In the spring of 2008, the entire staff of a New Jersey-based technology company found themselves unemployed as the company imploded under financial pressures. The group, comprised of nearly the entire technical staff, decided to band together and carry on the quest to revolutionize the way things are moved in the world today. They call themselves Vehicle Technologies, Inc., but are known as Vetex for short. The group poured in their personal savings, and requisite buckets of sweat equity, to make the new company a success. Now in their third year, they are on track to report a second annual 1000-percent increase in sales.
“We know that these growth numbers are unsustainable in the long run, especially in the present economic climate,” said Nicholas Fenelli, president of the Trenton, N.J. company, “but it sure is fun to look at them now!”
Initial sales for Vetex came from completing some contracts abandoned by their predecessor when operations ceased. The technical team then put together a family of customizable omni-directional mobility platforms, in types referred to as robotic mobility platforms (RMPs), remote-controlled mobility platforms (RCMPs), and walk-behind mobility platforms (WMPs). These machines are available in a variety of sizes, capacities, and types, including skid handling, lift table, and tables that lift and tilt. Also offered is an array of operator control types, such as tethered and wireless for the RCMP, and fixed, re-locatable, or walk/ride for the WMP.
Recently the company began building and selling The Sidewinder omni-directional lift truck under exclusive license. Launched by the predecessor organization in 2005, this vehicle has an excellent track record, and has been working in the field for five years with a record of little or no maintenance and few repairs. The “new and improved model” should exhibit an even more exemplary record going forward.
In addition to producing the mobility platforms, the company works with OEMs as a system integrator, helping to bring the efficiencies of omni-directional mobility to their products via engineering assistance, omni-directional wheels, and a broad spectrum of drive system components and compatible accessories. Vetex also performs conversions or drive system add-ons to vehicles, machines, or platforms that are already performing valuable service in the field, but can benefit from added maneuverability.
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
