Over the next four months, TPS will regularly shine our spotlight on this year’s finalists and what makes them unique, leading up to our DOTY award presentation on Jan. 20, 2026, during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week.
We continue today with Truck Equipment Inc., participating in the Distributor of the Year program for the second time (2019).
When was your business founded, and by whom?
Truck Equipment was founded in 1959 by Isadore Kwaterski and Cletus Pierquet. In 1978, Lynn Schroeder started Truck Equipment’s parts department. Lynn became the owner of the organization in 2005. Truck Equipment is a family-owned business. Ownership today consists of second-generation of Schroeders: Matt Schroeder, Mike Schroeder, and Mandy Morgan.
How many locations do you have? (Please list the cities)
We have five locations: Green Bay, Wis. (headquarters); Appleton, Wis.; Wausau, Wis.; Bloomer, Wis.; and Escanaba, Mich.
We have an incredibly talented [human resources] director who uses our core values to align candidates with roles. She is constantly collaborating with department leaders and using all available resources to find and attract qualified candidates.
Recruitment isn’t just a 9-5 task. Recruitment is an ongoing process, and something shared by everyone in the organization. You never know where you may find the next TEammate. It’s always humbling when a TEammate refers an individual to apply. That speaks volume for who we are and who we continually strive to be.
What is your company’s value proposition?
At Truck Equipment, we operate under a simple set of five core values: Safety; Responsibility; Collaboration; Relationships; and Efficiency. We provide value by prioritizing safety in all we do.
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We are continuously fostering strong relationships with each other, our customers and our suppliers, by collaborating to meet the ever-changing demands that are inevitable in our industry. We do all this with a deep responsibility to follow up and do what we say were going to do as efficiently as possible.
These words aren’t unique or special on their own. It’s our TEam that adds the horsepower to put these ideas into action, moving us forward and making it easy to do business with Truck Equipment.
Do you offer any additional services to complement your parts offering?
Equipment sales and upfitting (dump bodies, service bodies, liftgates and snow and ice removal)
Driveline repair and service
Hydraulic sales and service
Emergency vehicle upfitting
Custom fabrication
Sign and graphics
How do you differentiate your business from your competitors?
We have a deep-rooted commitment to family and our amazing TEam. This focus on family has been and continues to be a differentiating factor for our entire existence as an organization. Each TEammate is an extension of the family. This fosters trust, loyalty and shared vision to be the best. We work hard to create a culture of empathy, team spirit and dedication to doing what is right. This approach builds relationships and sets us apart from our competitors.
What is the biggest challenge facing your business in 2025?
We are no stranger to the tech shortage. Our biggest challenge has and continues to be the ability to find skilled technicians. This not only impacts the service side of the business but often some of the best parts salespeople are experienced service technicians.
Why do you believe the heavy-duty aftermarket has nominated you for this award?
We believe we have been nominated for this award because of our commitment to moving forward, our family-driven culture and our outstanding TEam. We stand out by prioritizing our core values and focus on building strong relationships with each other, with our customers and with our suppliers. We take our responsibility to do what is right seriously and strive to make it easy to do business with Truck Equipment.
Stay tuned, as in two weeks will learn more about 2025 award finalist Truck Supply Companies.
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