Ocala-Based E-ONE Lands Historic $100 Million Contract with Chicago Fire Department |
Local manufacturer to supply 120 fire trucks and ambulances to one of the nation's busiest fire departments, showcasing Ocala's industrial excellence on a national stage |
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The Horse Capital of the World is lending a helping hand to the Windy City. Ocala-based E-ONE, a leading manufacturer of fire apparatus, has secured a landmark contract to supply the Chicago Fire Department with 120 emergency vehicles valued at over $100 million.
The impressive order includes 42 E-ONE pumpers, 38 aerial ladder trucks, and 40 Wheeled Coach ambulances. Wheeled Coach, which produces ambulances at its Winter Park facility, is a related company under the Terex Specialty Vehicles umbrella.
"We are honored to partner with the Chicago Fire Department and Fire Service, Inc. on this landmark order," said Mike Virning, president of Terex Specialty Vehicles. "These vehicles are built to meet the demands of one of the busiest departments in the nation, with an emphasis on dependability and performance."
The new apparatus will feature advanced safety systems, enhanced operational performance, and durable construction designed for the rigors of fire suppression, rescue, and EMS response in one of America's largest cities.
This major contract highlights the significant economic impact of Ocala's manufacturing sector and demonstrates how local businesses are making a difference on the national stage. E-ONE already manufactures all fire trucks for Marion County and local city fire departments, and this Chicago deal represents one of the largest emergency apparatus orders in North America.
It's a proud moment for Ocala and a testament to the quality and craftsmanship that comes from our community.
Source: Ocala StarBanner |
41 Comments
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120 vehicles from one order is hard to picture! Congratulations to the crews building them.
Omar LewisEspecially with 38 ladder trucks in the mix. That's a huge job for the builders.
My grandson gets excited every time he sees an E-ONE truck in Marion County. He'll love this news!
Chicago fire crews have a tough job. Hope these new rigs hold up for them.
That's a lot of skilled work happening right here in Ocala. Love to see it!
Alana PriceI know a couple of people who work at E-ONE. They were excited to hear about this order.
Great contract, but I hope E-ONE can keep up with orders for our local departments too.
Wonder if we'll spot any of those Chicago trucks being tested around Ocala?
E-ONE already builds our local trucks, so Chicago is in good hands.
Had no idea Wheeled Coach made ambulances in Winter Park. Learned something today!
I hope the safety upgrades make a real difference for Chicago firefighters.
Ed K.I hope so too. I'd be interested to hear what Chicago firefighters think once they've used them for a while.
Proud of the Ocala workers putting those pumpers together!
Are these replacing older Chicago vehicles or adding to their fleet? That's a big order either way.
It’s a big order either way. The information we have doesn’t say whether the vehicles will replace older ones or expand Chicago’s fleet.
Horse Capital of the World making fire trucks for the Windy City. I love that!
We love that pairing too, the Horse Capital of the World helping equip the Windy City!
Patty S.That does sound like an odd pairing, but it's a pretty great one for our town.
40 new ambulances for Chicago sounds like a lot. Hope they serve those crews well.
Andre W.Chicago crews must put a lot of miles on their ambulances. Hope these hold up well.
My neighbor works at E-ONE. Bet it's going to be busy over there!
Good news for Ocala manufacturing. Would be nice to know when production starts.
It’s great news for local manufacturing. We don’t have a production start date in the information available, but we’ll keep an eye out for one.
Paul HarrisI'd like to know that too, and whether they'll be hiring more people to fill the order.
Those Chicago winters will be quite a test for trucks built in Florida!
I've seen the E-ONE trucks around Ocala for years. Glad Chicago likes them too!
Caleb RossSame here. I still stop and look when one of those new trucks rolls through town.
Over $100 million is impressive. Hope the folks building them see some of that success.
We hope so, too. The people who build these vehicles are a big part of what makes an order like this possible.
38 ladder trucks! I wonder how tall those ladders need to be for Chicago.
That’s a great question. The order includes 38 aerial ladder trucks, but the ladder heights haven’t been specified in the details we have.
Love that the ambulances are coming from Winter Park too! Nice win for Central Florida.
Absolutely, a win for Central Florida! The 40 Wheeled Coach ambulances will come from its Winter Park facility.
Will the Chicago contract affect how long Marion County waits for new trucks? Just curious.
My dad worked at E-ONE years ago. He would have loved hearing this!
What a lovely connection. Your dad would have had good reason to be proud of this Ocala milestone.
42 pumpers is a huge order! Hope it means more jobs here.
Forty-two pumpers is a remarkable order! We don’t have any hiring details yet, but we’ll be watching for updates.
Chicago is a long way from Ocala! Pretty cool to see our fire trucks headed up there.
Dave ThompsonIt'll be fun to spot one on TV someday and know it came from Ocala.
Wow, 120 vehicles! Good for E-ONE and everyone working there!