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July - 2000
GBS In Wheels & Deals:
GBS appeared in a regional Freightliner publication "Wheels and Deals" for recognition of the companies use of Freightliner vehicles for delivery of materials. Below is the article as it appeared in the magazine.

"Keeping Up With Success"
By Thayer Evans, contributing writer

For Jack Hiser, plant manager of General Builders Supply in Oklahoma City, nothing's hotter than business this summer.
Except for Freightliner trucking.

"Last month (May) we came up just short of breaking our all-time monthly sales record," said Hiser, a 20-year veteran of General Builders Supply. "With sales soaring and our service area expanding, our hauling has really taken off."

As the number of runs increase so do the requests by truckers to drive the FL 70 Freightliner that General Builders Supply, 101 N. Ann Arbor Ave., purchased last December from the Oklahoma City Freightliner dealership.

"It's hard to keep our drivers out of the Freightliner," said Hiser, who was elevated to plant manager at General Builders Supply a year ago. "Everyone wants to drive the rig because it's such a nice truck."

Family owned and operated since 1949, General Builders Supply furnishes both residential and commercial construction industries with the very finest in building materials. General Builders Supply also manufactures and supplies custom entry systems, moldings, interior doors, specialty millwork, plywood and hardware.

Recognized as Oklahoma's custom door leader for three decades, General Builders Supply craftsmen individually build and design interior and exterior single and double doors.

Hiser said finding a truck that matched General Builders Supply's reputation for superiority and quality took priority in the purchasing process. "We wanted to purchase a truck that had a reputation for excellence" said Hiser. "We also wanted to buy from a dealership that would be with us for the long haul. With Freightliner you get both. You get the excellence and you also get the service after the sale."

General Builders Supply's trucking fleet currently consists of 8 Ford trucks and 1 Freightliner truck. Hiser said within the next year the company hopes to purchase another Freightliner and would eventually like to sport an entire fleet of Freightliner trucks.

"The plant manager before me was a Ford man," Hiser said. "I've always been a big Freightliner fan, so I told myself, 'Man, I'm going to get a Freightliner on of these days' and when I got the opportunity I made the purchase."

Hiser said the Freightliner truck that General Builders Supply purchased is the best truck in the history of the company.

"Freightliner never breaks down," said Hiser. "It pumps, pumps and keeps on going. It's a mighty good truck."

Servicing a customer base stretching from Shreveport, Louisiana, to north Texas and throughout Oklahoma, General Builders Supply banks on the reliability of their trucking fleet.

"Our Freightliner is a '10' in terms of productivity," said Hiser. "We do things with the Freightliner that we can't do with the other trucks. The Freightliner allows our truckers to haul more and it allows them to get to their destination and back home much quicker."

After 12,000 miles and a few routine service center visits, Hiser said he's sold on the dependability and technical knowledge of the Freightliner service team in Oklahoma City.

"When you go into the service center, no one is a stranger," said Hiser. "The center has this great family/friends feel to it. General Builders Supply was founded on family and friendship, so it's nice to work with a company that understands what your company is about."

Hiser said the assistance and accountability by service writer Ryan Brown is a rarity in the trucking industry. "He treats his customers like family, instead of a number," said Hiser. "He takes care of his customers and gets them in and out quickly."

Hiser said his drivers are often surprised by the efficiency, quickness and total overall ride of the Freightliner truck.

"Most of the truckers ask - 'Can I drive this thing 89 miles per hour?'," said Hiser with a laugh. "I tell'em if you want to pay the ticket, you can chance it, because this truck will get up and go."

With wear and tear on a rig always a concern, Hiser bragged about the truck's Eaton Autoshift (TM). "The autoshift is a phenomenal feature of the truck, because some drivers have a tendency to ride the clutch a little," said Hiser. "The Eaton autoshift reduces a high percentage of unnecessary deterioration on the truck."

Once they make a run with the Freightliner, most drivers don't want to make another trip without the truck, said Hiser.

Hiser is quick to recommend Freightliner to other companies and truckers. "I can't say enough good about the truck," said Hiser. "I'm very impressed by not only the truck, but the entire package of service and support that comes with it. Freightliner produces some of the best vehicles I've ever seen or worked with," said Hiser. "And no one compares to their service department. I wouldn't hesitate or think twice to purchase another Freightliner."

Kudos to General Builders Supply for 51 years of success and customer satisfaction!

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