The ground support industry's source for news, articles, events, product and services information.
Issue link: https://groundsupportworldwide.epubxp.com/i/299880
COVER STORY 8 GROUND SUPPORT WORLDWIDE • APRIL 2014 Kevin Ward, vice president of marketing and sales for Rampmaster, accepts the company's Ground Support Leader award at last month's AviationPros LIVE trade show in Las Vegas. AviationPros.com/company/10017012 Company Timeline Since its founding in 1968, Rampmaster has consistently delivered unprecedented product advancements that beneft customers' airport operations through longer refueler lifecycles, signifcant fuel and maintenance savings, lower EPA emissions and more. 1968: General Transervice, Inc. (GTI) is founded by Robert Watkins, a Vietnam U.S. Army Veter- an, as an airport refueler maintenance company at Philadelphia Airport. 1974: GTI develops the Rampmaster – the frst ever modular refueler. GTI sees the many challenges airlines face maintaining their refu- eling feets. The Rampmaster modular design simplifes maintenance by allowing the truck to be separated from the fuel tank. 1979: The frst Rampmaster prototype goes into service. This 8,000-gallon capacity model routinely pumped a million gallons per truck per month for Piedmont Airlines in Norfolk, VA, set- ting the new industry cost-per-gallon standard. 1981: Rampmaster sells out its production line – this year and every year since. The reliability of the Rampmaster became noticed immediately, creating a lasting demand-pull market for the revolutionary design. 1988: Rampmaster introduces its modular design in 3,000-, 5,000- and 7,000-gallon truck models. GTI incorporates the same modular straight truck design into units for the GA and FBO markets 1990: Rampmaster captures 80 percent of the domestic orders for heavy-duty refuelers. Rampmaster's success became evident – 8 out of every 10 trucks delivered were Rampmasters. 1995: Rampmaster unveils the world's frst 15,000-gallon straight truck modular refueler. 1997: Outdoing their previous record, Ramp- master develops the 17,500-gallon straight truck refueler. The world's largest non-articulating refueler captures 95 percent of the super heavy market segment. 1997: Rampmaster deliveries are made to South America and Japan. GTI's refuelers can also be found on ramps in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Philippines and China. 2005: Rampmaster develops a custom 5,000 gallon refueler for the FBO market. The trucks are an equipment career solution for forward thinking FBO management decision makers. 2006: Rampmaster unveils the 100% self-sus- taining, 100% green hydrant cart. The unit never needs to be recharged or refueled, and creates zero EPA emissions. Ronnie Garrett gsm_6-9_CoverStory.indd 8 4/10/14 9:32 AM