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NEW! Robins Fire Department Purchases New Truck (pdf article download) WaterJet Machining Center
Big Red, Fire Rescue Magazine Manufacturing Department
District Gets New Fire Truck, Suburban Chicago News Refurb Department
Alexis Builds Reputation For Quality, Fire Apparatus Magazine Service Department
Like Driving a Cadillac, The Galena Gazette Paint Shop
AFE President Nominated for Best Bosses Program Merchandise Department
Facility Expands by 36% ISO Transition
   



Big Red, specially designed for the USA Disaster Relief Corps, was built by Alexis on a 2006 International 7400 4x4 chassis with a stainless-steel body.
Big Red
Alexis' new midi-rescue is built for a unique kind of agency
Article from Fire Rescue Magazine/Apparatus Ideas

written by Bob Vaccaro


During this year's Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, I made my usual rounds of all the manufacturers, seeking out the new and innovative products for 2006. Rounding a corner, I came across the Alexis display, which featured what I originally thought was a midi-pumper, with a federal-style emblem on the door, lettered for the USA Disaster Relief Corps (USADR). Initially, I thought this was some sort of new vehicle built for FEMA or a newly created government bureaucracy. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Greg Landon, Alexis sales representative, informed me that the vehicle actually belonged to a privately owned and funded agency headed by Dean Galloway, who was present at FDIC. Further, the vehicle that I thought was a midi-pumper was in fact a midi-rescue response vehicle built by Alexis on an International 7400 chassis-with an interesting story behind it.

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The East Dundee & Countryside Fire District recently received a federal grant to purchase a 3,000-gallon tanker/pumper for the district. The new truck will replace the old one, which had a capacity of only 1,000 gallons. Acquiring the new vehicle means the department can serve rural residents more efficiently. The pumper truck is scheduled to be in service by May 1. (Marina Makropoulos / Staff Photographer)
'District gets new firetruck'
Ready by May 1: Grant covers most of $300,000 cost of tanker/pumper
Article from Suburban Chicago News

written by Tom Polansek


EAST DUNDEE - A new truck that can carry 3,000 gallons of water soon will help rural residents of the East Dundee & Countryside Fire Protection District receive better service, Chief Mark Rakow said Tuesday.

The district bought the vehicle, a red tanker/pumper truck, for nearly $300,000 with the help of a $225,000 federal grant.

All the necessary equipment, such as radios, is being installed inside, and the tanker is slated to go into service by May 1, Rakow said.

"We've been wanting a tanker for a long time," he said.

Rakow said firefighters use tanker trucks when there is no municipal water service at the location of a fire. In the district, that includes some homes in Barrington Hills, South Barrington and East Dundee's Lakewood Estates.

Normal fire engines carry only 1,000 gallons, Rakow said, so the tanker's larger capacity gives firefighters greater flexibility.

"We have a portion of the village where there's no water," he said.

The federal money to help pay for the tanker came from the Department of Homeland Security under its Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Yorkville, announced the award last year.

"We know well the importance of investing in our emergency services, and particularly our first responders," Hastert said in a statement at the time. "These dollars will go directly toward bolstering local fire services, and ensure that our first responders have the resources they need to protect our communities."

To make room for the tanker at the district's fire station, a reserve fire engine temporarily has been moved to a village garage for storage, Rakow said. The district plans to renovate and add on to the station to make room for all the vehicles and complete other improvements.

"Our building was built in 1950," Rakow said. "It wasn't built at that time for trucks this large. Structurally, the floor and things can't take the movement of a 66,000-pound tanker. It wasn't designed for that."

Construction of the station is scheduled to begin this spring.

03/29/06


Alexis Fire Equipment delivered a top-of-the-line pumper to Quad Township Fire Department in West Burlington, Iowa. It is built on a four-door conversion Peterbilt with a stainless steel body. Alexis is in the middle of some of the most fertile crop lands in the country and grain elevators dominate the skyline.
(Fire Apparatus Photo by Medora Hebert)
'Alexis Builds Reputation For Quality' Article from Fire Apparatus Magazine
written by Ed Ballam


ALEXIS, IL—Departments in the market for high-quality, custom apparatus know that Alexis Fire Equipment makes some of the finest in the nation. Even their motto; "Demand to Be Different," says volumes about the attention to detail and care the company takes in providing customer satisfaction.

"We're not the big numbers company, but we are a customer service-oriented company," says Jeff Morris, president and one of the owners of the business started by his father, Gene Morris, in 1947. "I like to treat people the way I'd like to be treated."

And for Morris, that means giving the 75 or so fire departments that buy apparatus from him every year the most value for their money. Alexis builds pumpers, rescues, tankers, and even a few aerials, as well as some unique specialty rigs, like ATV incident response units for Chicago, dive team vehicles and command centers. The company also does a large number of refurbishing jobs annually...

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'Like driving a Cadillac' Article from The Galena Gazette
written by Amy Alderman


HANOVER—The Hanover Community Fire Protection District recently replaced a 19-year-old pumper with a new engine from the Alexis Fire Equipment Company of Alexis.

Hanover's first red Engine, number 610, which cost $186,000, has a Peterbuilt Crew Cab. The front seating allows for five firefighters and special seating allows them to suit up in self-contained breathing apparatus while en route to the fire. The former pumper only allowed two firefighters to sit in the cab.

It feels like driving a Cadillac, said fire chief Mike Weede. The 330 horsepower engine with automatic gears and exhaust breaking has the power to pull the truck up hills and drive at 55 to 60 mph.

The pumper the district is replacing struggled to reach 60 mph. Weede also ordered $7,000 worth of hoses and equipment paid for by the district's ladies auxiliary and firefighters. Trustees on the fire protection district's board Dan Harkness and John Bingham "were very instrumental in getting this truck and equipment," Weede reported.

"They went with the wishes of the chief and the best interests of the fire department." The chief reported that he hopes to get the pumper on the road by the end of December. All firefighters will have to be trained on the truck and its equipment.

The Hanover Community Fire Protection District not only services the town of Hanover, but the Savanna Army Depot and parts of Mt. Carroll.

 



AFE President Nominated for FSB 2004 Best Bosses Program


In 2004, FORTUNE Small Business and Winning Workplaces nominated Alexis Fire Equipment President, Jeff Morris, as one of the distinguished finalist for the 2004 Best Bosses program. FORTUNE Small Business received over 200 nominations for this year's Best Bosses program. These included many great leaders who have produced impressive business results through enlightened people practices.

Jeff has focused the energy of the 59-year old family business on quality and customer satisfaction. Employees at Alexis Fire Equipment Company take pride in their work and Morris recognizes their contributions: Anyone whose craftsmanship was instrumental in building a piece of equipment are listed on a tag placed inside the door of the vehicle. More importantly, employees are confident that their work is valued: There is no union in this ISO 9001-certified operation, and the staff has opted for a performance-based pay plan. Jeff has led the organization into the global economy, consistently growing revenue and doubling the staff over the last five years with limited turnover.



Alexis Fire Expands Facility Space by 36 percent


In August 2003, Alexis Fire Equipment completed facility expansion, which included buying existing buildings and remodeling them, added 20,000 square feet, bringing the total area to about 55,000 - triple the company's size 15 years ago. Older buildings surrounding the original Alexis Fire Equipment facility were transformed into new work spaces for the many different departments that compose the company.

Alexis Fire Sales and Administrator moved into the new spacious facility across the street in the old Ford Motor Company building. The new facility, which consolidates the sales, administration and accounting teams, is cleaner and quieter, which makes for better and more efficient communication between employees.

Some highlights of the new Alexis Sales facility include a full conference area, private offices, and a new Truck Inspection and Acceptance Center where departments can perform their final inspections and delivery acceptance away from noise and congestion of the manufacturing area. The new facility not only has more space, increased privacy and better climate control for personnel, but also houses a fully restored 1897 Steam Pumper on display in the lobby showroom area as well as a popcorn machine for visiting customers.

Part of the expansion included the remodeling of a former lumber yard building nearby to create the new Alexis Service Center, which can handle twice as many fire trucks as before.

The Alexis Merchandise Center now also has its own building, which sells over 75 top name brands and fire/rescue accessories.

The move of these internal departments outside the original building has left more room for building a fabricating Alexis custom trucks in the main facility. Roger W. in fabricating states, "We moved into a larger part of the building which gives us more room. We are able to build more bodies at one time."



Waterjet Machining Center


On Monday, August 25, 2003, Alexis Fire Equipment introduced the Omax JetMachining Center model 80160/30 HP pump into the facility. This American-made waterjet machine cuts materials with a high pressure stream of water injected with abrasive material and was producing parts only three days after arrival.

The machine cuts virtually any materials ranging from titanium, stainless steel, glass, brass and inconel, to composites, ceramics, aluminum, mild steel and hardened tool steel. The advantages to the Omax JetMachining Center are no thermal distortion, no heat affected zone, and less set up time. The pressure of the water is 48,000 psi with a water stream width of .015”. The machine has a dynamic positioning accuracy of + or - .005”. The table size is 170” long and 83” wide. Cut thickness range is paper to 4” thick steel and has a cut speed of 3/16” thick aluminum of 65 inches per minute.

"We are seeing some benefits from the new water jet cutter," explains Roger W. in fabricating. "There is less warp of the material and a better cut."

AFE is currently using the machine for Alexis products and also for other job shops and wishes to expand to any job shop wanting high quality machined parts.

Content submitted by Mike Shull



Manufacturing Department


As we look at the manufacturing process, it becomes apparent that just like the other aspects of Alexis Fire Equipment, the process starts with customer expectations and ends with customer satisfaction.

All aspects of manufacturing processes are ultimately driven by and for the customer. “How” a task is accomplished is the part controlled by Alexis Fire Equipment.

One aspect of the manufacturing processes which has been recently updated is the engineering software. We currently have eight draftsmen working with Autocad 2004. Three of the eight draftsman also have been trained on the new solid modeling program from Autodesk, called Inventor R8.

The Response 1 bodies and top mount pump modules have all been modeled and we are in the process of finishing the pumper bodies.

Future looks bright. Soon a customer will be able to pick from a menu on a computer screen the type of truck and the accessories he wants and watch his picks come to life in a solid model. Which can be viewed and rotated at any angle. Embedded in this model will be the bill of materials and all production drawings.

Content submitted by Mike Shull



Refurb Department


Refurbishment of fire apparatus is nothing new to Alexis Fire Equipment. At AFE refurbs, reconditioning, upgrades and repairs have always been part of the service provided to our customers. In the past, this type of work was scheduled and completed in conjunction with new truck production. Due to the nature of any refurb project, this would sometimes create problems for both new trucks and the refurb projects.

Over the past year we have made many changes and improvements in our manufacturing plant layout. We now have a dedicated floor space and location specifically for refurb projects. To make the refurb process more efficient, we have dedicated employees for the refurb department. This enables the same team to work on the project from beginning to end. This increases productivity and quality by making fewer people accountable.

Our refurb department is capable of handling all types and levels of fire apparatus refurbishment such as new booster tank replacement (plastic and core-ten steel), rust repair, wreck damage repair, compartment and body modifications, electrical and plumbing system upgrades, partial and full cab and body repaints and color changes.

Communication is key to successfully completing any refurb project. The customer must be clear about what is expected to be done. Hidden damage and unforeseen problems are sometimes found while the project is being completed. It is our responsibility to inform the customer when problems are found. We can let the customer know about their options and any changes or additions needed. As with our new truck production, it is our goal to provide the customer with the same quality of craftsmanship from the refurb department.

Content submitted by Doug Gau




Service Department


AFE Service Division has moved to a new facility that has increased floor space and parts area to better serve customers. Also added area in service department for body and paint repair.

Our in-field testing program has been a success this past year. This has created a service for our customers to maintain their apparatus much more conveniently then in the past.

Our service personnel have attended OEM training seminars at Hale, Class One and Waterous and have also continued to obtain their EVT certifications.

Some Service Tips:

1. When looking to have testing done on your apparatus, be sure you are getting the proper test procedures done. The pump lubricant should be changed and inspected before any testing is performed. This will show any existing contamination or improper lubricant, which could lead to a serious problem if not corrected.

2. Have foam system strainers periodically checked for contamination or blockage.

3. With the introduction of the oil-less priming systems, some of the lubricated systems seem to be neglected. Be aware of the systems you have and have them serviced accordingly.

Should your department have any questions in regards to maintenance testing, feel free to call our service department at your convenience. Our service department offers in field service and testing. We also offer pick-up and delivery of your apparatus for repair if needed.

Content submitted by Brian Dillbeck, Service Manager



Paint Shop


We are now using a new epoxy primer sealer which will give better adhesion, chemical resistance and better overall durability of the finish. Using the non-sanding epoxy will reduce the amount of material used, and less man hours on the truck will help reduce cost.

The Paint Shop has two new employees, Chris and Rick. Our plan is to train the new workers to work as a team to completely prep the truck for paint and to help finish out the truck after painting. We are using a new type of spray gun which uses lower air pressure and less material. This gives better atomization of the paint.

Customers might be advised to make sure road salts are removed from wheel well areas, seams, and other areas that could possibly cause a corrosion problem.



Merchandise Department


Over 75 top brands of fire and rescue accessories carried. New products include Aim Gas Detectors, North American Fire Hose, FireFlir Thermal Imaging Camera, and Underwater Kinetics. Shop Our Merchandise Store Online »



ISO Transition


ISO update - Transition completed to be certified under 2000 standard. The date of our transition audit was October 23-24, 2003. We are currently ISO 9001/2000 and previously were ISO 9001/1994. Our Registrar is AFAQ Ascert, International. The definition of ISO is International Organization for Standardization. ISO 9001:2000 states requirements for quality management systems when it is necessary to demonstrate that an organization is capable of effectively meeting customer and regulatory requirements.

Our Quality Objectives are to reduce build problems, reduce warranty claims, and increase market share.

Article submitted by Diane

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