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Built around flexibility - designed without limits
For four decades, Spencer Fire Trucks has built custom fire apparatus the same way it always has—by listening first. Founded in 1986 by farmer and volunteer firefighter Brian Spencer, the company began as a small repair operation in a backyard pole barn and has grown into a nationally trusted custom manufacturer. Still family-owned and operated today, Spencer designs and builds every truck in close collaboration with the departments it serves, ensuring each apparatus is engineered around real-world needs, not standard templates.
Here are the facts:
Apparatus & Services
Custom Apparatus
Services
Collision repair
Compartment design
Equipment mounting
Refurbishment and upgrades
Electrical and lighting repair
Pump testing
Preventive maintenance
Company Overview
Founded: 1986
Founder: Brian Spencer
Headquarters: South Haven, Michigan
Ownership: Second-generation, family-owned
What We Do: Fully custom fire apparatus built around each department’s operational needs.
Engineering & Capabilities
Full in-house design, fabrication, electrical, paint, and assembly
Custom compartments and layouts engineered around equipment plans
SOLID-POLY® body fabrication
Final assembly, testing, and quality assurance done on-site
Mission
To build fire apparatus that meet the exact needs of each department through hands-on collaboration, engineering expertise, and long-term partnership.
Core Differentiators
True custom manufacturing - no standard initial attack or cookie-cutter builds
SOLID-POLY® body and Aluminum body with a lifetime warranty
Michigan-made - all fabrication, engineering, and assembly are done in-house
Family-owned for 40 years - continuity of values, quality, and craftsmanship
Hands-on collaboration - Sales, Engineering, Ownership, and Shop Leads are accessible and involved in each build
Built with departments, for departments - every truck is engineered from conversations, not templates
Long-term department relationships - some customers have purchased Spencer trucks for 30+ years
Firefighters and veterans on staff - real operational experience shaping design
Leadership Team
Grant Spencer - President
Quintin Spencer - Vice President
Garrett Spencer - General Manager
Brendan Byford - Chief Financial Officer
Economic & Community Impact
Employs 80 full time employees
Supporting local manufacturing and trade talent in Southwest Michigan
Recruiting top talent nationwide, adding to full-time residency in seasonal community
Millions reinvested annually into the Michigan economy
Hundreds of Spencer-built trucks serving departments across the U.S.
Company Background
Founded in 1986, Spencer Fire Trucks is a second-generation, family-owned manufacturer of fully custom fire apparatus headquartered in South Haven, Michigan. Known for its hands-on collaboration, in-house manufacturing, and flexible design approach, the company partners with fire departments across the United States to engineer apparatus built around real-world operational needs.
Origins Rooted in Service
Spencer Fire Trucks traces its origins to a backyard pole barn in Southwest Michigan. In 1986, founder Brian Spencer - then a farmer and volunteer firefighter - started Spencer Repair Service as a one-man operation focused on repairing and rebuilding emergency vehicles for local fire departments. Drawing on firsthand experience in the fire service, Spencer understood the importance of dependable equipment and practical design.
What began as after-hours repair work quickly grew into steady business. Departments recognized Spencer Repair Service for its craftsmanship, reliability, and problem-solving approach. Rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions, the work reflected a growing understanding of how apparatus performance affects safety, efficiency, and long-term reliability in the field.
Transition to Manufacturing
After a few years of steady growth and extensive rebuild experience, Spencer Repair Service evolved into Spencer Manufacturing, Inc, shifting its primary focus from repairs to the design and manufacture of custom fire apparatus.
This transition was driven by demand. Departments increasingly sought purpose-built trucks that reflected their specific operational requirements rather than standardized designs. Spencer’s experience rebuilding apparatus from the inside out gave the company insight into what worked and what failed over the lifespan of a truck. That perspective shaped its manufacturing philosophy: engineer each apparatus based on how it will be used, the equipment it will carry, and the environment it will operate in.
As Spencer Manufacturing expanded its production capabilities, its reputation grew beyond Michigan. Departments throughout the Midwest and beyond began turning to Spencer for custom pumpers, tankers, and specialty apparatus engineered around performance, longevity, and serviceability.
A True Custom Approach
Today, Spencer Fire Trucks operates as a true custom manufacturer. The company does not offer a “standard” apparatus or fixed design templates. Each build begins with detailed conversations about a department’s needs, response types, staffing, equipment requirements, and chassis limitations.
Engineering, fabrication, electrical work, paint, and final assembly are all completed in-house, allowing for greater customization without added lead time or unnecessary cost. This vertical integration enables Spencer to adapt designs throughout the build process while maintaining quality control and production efficiency.
A hallmark of Spencer’s builds is its Solid-POLY® body construction, which offers durability and corrosion resistance backed by a lifetime warranty. Aluminum bodies also come with lifetime warranties.
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Family Ownership & Leadership Continuity
Spencer Fire Trucks remains family-owned and operated nearly four decades after its founding. Leadership has transitioned to the next generation, with Brian Spencer’s sons, Grant, Garrett, and Quintin Spencer, now guiding the company’s strategic direction and day-to-day operations.
Having grown up in and around the shop, the Spencer brothers bring deep familiarity with the business and the trade. Their leadership reflects continuity of the values of craftsmanship, accountability, and collaboration that defined the company’s early years.
Under second-generation leadership, Spencer has expanded its product offerings, modernized production processes, and invested in facility growth while preserving direct access to decision-makers throughout the build process.
Growth & Investment
In 2024, Spencer Fire Trucks completed a 40,000-square-foot facility expansion designed to support rising demand and increased in-house manufacturing capacity. The expansion reflects the company’s long-term commitment to controlled growth, workforce development, and operational efficiency.
Spencer employs skilled tradespeople, engineers, technicians, and support staff, many of whom bring prior fire service or military experience to their roles. The company’s operations contribute to the regional economy in Southwest Michigan while supporting departments nationwide.
Long-Term Relationships
A defining characteristic of Spencer Fire Trucks is its long-standing customer relationships. Many departments have purchased multiple apparatus over decades, relying on Spencer for repeat builds, refurbishments, and ongoing service.
This continuity reflects a service-oriented mindset that extends beyond delivery. Spencer offers collision repair, remounts, refurbishment, electrical upgrades, lighting replacement, pump service, and preventive maintenance to help departments extend the life of their apparatus and adapt to evolving operational demands.
Today & Looking Ahead
As Spencer approaches its 40th anniversary, the company continues to focus on the principles that shaped its growth: listening first, engineering thoughtfully, and building apparatus that serve firefighters effectively over the long term.
While production capabilities and geographic reach have expanded, the core philosophy remains unchanged - build the right truck for every department, with attention to detail and respect for the trust placed in the builder.
Timeline
1984 – First Fire Truck Build
Spencer converts a ready-mix concrete truck chassis into its first fire truck, laying the groundwork for future custom apparatus builds.
Brian Spencer, a farmer and volunteer firefighter in South Haven, Michigan, launches Spencer Repair Service out of a backyard pole barn—repairing fire trucks, cement trucks, and beverage trucks. What begins as repair and service work grows into rebuilds and custom fabrication.
Mid-1980’s – Humble Beginnings
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1986 – From Repairs to Manufacturing
What started as small-scale repair work formally evolves into manufacturing. The company incorporates as Spencer Manufacturing, Inc. in December 1986, focusing on servicing, repairing, and building fire apparatus—and hiring its first employee.
1987 – Early Expansion
The original pole barn is expanded with a dedicated paint shop and first full bay, increasing capacity and improving turnaround times.
1989 – First Tanker Builds
Spencer designs and builds two tanker fire trucks, continuing to broaden its product capabilities.
Word spreads about Spencer’s reliable trucks and hands-on approach. The business grows steadily, driven by Brian’s first-hand firefighting experience, personable style, and reputation for quality.
1990 – Dealer Network Begins
Spencer secures its first dealer, Beck Fire Apparatus, and adds five part-time employees, extending its reach and growing production.
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1985 – First Municipal Contract
Spencer wins its first contract with the City of Holland, Michigan.
1990’s – Growth Through Craftsmanship
1993 – First Major Expansion
Two bays are added to the original shop to keep pace with increasing demand.
Family Business in Motion
The Spencer boys grow up in and around the business, helping their dad build trucks in the backyard shop. Brian focuses on building and operations, while Peggy runs administration from a home office inside the family home—together laying the foundation for a family business that continues to thrive.
1994 – Dealer Network Expands
Spencer partners with Apollo Fire Equipment, strengthening its presence in the fire service industry.
1996 – Second Expansion
Two additional bays are built on the residential property to support rapid growth and more complex builds
1997 – First Aerial Delivery
Spencer delivers its first aerial apparatus to Troy, Michigan, marking a new milestone in product capability.
2000’s – Second Generation Steps In
Brian’s sons officially join the company, learning the industry and the business from the ground up while contributing to continued growth and innovation.
2000 – First Demo Units
Spencer builds its first demo trucks, showcasing design, capabilities, and customization options to departments across the region.
2001 – Engineering Brought In-House
Spencer hires its first engineer, bringing the design process in-house and becoming a true one-stop shop for fire departments—from concept through fabrication and final delivery
2003 – New Facility
Having long outgrown the family property, Spencer Manufacturing purchases land and breaks ground on a new, purpose-built facility on six acres in South Haven’s industrial park—creating room for expanded production and future growth.
2005 – Homeland Security Contract
Spencer wins a Homeland Security contract to provide 17 fire service vehicles to the State of Michigan, further solidifying its reputation as a trusted partner.
2006 – In-House Pump Testing
An in-ground tank is installed for on-site pump testing, allowing Spencer to control quality and performance testing under one roof.
2010’s – A New Generation of Leadership
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Brian’s sons step into leadership roles, guiding the company’s growth while carrying forward the values it was built on.
Under the new leadership team, Spencer doubles its workforce and triples production—strengthening its position as a leader in custom-built fire apparatus and expanding its role as an economic anchor in Southwest Michigan, providing steady, family-supporting careers in a largely seasonal community.
2020’s – Expanding Capabilities
After a decade of steady growth, Spencer once again outgrows its existing workspace.
2024 – Major Facility Expansion & Stock Line
Spencer completes a 40,000-square-foot facility expansion, built to meet rising demand and support the next chapter of growth. The new space provides the footprint for a dedicated stock truck line, enabling faster lead times, broader customer reach and more flexible, quick delivery options for departments that still need customization.
