POWERGRAMS

38 Fayette Factory builds dump bodies nationally known 'As strong As An ox' Long before Alabama became a major player in auto manufacturing, Ox Bodies was building a reputation repairing and building rugged, reliable vehicles for industry. Founded by Lehman Pendley in a small dirt-floor shop in what would become the executive office building, the company today specializes in designing and building dump bodies for big trucks. Since 1978, Ox Bodies has continuously expanded to reach nearly 170,000 square feet under tall adjoining metal buildings. The factory on the outskirts of town covers 10 acres, with hundreds of Kenworth, Mack and other tractors parked on the lot awaiting installation of the Maverick, Stampede and other body styles used nationwide for construction, demolition and jobs requiring transportation of large, heavy loads. "We're running all out, every day," says Roger Crawford, director of sales and marketing, who joined Ox Bodies in 2017 aer 33 years with Fontaine, the nation's largest platform trailer manufacturer. "The business, the market, is doing really well," adds Kevin Griggs, customer service manager, who has worked 10 years for Ox Bodies. More than 200 workers on 10-hour shis are in constant motion across the Fayee factory, each toiling in sections devoted to one primary aspect of production. Griggs and Crawford walk past stacks of ¼-inch to ½-inch carbon steel sheets that will be transformed in the days ahead into dump bodies ranging from 9 feet to 22 feet long, 7-8 feet wide and 1½ to 7 feet tall. The massive containers are capable of holding from 7 to 33 cubic yards of material, potentially carrying more than 140,000 pounds fully loaded. PHoToS by phil free aerials by jay parker

• Cover