E-ONE, Inc. has announced the start of its $23.5 million expansion of its aerial manufacturing campus in Ocala, marking the milestone with a ceremony attended by company executives, firefighters, local officials and members of its dealer network.
The 80,000-square-foot project is expected to increase E-ONE’s aerial production capacity by approximately 35% and help reduce lead times for the company’s fire apparatus products. Construction is scheduled for completion by spring 2027 and will be carried out in four phases.
“This is a big day for E-ONE and for all the customers we serve,” said Mike Virnig, President, Specialty Vehicles segment at Terex Corporation. “We are excited to break ground on this expansion to our aerial campus which is expected to increase production by approximately 35 percent. This investment reflects our unwavering commitment to the firefighting industry.”
The expansion highlights E-ONE’s long-term commitment to Ocala while supporting fire departments and first responders across the United States. The company said the project is expected to create 100 new jobs in Ocala, adding to its existing workforce of 1,134 employees.
Planned improvements as part of the expansion include enlarging the company’s assembly, fabrication and paint operations, alongside new construction dedicated to ladder manufacturing and assembly.
The project will also double the size of E-ONE’s paint operations, a move aimed at improving production throughput, enhancing quality and increasing efficiency.
A new ladder manufacturing facility is planned as part of the expansion, creating what the company described as a ladder build center of excellence designed to address current production constraints and support future growth.
Additional investments include a dedicated aerial body assembly and completion facility intended to increase assembly capability, operational flexibility and line rate output across the aerial complex.
To improve product flow and reduce operational bottlenecks, E-ONE will also construct a second test pit at the Ocala campus, reducing reliance on a single testing point across its product lines.
Initial phases of construction will include expansion of the current building, development of a new paint facility and construction of a new four-bay test pit.
Other speakers at the ceremony included E-ONE Vice President and General Manager Gary Feldmann, Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano, Matt McCormick, CEO of Ocala’s Metro Chamber and Executive Partnership, and St. Augustine Fire Chief Carlos Aviles.
Aviles highlighted the longstanding relationship between E-ONE and fire departments, noting that St. Augustine Fire Department’s first aerial unit was E-ONE’s 110-foot Stratosphere ladder truck built in 1981, which remained in frontline service for more than 30 years.
