VIS brings new undercarriage inspection tool, the VIS-Check: Road Simulator, to market to reduce steering and suspension inspection and service times for commercial vehicles.
Vehicle Inspection Systems (VIS) is excited to introduce the all new VIS-Check: Road Simulator, a suspension and steering diagnostics system that recreates road conditions safely and easily in the shop to allow technicians to view undercarriage components under harsh operating conditions and make otherwise undetectable mechanical issues easier to detect. Additionally, its automated inspection process greatly reduces service and inspection times allowing shops to achieve increased throughput using their existing technicians and resources.
Since introducing the innovative VIS-Check system in 1994, VIS has become a market leader in brake, suspension, and steering testing equipment. VIS’s mission is to bring workplace automation, safety solutions, and inspection best practices to the heavy duty and commercial vehicle industries.
“As part of our continued commitment to commercial vehicle safety and maintenance, we have developed the VIS-Check: Road Simulator to improve the overall vehicle inspection process as well as the safety and reliability of vehicle undercarriage components,” Rob Perrotti VP of Operations and Finance for VIS, said. “It not only benefits technicians and shops by saving labor and increasing productivity, but also their fleet or customers as well. From lower vehicle operating costs to reducing vehicle downtimes, fleets will save time and money when incorporating it into their maintenance programs.
The VIS-Check: Road Simulator is ideal for service centers, suspension and alignment shops, fleets, or any business servicing suspension and steering components of commercial vehicles. Find steering and suspension issues in minutes, not hours, with the VIS-Check: Road Simulator!
Vehicle Inspection Systems (VIS) is excited to introduce a new product video for the VIS-Check diagnostic machine. The VIS-Check is a performance-based brake tester combined with a dynamic road simulator that automates the inspection of brakes, steering and suspension components of heavy trucks, transit buses, school buses, motor homes and more.
“The VIS-Check is an incredible machine with outstanding inspection capabilities. This new video is an up-to-date way of displaying those features,” Mark Keegans, VP of Sales and Marketing at VIS, commented. “With different models available to work in any type of facility, the VIS-Check is a great addition to any service shop, maintenance facility, or enforcement agency.”
As partner to the recently updated VIS-Polish media materials, the new VIS-Check video is a streamlined and dynamic representation of the abilities of the machine. The 1-minute video is a summarized look at the full VIS-Check process including assessing braking force and evaluating steering and suspension components.
The video can be viewed here or the Vehicle Inspection Systems YouTube channel here.
Since 1994, Vehicle Inspection Systems (VIS) has been a front-runner for heavy duty vehicle, truck, and bus safety in the trucking and transportation industries specializing in brake and undercarriage inspection as well as wheel and rim safety.
VIS announces official VIS-Polish logo and new VIS-Polish Product Video
Vehicle Inspection Systems (VIS) is excited to introduce new media materials for its signature VIS-Polish system. The VIS-Polish has been on the market for over 10 years as the leader in automated wheel polishing, taking the dirty and dangerous job of polishing aluminum wheels and automating it. As part of the ongoing evolution of VIS, it was time to give the VIS-Polish an official logo and a more modern product video.
The new VIS-Polish logo reflects a contemporary look while still fitting within the overall VIS company brand. The design, sleek and straight-forward in appearance, captures our mission to deliver efficient and effective products and services to our customers.
The re-vamped VIS-Polish video showcases the incredible capabilities of the VIS-Polish system in a fresh, updated way that is better formatted for use online and on various marketing platforms. The simplified, high-energy video is a more focused way to demonstrate the features of the machine and reflects the pride VIS has in the VIS-Polish.
“We are thrilled to launch these new VIS-Polish materials as part of our overall branding strategy,” Mark Keegans, VP of Sales and Marketing at VIS, commented. “We are confident the increased brand recognition will inspire more companies to discover the benefits the VIS-Polish can have on their business and further grow VIS as a recognizable and trusted name in the transportation industry.”
Since 1994, Vehicle Inspection Systems (VIS) has been a front-runner for heavy duty vehicle, truck, and bus safety in the trucking and transportation industries specializing in brake and undercarriage inspection as well as wheel and rim safety.
VIS’s BrakeMate wins “Best New Product or Service” at this year’s BusCon.
In early October, VIS attended BusCon 2018 in Indianapolis, IN. BusCon, hosted by Metro Magazine, is the largest bus show in North America bringing bus, motorcoach, van, shuttle and other vehicles operators. The 3-day event features the latest in safety, technology, government regulations and innovation to help agencies and operators get the tools they need to be successful.
On the closing day of the event, VIS was honored during the Exhibition Awards ceremony with “Best New Product of Service” for the BrakeMate brake maintenance system. The BrakeMate™ reduces manual lifting and risk of injury during the disc brake maintenance process. Also, the average time to replace the rotor is cut in half from 2 hours to 1.
“Vehicle Inspection Systems strives to provide fleets and transit agencies with the latest in safety equipment and tools to help promote safe facilities and reduce vehicle downtimes. The BrakeMate is a perfect example of that focus,” Mark Keegans, VP of Sales and Marketing at VIS, commented. “We were are honored that the committee members recognized VIS and the BrakeMate at this year’s BusCon conference.”
Vehicle Inspection Systems has been manufacturing and distributing products to keep your fleets, buses and other transit vehicles safe and on the road for more than 20 years.
Vehicle Inspection Systems’ team members completed the CVSA Roadside Inspection Training Course in Salt Lake City this July.
In early July, two of VIS’s own traveled to Salt Lake City, UT to participate in CVSA’s Industry Roadside Inspection Course on Vehicle Requirements. The five day course provided information and training on roadside regulatory requirements and out-of-service conditions. Both VIS team members, Lori Clouser and Brigette Engstrom, received a “successful completion” status at the end of the event.
During their training, they gained a greater understanding of the inspection process as well as how regulatory requirements can impact the motor carrier industry. Lori Clouser remarked, “We had excellent instructors who were so incredibly knowledgeable. Knowledge is an invaluable tool for connecting with customers and this was an amazing opportunity to dive into the technical side of inspections. With this knowledge, I can better understand what my customers need to make their vehicles safer and their companies more successful.”
Through participating in the course, both Lori and Brigette epitomized VIS’s commitment to constantly improving and challenging the current methods of doing things. They can now share what they’ve learned with the VIS team to help promote continued success for VIS and its customers.
“The course was superb,” Brigette commented. “Learning the out-of-service criteria and how to apply it was a great opportunity for Vehicle Inspection Systems and our current and future customers. After completion of the course, I have a better vision to share with our customers about where and how their safety and maintenance programs can be improved all year, not just during inspection times.”
“We want to thank CVSA for providing this course to industry professionals,” Lori added. “CVSA’s dedication to education and training is something we here at VIS support. These are keys to improving the motor carrier industry overall.”
For more than 20 years, Vehicle Inspection Systems (VIS) has been the front runner for heavy duty vehicle, truck, and bus safety for the trucking and transportation industry for brake and undercarriage inspection as well as wheel and rim safety.
Vehicle Inspection Systems is pleased to announce the addition of Chelsey Carrigan to the company’s marketing team. Chelsey Carrigan joins VIS as the new Marketing Manager with previous experience in the marketing field.
Prior to joining the VIS team, Chelsey was a marketing coordinator for Central Florida Sounds of Freedom Band. With the band, she has managed their social media campaigns, coordinated their conferences and booth events and developed media content on a variety of platforms. She also spent 9 years with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in various supervisory roles. Chelsey is a graduate of the University of North Texas.
“I am excited to join the Vehicle Inspection Systems team and look forward to applying my previous experience in the marketing field to help VIS continue their success in the transportation industry,” Chelsey said.
Mark Keegans, VIS Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said, “Chelsey’s experience working with a publicly traded company as well as non-profit organizations will help VIS further develop branding strategies. We will leverage Chelsey’s experience to pass along marketing tips and tricks to our dealers. Her experience dealing with online campaigns and event planning logistics will be utilized with our dealers and business partners. We are very excited to add Chelsey to the team to help advance our role in the industry with new products and services and help our customers grow their business.”
Chelsey enjoys performing with Central Florida Sounds of Freedom as a clarinet player and attending college football games. Chelsey is based out of VIS’ Headquarters in Orlando, FL. She can be reached via email at ccarrigan@vischeck.net.
Vehicle Inspection Systems (VIS) is pleased to announce the addition of Brigette Engstrom in the role of Business Development Manager. Brigette has joined the VIS team to further develop the growing portfolio of regional, national and international accounts.
Brigette joins the company from her strong background in sales and national account management. Bringing 20 years of world class service and results driven sales experience, she will focus on growing market share in the tire industry.
“I am extremely pleased to be a part of the VIS family and look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead,” she said. “My excitement about this new chapter is in partnering with our customers to take their dangerous, dirty and labor-intensive maintenance functions, and automating them through the innovative VIS product line. Safer, cleaner and more money to the bottom line for our customers is very desirable in the transportation sector.”
The rollout of VIS’ go-to market strategy will be Brigette’s priority, in the states of Texas and Oklahoma to start. Her focus will be promoting wheel-end safety products including the VIS-Polish, VIS-Check and the BrakeMate™.
“I feel close to and in alignment with the mission of VIS- I look forward to having a significant impact on our growth.”
Mark Keegans, VIS Vice President, said, “Brigette’s experience working within the tire industry will be advantageous as VIS grows. With Brigette on the team, our expertise in the commercial wheel industry will strengthen as we provide more feet on the ground. The VIS team is pleased to have Brigette on board.”
Brigette lives in Canton, Texas with her husband on their working ranch. They have two children and a new granddaughter. She can be reached at bengstrom@vischeck.net.
The State of South Dakota entered 2018 by taking delivery of a VIS-Check performance-based brake tester. The unit will be deployed for use across the state.
VIS, the front runner for heavy duty vehicle, truck and bus safety in the trucking and transportation industry for more than 20 years, delivered a portable VIS-Check brake tester unit to the state of South Dakota in January 2018. The VIS-Check is a performance-based brake tester (PBBT) that tests to DOT and CVSA specifications.
“We decided to invest in the VIS-Check so we could test brake systems and identify problems we can’t see with a visual inspection,” Captain John Broers of the State of South Dakota Department of Public Safety said. “We will be able to identify vehicles with brake problems before they are in a crash.”
“We plan to travel with the VIS-Check throughout the state for certain enforcement projects,” Captain Broers said. “We will be participating in CVSA Brake Safety Week. The VIS-Check is another safety tool for us to use.”
The VIS-Check will be a key tool to help identify problematic issues as they relate to brake efficiency.
“One of the biggest causes of accidents is driver behavior,” Captain Broers said. “The rest are equipment violations. Brakes are a critical component and can cause catastrophic problems. A light out is a problem, but brake issues have the potential to be catastrophic, especially on a vehicle that weighs 80,000 pounds.”
The VIS team was onsite to take delivery of the unit earlier this year.
“South Dakota is another state that has identified the ease of use and deployability of the VIS-Check,” VIS Vice President Mark Keegans said. “Our VIS-Check equipment is the equipment of choice for enforcement agencies across North America that have adopted Performance Based Brake Testing.”
Tom Helwig, VIS Government Support Technician, will provide VIS-Check training for South Dakota.
“This is a very exciting opportunity for South Dakota,” Tom said. “I look forward to a long lasting relationship between VIS and South Dakota.”
Vehicle Inspection Systems (VIS) is pleased to announce the addition of Jamie Untersinger, our newest Business Development Manager. He has joined the VIS team to further develop the growing portfolio of regional, national and international accounts.
Jamie joins the team with more than 20 years of experience in the fleet and transportation industry. He has worked in the mechanical light truck, auto and commercial truck tire industries. He recently worked with several tire businesses including Myers Tire Supply. Jamie played a key role in introducing MTS Xpress Inventory Management Systems.
The rollout of VIS’ newly announced pay-per-use model will be Jamie’s priority. This model allows the VIS-Polish wheel polishing machine to be used on an as-needed basis, rather than paying for the machine up-front. He will focus on expansion of the VIS-Polish to a wider customer base. He will also be part of the growth of VIS’ full product line across various transportation sectors.
“I am looking forward to starting this new chapter in my professional career at VIS,” Jamie said. “I am excited to work with the team to further strengthen their portfolio of accounts and the VIS brand.”
Mark Keegans, VIS Vice President, said, “Jamie’s experience working within the tire industry will be very beneficial to growing our company. With Jamie on board, our knowledge in the tire industry will strengthen as we provide more feet on the ground. In turn, this will accelerate our growth. Our VIS team is very pleased to bring Jamie on board.”
Jamie lives in Akron, Ohio, and has an 11-year-old son, Gavin. He enjoys spending time with his son and watching sports like NASCAR. Jamie also has a pointer/lab mix dog, Maggie. He can be reached at juntersinger@vischeck.net.
VIS has been working with Canton Bandag for more than a decade. Canton Bandag was one of our very first VIS-Polish customers. While we have celebrated a long and prosperous relationship with the Ohio-based group, Canton Bandag has an even bigger anniversary to celebrate: 55 years in business as a Bandag dealer!
Dave Richards, President of Canton Bandag and VIS customer for 10+ years, is the son of founder Everett D. Richards Sr. Everett unfortunately passed away this July, but his spirit lives on in Canton Bandag.
The beginning of Canton Bandag
Everett grew up as one of seven children in a hard-working family. He joined the Marines when he was 17, but it was discovered he was under aged, and he was discharged. When he was 20, he met his future wife, Joy Ann Collins. After getting married, the two moved to Ohio and Everett started working in a steel mill. He then spent 18 months in Korea after he was drafted in the Army in 1951. He was honorably discharged in 1953. He returned to the mills and started a family.
In 1957, Everett was out of working during a union strike that lasted months. For income, he started refurbishing bicycles and made them look new, but that wasn’t enough. Everett’s neighbor, a Greek man named Jim Costas, asked if he knew anything about tires. Everett said he didn’t, but he could learn.
Everett was soon after hired at S&S Tire in Baberton, Ohio, changing semi tires. These tires were 20” and some 22”s. He was subbed out to Dixie Ohio Express which was across the street from Goodyear. Goodyear used DOX as a test facility due to its size and location. Everett repaired 12-24 tires each day and monitored tests for Goodyear.
One day, Everett got 4 unusual retread tires to put on a trailer for testing. He saw that the retread rubber was on top of the tire and not molded over the shoulders as he usually saw. He put the tires on a trailer going west and one didn’t last an hour until it peeled. The mate also peeled 130 miles later. The tire was brought back, but Everett noticed the other 2 stayed on and performed better than anything he’d ever seen, including new tires.
Soon after, Everett heard a conversation between the S&S Tire owners and a gentleman that was trying to sell them the very retread he tested at DOX. This was when Everett first heard the term ‘Bandag’. S&S had their own hot, mold cure system that was prevalent in those days and they were not interested in a new, untried method. Everett contacted the man, Harry Beam, to set up a shop, but he did not have the funds.
Dave Richards said he remembered Harry Beam as a Colonel Sanders doppelganger. He was very passionate about his product.
Everett found two others to partner with-Vilas March and Chris Christianson. With $1,000 each, they started Bandag of Akron in 1959.
Canton Bandag Takes Off
“Bandag? Never heard of it,” was the most common response the Akron Bandag team got when they tried to sell their product. At the time, the hot box and stainless steel bands were the methods used to cure. With great perseverance, the Canton Bandag shop started to gain a small customer base, mostly single owner and coal bucket trucks. Slowly, the word spread that Canton Bandag put out a great product.
In 1962, a financial crisis happened forcing the business to close. However, Everett truly believed in the product and found another financial backer, Carlton B. Coen. In June of that year, with $7,200, they franchised Canton Bandag Co. in Canton, Ohio. The pressure curing chamber and envelopes were a big upgrade to the retread process in the 1960s.
When current Bandag president Dave Richards was 8 years old, he started to work with his dad. Each morning, Dave would help paint the tires and prepare them for delivery. Everett advertised that he could cap any size tire and eventually, a major tire maker took him to court. It was agreed that Everett would be provided three tires to retread for the company filing to suit. These tires included a 4.10/3.50-4, a 6.00-6 airplane tire and a 6.00-23 Studebaker tire. Everett was given 1 week to return with the tires retreaded, and he did, surprising the big tire manufacturers.
As Dave grew up, he assisted his father with removing, dismounting, remounting, inflation and reinstalling tires on a truck. When Dave was 12, he could swing the ‘duck bill’ tire hammer.
Eventually, Everett purchased back the interest of Canton Bandag Co. and was soon told he had to move, so he relocated to East Sparta. Canton Bandag stayed in this location for 33 years. Everett’s wife, Joy Ann, even helped with the retreading. The men would carry the tires for her from buffer to building station and she would retread. Eventually, she moved to doing office bookwork, which she did until her death in 1996. The entire family helped with the retreading at some point. Dave’s younger brother Dan, youngest sister Kimberly, and Dave’s wife Candy, currently serving as accounts receivable, have all helped.
In 2000, Canton Bandag Co. moved to this new 24,000 sq. ft. facility. Everett designed and built a buffer that could retread even larger tires. The company expanded into new markets, such as being the only manufacturer of solid antique rubber tires in North America. Canton Bandag Co. specializes in industrial retreading of solid rubber tires, foam-filled tires and pneumatic tires, as well as semi-truck tires.
Canton Bandag Invests in the VIS-Polish
About 10 years ago, Canton Bandag Co. invested in a VIS-Polish robotic aluminum wheel polishing machine. Automated wheel polishing is a great additional service that Canton Bandag can offer customers.
“Purchasing the VIS-Polish to polish semi-truck wheels has been a very good addition to our business,” Dave said. “We are very satisfied with the VIS-Polish performance and endurance.”
As the business grew, Everett continued to come in to work with Dave until Thanksgiving 2014. On July 4 of this year, at the age of 87, Everett passed away. His legacy lives on in Canton Bandag and everything the family has accomplished.
“With Everett’s help, we have achieved a stable and knowledgeable work force that allows for consistent products and services due to the work environment here,” Dave said.
Author’s note: I’d like to give a special thank you to Dave Richards, Jr., owner of Canton Bandag, and his sister Rebecca Gross, for sharing their family stories and Canton Bandag history with me. All credit for the photos and family stories go to Dave and Rebecca. Thank you for sharing these stories with me, and in turn, all of our readers.
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