A Boise based manufacturer of fire trucks is looking to double its business after signing a multi-million dollar contract with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire truck manufacturer will be responsible for producing more than 30 trucks for the State of California.
"We estimate the total value of the contract to be somewhere between 13 to 15 million dollars over the first year," said Boise Mobile Equipment President Chad Moffat."We went from building about 18 to 20 trucks a year to next year we anticipate we will do close to 150 trucks."
Boise Mobile Equipment has been around since 1990, but in the last three years they've grown from around 50 employees to 100, and with the new contract they will be growing even more. They expect in the next year and a half to hire 20 to 25 new employees.
The jobs they are adding won't be minimum wage jobs, rather jobs for welders, plumbers, electricians, and engineers.
Moffat said it has been a chaotic but exciting time, but the work comes easy when you are doing something for the greater good.
"To be able to be a part of so many peoples lives and actually know that we are doing something that rolls out the door and we see it out on fires and we know it's working to help firefighters save peoples lives is exciting to see it," said Moffat.
Add to that the fact that the company is right here in the Treasure Valley ensures they are also helping make our community a better place to live.
"I grew up in Boise. I have been in Boise my whole life. I love it here," explained Moffat. "I am just excited to be able to have a company here that we are able to produce a product that can be sold nationally that people are proud of. Hopefully, all of Boise is proud of what we build here because they are some pretty awesome trucks."
While their main focus is on trucks, they are also working on developing rescue boats as well as fire fighting UTV's.
