Company Report: DUECO
Focused family Third generation is prepared to guide this Wisconsin manufacturer into an innovative future

Judie Taylor knows taking over as the third generation owner of a company built from the ground up by your father and grandfather can be challenging. Every day, there are demands and pressure to carry the torch forward and bring the business to new heights. Taylor admits she is grateful for the help of two of her siblings.

Her brother Joe Dalum and sister Marikris O'Grady are the family team that was established to guide DUECO into the future. Located in Waukesha, WI, DUECO is the largest privately owned final stage manufacturer of Terex Utilities and Hi-Ranger products in the US. Taylor is now firmly entrenched as President of the company, a role she inherited from her father, Tom Dalum, as he took on the role of CEO.

"We're in a unique position in that we have a sibling team that's working together to transition the business from one generation to the next," says Taylor. "We look at this team approach as a strategic strength. We have a lot of skill sets that are complementary to one another to successfully carry the business forward into the future."

Joe Dalum, President of Odyne, one of the family's three subsidiary companies and a recent acquisition, manufactures plug-in hybrid drive systems for medium to heavy-duty trucks. Joe Dalum says the synergies between the three corporate entities are advantageous to best position ourselves in the marketplace.

"As a sibling team, we each concentrate in different areas of the businesses and we utilize each other as management resources to help guide each segment of the business." Dalum states, "Odyne's manufacturing of the plug-in hybrid drive systems is used by DUECO to make trucks more efficient. My focus complements DUECO's business model and yet is somewhat different because it can serve a much broader market, a market beyond DUECO. I think that allows us to continue to focus on running each company as successfully as we can."

Along with DUECO and Odyne, there is also Utility Equipment Leasing Corp (UELC). Tom Dalum began UELC in 1967 as he felt the company could better fulfill customer needs by offering rental and leasing programs. The three companies service the utility industry, telecommunications as well as municipalities, railroad and other related industries.

HYBRID EXCITEMENT
Much of the current excitement at DUECO revolves around its Odyne based technology on plug-in hybrids for medium to heavy duty trucks. According to Dalum, since 2007, Odyne and DUECO have worked hand in hand to introduce the industry's first plug-in hybrid vehicles. Since then, they have deployed additional units to various utility companies across the country. The hybrid system will increase the efficiency of trucks by consuming less fuel and energy, along with many other benefits.

"This system not only consumes less fuel when driven, but it allows the truck engine to remain off at jobsites while someone does work on a utility line for instance. That's compared to a normal truck where along with using more diesel fuel, the vehicle must idle while the job is being performed. With our truck you save fuel and can recharge the battery using grid power at night. It's better for the environment, safer for workers, and less noisy as well," explains Dalum.

The impressive system was recently debuted in front of congressional representatives in Washington D.C. However, Dalum says there are still changes to be made. He expects to see improvements made in the performance of the plug-in hybrid system as well as in its battery technology.

COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Along with providing plug-in hybrids as well as its specialty high quality aerial lifts and digger derricks from Terex Utilities, the DUECO family of companies can offer an array of equipment. This includes cranes, tension and stringing equipment, mini-derrick/aerials, trailers, utility bodies and construction equipment. There is a major emphasis in the company on providing complete fleet management solutions to inquiring consumers.

"We want to provide customers with more than just a vehicle," explains Marikris O'Grady, DUECO's Manager of Sales Administration. "Our value proposition is to work with our customers to find out what their exact needs are and then we offer solutions to best meet their requirements. Our objective is to assist customers with cost reduction strategies, increased efficiencies through our lean manufacturing process, and a portfolio of rental or leasing products to secure the equipment they need ."

Providing complete fleet solutions is a part of DUECO's customer satisfaction ideal. According to Taylor, responsiveness to a customer is the one thing that sets DUECO apart. She says for customers, DUECO is not just providing customers with equipment, they provide services from acquisition through the life cycle of the vehicle. "We stand behind our products and have a great team of employees to support our customers long-term."

EMPLOYEES
The family and team mentality has allowed DUECO to enjoy continuous growth. While many companies have downsized by the dozens, DUECO has actually brought in new talent. As for its current employee base, Taylor says the company likes to maintain the family culture that was established by her father and grandfather.

"We place a high value on our team members. We focus on leading our team to grow internally, and encourage them to look at the business as if it were their own," says Taylor.

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