Utilimaster Debuts Customer-Driven Work Truck Solutions to Enhance Service and Delivery Fleet Performance at NTEA Work Truck Week 2025

Reintroducing the Utilimaster Trademaster Service Body and Showcasing the Marketplace Dry Freight Truck to Address Evolving Service and Delivery Needs

NOVI, Mich., March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Utilimaster, a go-to-market brand of The Shyft Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SHYF), the North American leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing, assembly, and upfit for the commercial, retail, and service markets, today introduces two purpose-built work truck solutions at NTEA Work Truck Week 2025—the return of the Utilimaster Trademaster Service Body and the debut of the Marketplace Dry Freight Truck. Designed in collaboration with fleet customers, these vehicles reflect Shyft's Work-Driven Design® approach, ensuring each innovation is developed to meet the real-world challenges of service and delivery fleets.

"At Utilimaster, our customers' needs drive everything we do. We innovate and evolve alongside them to ensure they have the right tools to get the job done," said Jacob Farmer, President, Fleet Vehicles & Services and Specialty Vehicles at The Shyft Group. "The return of the Utilimaster Trademaster and the introduction of the Marketplace Dry Freight Truck reinforce our focus on delivering versatile, high-performance solutions that empower fleets to operate efficiently in demanding environments."

The Utilimaster Trademaster Service Body builds on its longstanding reputation for reliability while incorporating modern advancements in durability, organization, and safety. Designed for tradespeople and service professionals, it features reinforced construction for long-term strength, spacious cargo areas, and easy-access exterior compartments for efficient tool and equipment storage. A wide rear door opening improves material handling, while integrated lighting enhances visibility in various working conditions. Production is set to begin in Q3 2025, with multiple configurations available to meet the needs of diverse fleet applications.

The Marketplace Dry Freight Truck is engineered to maximize payload capacity while maintaining durability and flexibility—an important advantage for service and delivery fleets, particularly those incorporating electric vehicle (EV) platforms. Weighing 900 pounds less than comparable models, it is designed to optimize efficiency without compromising performance. A seamless roll-up rear door streamlines loading and unloading, while an optimized cargo space layout ensures effective use of available storage. Its heavy-duty 3,300-lb liftgate provides reliable freight handling, making it an ideal solution for logistics and last-mile delivery operations.

"These vehicles were developed in direct response to industry needs—helping fleets improve efficiency while adapting to new challenges, such as electrification and increasing delivery demands," added Farmer. "With the Utilimaster Trademaster, we're bringing back a trusted solution with modern enhancements, and with the Marketplace Dry Freight Truck, we're introducing a lighter, more adaptable cargo solution for today's evolving fleet requirements."

As part of this ongoing commitment to serving customers, Shyft recently announced a merger agreement with Aebi Schmidt, which will bring together expertise in specialty vehicle manufacturing, upfitting, and infrastructure solutions. By leveraging highly complementary portfolios, the merger is expected to expand product offerings, improve efficiencies, and drive competitive growth—ultimately providing customers with more comprehensive and tailored solutions.

Both the Utilimaster Trademaster Service Body and the Marketplace Dry Freight Truck are on display at The Shyft Group's booth #2921 at NTEA Work Truck Week 2025.

Members of the media and attendees are invited to The Shyft Group's 50th Anniversary Press Conference today, March 5, at 3:15 PM ET at booth #2921, where John Dunn, President and CEO of The Shyft Group, and Jacob Farmer, President, Fleet Vehicles & Services and Specialty Vehicles, will discuss these new products and share Shyft's vision for the future of purpose-built fleet solutions.

About The Shyft Group
The Shyft Group is the North American leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing, assembly, and upfit for the commercial, retail, and service specialty vehicle markets. Our customers include first-to-last mile delivery companies across vocations, federal, state, and local government entities; the trades; and utility and infrastructure segments. The Shyft Group is organized into two core business units: Shyft Fleet Vehicles and Services™ and Shyft Specialty Vehicles™. Today, its family of brands include Utilimaster®, Blue Arc™ EV Solutions, Royal® Truck Body, DuraMag® and Magnum®, Strobes-R-Us, Spartan® RV Chassis, Builtmore Contract Manufacturing™, and Independent Truck Upfitters. The Shyft Group and its go-to-market brands are well known in their respective industries for quality, durability, and first-to-market innovation. The Company employs approximately 2,900 employees and contractors across campuses, and operates facilities in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Saltillo, Mexico. The Company reported sales of $786 million in 2024. Learn more at TheShyftGroup.com. 

Forward Looking Statement 
This release contains information, including our sales and earnings guidance, all other information provided with respect to our outlook for 2024 and future periods, and other statements concerning our business, strategic position, financial projections, financial strength, future plans, objectives, and the performance of our products and operations that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We intend the forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements in those sections. Generally, we have identified such forward-looking statements by using words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "potential," "future," "may," "will," "should," and similar expressions or by using future dates in connection with any discussion of, among other things, the construction or operation of new or existing facilities, operating performance, trends, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, statements relating to volume changes, share of sales and earnings per share changes, anticipated cost savings, potential capital and operational cash improvements, changes in supply and demand conditions and prices for our products, trade duties and other aspects of trade policy, statements regarding our future strategies, products and innovations, and statements expressing general views about future operating results. However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. It is possible that the Company's actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the time made. However, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date when made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's historical experience and our present expectations or projections. In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's historical experience and our present expectations or projections. More information about factors that potentially could affect our financial results is included in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings, which are available at www.sec.gov or our website. All forward-looking statements in this release are qualified by this paragraph. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

CONTACTS

Media:
Sydney Machesky
Director, Corporate Communications
The Shyft Group
[email protected]
586.413.4112

Investors:
Randy Wilson
Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasury
The Shyft Group
[email protected]
248.727.3755

SOURCE The Shyft Group, Inc.