer confidence we have seen since the presidential election, according to Eugenio J. Alemán, senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities.

“This could reinforce our view that consumer demand will remain the pillar for economic growth during this year and would probably remain strong next year if some of the tax reduction proposals from the new administration come to fruition,” he said.

Alemán noted retail sales have been relatively weak during each first quarter of the year since the recovery from the Great Recession, looking only relatively strong in the face of an even weaker performance from the rest of the components of GDP during the same period of time.

“In fact, if it were not for the U.S. consumer, the U.S. economy's weak performance would have been even worse than it has been so far,” he said.

Quebec maintenance summit prepares for Dragon

DB Schenker Buys Stake in Online Freight-Matching Company uShip

Photo: DB Schenker

Global logistics company DB Schenker reportedly is taking a $25 million stake in U.S.-based uShip, which uses online technology to match freight shippers and carriers.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Schenker said it is pressing a “digital transformation of its business model.”

The Journal reports that the German firm also received a seat on uShip's board.

Last summer, hailing it as the “digital future,” Schenker signed a five-year agreement with uShip for exclusive collaboration in Europe.

The uShip marketplace platform, which has been matching shippers with carriers in at least 19 countries, will first be used in DB Schenker's land transport sector.

Founded 14 years ago, uShip was ahead of the so-called “Uber for trucking” trend. The privately held business said its shipping marketplace has handled more than 1 million shipments. UShip earlier this month announced a new CEO, Mike Williams.

The Journal points out that Schenker isn't the only traditional large logistics company that's been investing in technology. For instance, UPS bought Coyote Logistics in 2015, and in lat 2104, C.H. Robinson announced it was buying Freightquote.com Inc.

Follow @HDTrucking on Twitter

Ox Bodies introduces lightweight steel dump body

Ox Bodies has introduced its TrailMaker dump body, which is constructed of carbon steel that offers the weight of aluminum, making it up to 35% lighter than standard Ox Bodies dump bodies.

read more