Truck Body Manufacturer Celebrates Milestone

WORLD WASTES STAFF

Fort Payne, Ala. - It's not every day that hauling managers from a small New York disposal company take a trip to Alabama for a barbecue lunch. Of course, truck body manufacturers don't celebrate production milestones every day either.

The Heil Co. manufacturing plant located in Fort Payne, Ala., recently produced the 10,000th Formula 5000 rear-loading compaction truck. In a ceremony at the manufacturing facility, Plant Manager Mark Gooch presented the truck to Keith Bavero and to Michael Vetrano, general manager of A-1 Compaction, Yonkers, N.Y.

Heil began manufacturing the Formula 5000 15 years ago. "A lot has changed in the hauling and recycling business since then," said Dan Rosen, Heil product manager.

"We purchased our first Formula 5000 four years ago and this unit will be our fourth," said Vetrano.

The Formula 5000 is a high compaction rear loader with an average compaction ratio of 6-to-1.

The Fort Payne celebration included a plant tour as well as a barbecue lunch for the A-1 Compaction visitors and the entire staff of the Heil manufacturing facility.

Founded in 1901, the Heil Company is based in Chattanooga, Tenn. The company's domestic manufacturing facilities are located in Fort Payne, Ala., Athens, Tenn., Phoenix, Ariz., Tishomingo, Miss., and Lancaster, Pa.