Fontaine Modification has completed a a 40,000-square-foot expansion at its Laredo, Texas, truck modification center, enlarging it to 67,000 square feet. It will now be possible for this location to offer new services, such as more time-intensive equipment installations, chassis modifications, and paint operations.
Fontaine’s Laredo team modifies trucks that are assembled at Freightliner and Navistar plants in Mexico. As these trucks cross the border, they are processed through a marshalling yard for delivery within the U.S. and Canada. The Laredo operation is connected to this yard, enabling its personnel to work on the trucks while they remain in the OEM’s delivery system to provide a seamless process for end-user customers.
“I’m very proud of our team in Laredo,” said Jamil Young, president of Fontaine Modification. “Everything about the expansion was meticulously planned and very well-organized to the point that construction had virtually no impact on productivity. This speaks to the amazing team that we have in Laredo handling our operations.”
With the expansion, the Laredo operation will now be able to perform more high-volume fleet services, including installing electronics, vehicle tracking systems, safety equipment, and graphics packages, while also offering new services. The team is ramping up to offer heavier vocational truck modifications, such as hydraulic all-wheel-drive conversions, wheelbase changes, and sit-down dual-drive modifications, as well as high-content installations, including auxiliary power units and brake retarders. A new paint booth allows large components, truck cabs, hoods, and even entire Class 8 tractors to be painted.
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The expanded facility recently celebrated the production of its 100,000th truck. The honor goes to a 2024 Freightliner Cascadia Class 8 tractor prepped for customer J.B. Hunt Transport Services. The Fontaine Laredo team got the Cascadia road-ready by providing a customized package of fleet services, including completing pre-delivery inspection, preparing trailer lines, installing telematics, applying corporate graphics, and other preparatory tasks.
“I was excited to witness the production of the 100,000th unit in our plant,” said Juan Salazar, senior director of operations at Fontaine Modification. “This truck is a testament to our entire team’s hard work over the last 12 years to double our production while maintaining quality.”
