Koch Companies – The It Was Is The Way It Is
MINNEAPOLIS, MN…. The Koch Companies Marine Division has exploded with growth the past couple of years. In fact, the fleet has doubled in size since 2020 and they are on schedule to deliver 30,000-35,0000 boats in 2021. The company currently has 100 company trucks and 200 specialized marine trailers serving the fleet. They are seeking to hire 25-35 additional drivers.
Koch designed their own marine trailer that can be configured to haul multiple boats of different sizes. The company serves 11 boat manufacturers as a dedicate carrier and a total of 57 across the USA. Drivers pick up loads at the manufacturer and deliver to dealers throughout the USA and Canada. All trailers are pre-loaded and most are secured, it is steady year-round work. Drivers receive extra pay for crossing the border as well as for each stop. Trucks are loaded out and loaded about 65% of the time coming back, but drivers are paid all miles – loaded or empty. Drivers set up their own delivery schedule with the receivers so they can travel at their own pace. You never have to deal with a grumpy receiver as everyone is glad to see you.
Mark Stratton from Columbia, Missouri has been a Professional Truck Driver for 5 ½ years and is a mentor to new drivers in Koch’s Marine Division. I had the opportunity to interview Mark at the recent Walcott Truckers Jamboree and this is what he told me, “I got tired of bumping a dock, so I came to haul boats. Koch treats me and my family well. This is the third company I have worked for, and it will be the last. I plan to retire from Koch. Koch works with their drivers and treats them like adults until you give them a reason not to. When I show up with my load of boats, everybody is glad to see me!”
If boats aren’t your thing, Koch operates other fleets:
•The Specialized Fleet that hauls snowmobiles, golf carts and ATVs in van trailers.
•The dry Van Division has regional hauls of palletized consumer foods and pet foods. There are 130 trucks in the fleet with a 2:1 trailer to tractor ratio, nearly all is no touch, drop and hook freight. There are opportunities for 50 drivers in this division.
•If you like flatbed work, Koch offers a unique challenge. They operate flatbeds, stepdecks, double drops and RGNs, but there are no steel coils. The Flatbed Fleet is dedicated to one customer – Cummins Engine Company’s Generator Division. Koch trucks haul parts components into the Fridley, Minnesota Cummins plant and hauls finished generators to all points in the USA.
Jeff Wirts of Portage, Wisconsin, a Professional Truck Driver for 21 years ,works in Koch’s Flatbed Division said, “I like the family atmosphere at Koch. It is pretty cool delivering generators to hospitals and places that need them. Randy and Dave Koch are great people. They talk with us drivers and make us feel like we are part of the family and involved in the company.” The Flatbed Division has opportunities for 20-25 qualified drivers.
Most drivers have worked for Koch for 5-15 years, some as long as 35 years. The company strives to eliminate “unfriendly freight” for their drivers, creating a place to retire from. “The way it was in the way it is at Koch.”
Koch (pronounced “Cook”) Trucking, Inc. and Koch Industries, Inc. are two distinct parent companies, made up of 11 divisions and affiliate companies. They offer complete transportation services including truckload freight, logistics warehousing, and truck and trailer leasing. Koch is an asset-based company with over 800 tractors and 2,000 trailers. To learn more about the opportunities at Koch, call 800-625-5292 or visit their site here.