INDIANAPOLIS—John B. Poindexter is never truly at rest.
The 80-year-old chairman and CEO of J.B. Poindexter & Co. (JBPCO) sat down with Trailer/Body Builders for a few minutes to discuss his group’s 40 years in the commercial vehicle business during NTEA’s Work Truck Week, but even then, he multitasked. An employee delivered a piping hot drink, his earpiece buzzed with an incoming call, and the conversation wandered to a potential acquisition and his upcoming nuptials with fiancée Alicia Warlick.
But make no mistake, the milestone occasion that drew Poindexter and 11 other top executives from JBPCO and its subsidiaries—including Morgan Truck Body, Morgan Olson, and Reading Truck—received everyone’s undivided attention. “This is the culmination of my business life,” he said. “I still have a few years left to work, but this is a great time and space to take stock of what we’ve done. I don’t know of a bigger business in our industry with the range of products we have.
“We don’t compete with chassis manufacturers, so I’m not including them. I’m talking about companies like us—and there aren’t many.”
The Houston native served in the Army before entering investment banking in 1971. He formed JBPCO as a venture-capital partnership and acquired Engineered Foam Packaging in 1985. The group purchased its first CV business, Leer Group, in 1987, and added Morgan Truck Body in 1990 and Morgan Olson in 2003, prompting Poindexter to shift his focus to strengthening JBPCO’s CV position. The company then divested several unrelated businesses, bought Reading in 2015 and Masterack in 2017, and founded EAVX as its electric-vehicle arm in 2021.
Today, JBPCO boasts 8,500 employees, 71 operating locations across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada—and $2.5 billion in 2024 revenue.
Morgan Truck Body owns a 50% share of the box-truck body market in North America, Morgan Olson products account for 70% of step-van sales in North America, and Reading supplies 35% of U.S. service bodies. Additionally, Leer holds a 60% share of the North American commercial truck cap market and Masterack upfits more than 8,000 vehicles annually. “We operate some of the industry’s most recognized brands due to the loyalty of our customers, dedication of our team members, and durability of our industry partnerships,” Poindexter said.
JBPCO’s advantage lies in the integration of its business units, which enhances administrative efficiency, improves accessibility to parts and upfit accessories, and boosts development capabilities, leaders maintain. The parent company employs 150 support personnel, and the combined group includes more than 250 future-focused engineers and designers. “We’re able to take these businesses, shed several functions, and a number of people, and operate on a consolidated basis,” Poindexter explained. “HR, finance, accounts payable, continues improvement, shared services—all these activities are united at the parent. And then the subsidiaries have operations, sales, marketing, and engineering.
“They manage the guts of the business, allowing them to approach the market with confidence that they control the essential functions.”
Despite their collective success, JBPCO is “just getting started,” Poindexter insisted.
At Work Truck Week alone, Reading introduced two crane bodies, Morgan Truck Body launched its new online parts store, Leer unveiled a lightweight rolling tray system for truck beds, EAVX revealed its revamped mission to serve as JBPCO’s technology and innovation hub, and Poindexter hinted at an impending expansion of the group’s CV expertise. “We have a transaction we’re working on right now that is ridiculously out of size for what it should be doing,” he said.
“It’s a $500 million-purchase-price business in a related field—and I think we’re going to make the bid.”
JBPCO’s innovation hub
Poindexter said EAVX is pivoting to servicing JBPCO’s internal businesses with “higher levels of technology than they could attain on their own” due to the slower-than-anticipated penetration of commercial electric vehicles. “I thought we’d be further along with EVs, but their inherent contradictions are manifesting themselves more and more,” he shared. “You don’t sell what you subsidize. You pay the consumer to buy it, and they’re not selling well at all right now.
“We’ve lost almost the entire sector. We once had 20 buddies in this business we were working with to build electric-vehicle bodies of one form or another—and most are gone. They vanished.”
EAVX now focuses on using its proprietary VX technology to enable a “digital vehicle intelligence system” that unites technologies such as security, enhanced awareness, and efficient power solutions to create a single access point for managing and monitoring real-time insights, the company elaborated. “EAVX has a dedicated research team that collaborates with chassis partners and technology suppliers to optimize the design, technology, and manufacture of next-generation vehicles,” Mark Hope, EAVX president and COO, added in a news release.
Reading expands RM Series
Nate Goodnow, Reading president and COO, introduced the manufacturer’s new RM-25 and RM-35 crane bodies, which he said completes the RM Series lineup, providing customers with a range of mid-weight and heavy-duty bodies with lifting capacities from 11,500 to 78,000 ft.-lbs.
The new crane bodies are designed for Class 4-5 chassis and come in in 9- and 11-ft. lengths. The RM-25 is built with a 6-in. heavy-duty steel understructure, and the RM-35 has a heavy-duty torsion box understructure. The bodies are compatible with most leading cranes and come equipped with manual or electric outriggers. Both offer key features such as a work-bench bumper, spray-lined bed, and integrated headache rack for enhanced safety and functionality.
“We aim to offer our customers a design that’s best in class, delivering superior lifting performance, safety, and durability,” Goodnow said. “They’re a great choice for customers looking for a versatile, high-performance solution that can be upfitted to fit their specific needs.”
Morgan debuts online parts store
Morgan Truck Body launched a new online parts store, morganparts.com, dedicated to delivering reliable, high-quality parts for box truck owners, operators, and fleets across the country.
The online store will offer a wide selection of box truck components, including Morgan OEM parts, cargo doors, rollup doors, corner caps, lighting, and more. The website will allow customers to find the parts they need and make quick, secure purchases, the company reported.
“We understand the demands placed on those who rely on Morgan truck bodies to help move their business,” said Ken Axe, Morgan Truck Body senior director of parts and service. “Our goal is to provide a reliable, one-stop online shop for box truck parts, backed by the same quality and service people come to expect from Morgan.
“Whether you are a small business owner or a fleet manager, we are committed to helping you keep your trucks running smoothly.”
Leer rolls out 500Go tray system
Truck Accessories Group, which does business as Leer, unveiled the Bedslide 500Go rolling tray system, which is designed to offer “significant” versatility at a “highly competitive” price point.
The 500Go enables operators to easily load, haul, and access cargo, Leer said. Featuring no-drill installation for easy installation, removal, and cleaning, the 500Go adjusts to fit virtually any full-size truck bed; and its rugged, weather-resistant tray can support up to 500 lbs.
“The 500Go offers an incredible amount of versatility and value, making it the perfect addition to our product lineup,” said Tracy Harper Jr., Leer vice president of marketing and ecommerce. “Whether it’s for work or adventure—or anything in between—the 500Go makes it easy, exciting, and affordable to work smarter and play harder.”
