Autocar Partners with Allison Transmission for Edge in Overall Customer Value; Major Alliances Keep Approximately $35 Million of Business in State.

HAGERSTOWN, Ind. -- Autocar LLC announced today it has partnered with Allison Transmission in the Allison EDGE Program to make Allison automatic transmissions the exclusive transmission offering in all Autocar vehicles. This is Autocar's second recent alliance with a major Indiana manufacturer. In August, Autocar announced an agreement to power its Xpeditor line of refuse trucks exclusively with Cummins ISL and ISM engines.

Taken together, the multiyear agreements with Cummins and Allison represent approximately $35 million of business kept within the state of Indiana. Headquartered in Hagerstown, Autocar has more than 200 employees and is gaining market share at a rapid rate. Its sales of refuse trucks - to municipalities, fleets, and private haulers nationwide - have nearly doubled in the past two years, generating annual sales in the area of $123 million.

According to James Johnston, president of Autocar, "With the industry trend shifting to more automatic transmissions in medium-duty and heavy-duty applications, we saw the opportunity to partner with Allison in their EDGE Program as an effective way to not only take full advantage of this trend, but, more importantly, to offer our customers a greater overall value."

As a partner in the Allison EDGE Program, Autocar can offer their customers improved transmission coverage and reduced routine maintenance costs, along with horsepower and torque ratings that allow customers to purchase right-sized, lower-cost transmission models.

"As our partner in the Allison EDGE Program, Autocar will have the right transmission packaged with the right coverage at the right price for the particular vocational needs of customers," said Jim Wanaselja, director, North American marketing sales and service and global business activities, Allison Transmission.

Autocar is a manufacturer and marketer of trucks for the refuse and waste disposal market. Autocar is a subsidiary of Highland Park, Illinois-based Grand Vehicle Works Holdings LLC (GVW), which also owns and operates Union City Body Company.