The Shyft Group was selected for the Ford Pro Upfitter program, the company announced Wednesday at NTEA's Work Truck Week..
The Ford program was formerly known as the Qualified Vehicle Modifier program (QVM). It forms a foundation upon which Ford can work more closely with final-stage vehicle manufacturers, the company says, providing a more seamless end-to-end experience for customers.
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"We are thrilled to be named a Ford Pro Upfitter, which is a natural outcome of our long collaboration with Ford," says Shyft CEO John Dunn. "Commercial vehicle upfitting is a significant part of our busienss and we take pride in our proprietary Work-Driven Design process to fuel customization and driver satisfaction. We will continue innovating to meet our customers' needs with specialized solutions."
Shyft brands participating in the program are Utilimaster, Royal Truck Body, DuraMag and Magnum. Upfitters undergo a rigorous auditing process, Shyft says, in which it must demonstrate excellence in compliance, quality, manufacturing and customer service. It must also meet business and volume requirements set by Ford. Preferred Upfitters, in exchange, are permitted to purchase an unlimited number of chassis from Ford and leverage Ford's marketing power and Pro Dealer network for growth.
Shyft maintains a fleet upfitting facility adjacent to Ford's Kansas City plant and, in 2021, Utilimaster successfully launched a pilot program that installed its Velocity F-Series delivery body on Ford's all-electric E-Transit chassis.
