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.
The reintroduced Utilimaster Trademaster Service Body delivers enhanced durability, smart storage, and integrated safety features—built to keep tradespeople efficient on the job.
"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.
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