Spartan Motors, Inc.

The following is information regarding Spartan Motors, Inc. .
If you have any questions about this release, please contact Mary Ann Sabo
or Ben Buursma at 616.233.0500 or mail@lambert-edwards.com
<mailto:mail@lambert-edwards.com> .  Thank you for your interest in Spartan
Motors.
 

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Spartan Motors Introduces New Rescue Vehicle, Fire Truck Cab at FRI


Manufacturer Reports Solid Orders, Backlog of Custom Chassis and Emergency
Vehicles

 

CHARLOTTE, Michigan, August 22, 2002 - Spartan Motors, Inc.
and its subsidiaries will introduce a new rescue vehicle and fire truck cab,
and display some of their latest emergency vehicle innovations during the
Fire-Rescue International (FRI) Conference and Exhibition, which begins
tomorrow in Kansas City, Mo.

 

The Charlotte, Mich.-based manufacturer of custom rescue vehicles and
heavy-duty chassis plans to unveil its new Homeland series of heavy rescue
vehicles, as well as a new "classic" look for its custom fire truck cabs, to
more than 15,000 fire service professionals from across the country during
the three-day show.    

Spartan Motors, which has reported strong orders and backlog of its custom
fire trucks, ambulances and chassis throughout 2002, will also display their
best-selling new technology and vehicles during FRI, which is sponsored by
the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

 

"As communities around the United States continue to heighten their
emergency preparedness, we continue to see growing demand for all our
products," said John Sztykiel, chief executive officer of Spartan Motors.
"Our chassis subsidiary, for example, has reported double-digit increases in
both orders and backlog.  

 

"We are pleased to introduce two new products during the FRI show, as well
as display products which debuted earlier this year at the FDIC show in
Indianapolis.  The emergency rescue category represents strong growth
potential for Spartan Motors as favorable demographics and increased
community support drive stronger sales.  We remain committed to bringing
innovative new ideas to the markets we serve - and those markets are
responding with strong order interest."

 

Chief among these new products is the Homeland series, a line of heavy
rescue vehicles built by Quality Manufacturing, Inc. The Homeland series,
which is the industry's first affordable line of custom heavy-rescue
products, features:

·          A fully customized, walk-around extruded aluminum body on
Quality's exclusive longitudinal isomounts

·          A Spartan Motors Big Easy custom cab and chassis, with a 10-inch
raised roof

·          A Cummins ISC-330 hp engine

·          A 30 kw hydraulic generator to power all necessary emergency
equipment

·          A four-bottle cascade system

·          More than 900 cubic feet of usable storage space 

 

"We developed the Homeland series in response to customer requests for a
well-built, yet affordable custom rescue truck," said Brian Bennett,
president of Quality Manufacturing.  "Our intent was to maximize storage
space while remaining fully functional - and fully customizable.  We plan to
offer the Homeland series in whatever length a department wants, as well as
with a wide variety of options."



Quality, which plans to introduce a walk-in command-center rescue vehicle
during the first quarter of 2003, will begin taking orders for the new
Homeland series during the FRI show.  The Company expects to deliver the
first vehicle within 180 days of order.

 

Spartan Motors Chassis (SMC) will also unveil a second style for its new
Gladiator cab, which was introduced during the 2002 Fire Department
Instructors Conference in April.  The Classic look joins the Evolution as
one of two front-end options for the Gladiator.  The Classic modifies the
molded composite front end of the Gladiator while maintaining the features
that made the new custom chassis and cab a success at FDIC, including easier
serviceability and improved engine performance.

 

"We wanted to give fire departments a greater range of looks and choices
when it came to the Gladiator, which has been one of our best-received new
product introductions ever," said Rich Schalter, president of SMC.  "The
Gladiator is 30-40 percent easier to maintain than other chassis currently
on the market because our engineers have designed in easier access to key
engine features, which reduces vehicle downtime."

 

SMC reported that orders for its custom fire truck chassis and cabs for the
first seven months of 2002 are running nearly 62 percent higher than for the
same period in 2001. 

 

Road Rescue, Inc., which also reports strong orders and solid backlog of its
custom ambulances, plans to display a custom ambulance with its new Smart
Display electrical system.  The Smart Display, which was introduced during
FDIC, combines advanced software with state-of-the-art electronics to
provide improved vehicle performance.  A single board computer controls the
most advanced driver displays in the industry,  delivering continuous
self-diagnostics to the driver and alerting him of real-time vehicle status.


 

"Nearly 20 percent of our ambulance backlog is for vehicles featuring the
new Smart Display," said Chuck Drake, president of Road Rescue.  "I knew we
had hit a home run with this new technology, and we are pleased that the
industry has embraced it so quickly."

 

Road Rescue plans its own new product roll-out with a Type II ambulance
slated to be introduced during the American Ambulance Association show in
October in Indianapolis.

 

Luverne Fire Apparatus will display several vehicles, including its new
Quick Attack line of brush vehicles.  The Quick Attack, which debuted during
FDIC, is an off-road vehicle designed to fight brush and wildland fires
while providing emergency rescue capabilities that are inaccessible to
standard trucks.  The new truck sits on a Ford Motor Co. 'F' series chassis
and carries a 300 gallons-per-minute (gpm) diesel pump and a 300-gallon
poly-water tank.

 

"We have seen tremendous interest in the Quick Attack, which is a great
addition to our current line of vehicles," said Jeff Lautt, president of
Luverne.  "Our dealer network has been preparing proposals and providing
quotes for this new product, and we are ready to begin production." 

 

Spartan Motors, Inc. (www.spartanmotors.com) is a leading developer and
manufacturer of custom chassis for recreational vehicles, fire trucks,
ambulances and other specialty vehicles.  The Company also owns fire and
rescue vehicle manufacturers Quality Manufacturing, Inc., Luverne Fire
Apparatus and Road Rescue, Inc. 

 

# # #

CONTACT:  John Sztykiel, CEO
Spartan Motors, Inc.  (517) 543-6400
or
Mary Ann Sabo or Ben Buursma (mail@lambert-edwards.com)
Lambert, Edwards & Associates, Inc.  (616) 233-0500

 

Benjamin Buursma
Lambert, Edwards & Associates, Inc.
Grand Rapids, MI
P: 616.233.0500 F: 616.233.0600 
E: bbuursma@lambert-edwards.com