Truck Centers Inc., a family-owned dealer group with seven locations, is celebrating its 40th anniversary in the heavy truck industry. Truck Centers is based in Troy, Ill., and represents various Daimler Trucks of North America brands, including Freightliner and Western Star, as well as Detroit Diesel engines in sales, parts and service.
Since its beginnings in Highland, Ill., as Highland White Autocar, Truck Centers has continued to expand over the last four decades to include five full-service dealerships in Troy, Mt. Vernon, Springfield and Morton, Ill., and St. Louis, plus two additional locations in St. Peters, Mo. and Decatur, Ill. Most of the company’s expansion has occurred under the direction of current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Milton John Hopkins IV, who succeeded his father, Milton John Hopkins III.
“I am proud to have watched Truck Centers Inc. flourish from Highland White Autocar into the amazing company that it is today,” Hopkins says. “The small company of 15 dedicated employees in 1970 laid the cornerstones of our corporate values and commitment to customer service that now extends to seven dealerships and over 350 employees. It is an honor to work alongside great people as we continue to build valuable relationships with customers by delivering premium products and services.”
In 1984, Truck Centers moved to Troy for direct frontage on I-55/I-70 at the I-270 interchange to better serve its growing customer base. After continued expansion, the company outgrew the original building and constructed a new 161,000-square-foot facility in 2000 for corporate offices, parts, sales and service, while the body shop and emergency services’ departments remained in the original building. Simultaneously, a state-of-the-art rraining center was also built on the Troy campus. The 24,000-square-foot training center is managed by two fully-certified instructors who offer classroom and hands-on training for Truck Centers’ employees, as well as technicians from other dealerships and customer fleets.
“Truck Centers Inc. is fortunate to represent the broad spectrum of Daimler Trucks of North America brands, but I believe that our best resources are actually the people within Truck Centers,” Hopkins says. “Our team members are what helps distinguish us because of their dedication to the products that we represent and passion for helping our customers. Forty years of handshakes, personal commitments and delivery is what has allowed for this milestone celebration.”
