Mac Tools distributor duo Ed and Maria Lee never foresaw that they’d be working on a tool truck. Ed was an L1-certified technician with around 37 years in the automotive repair field, and Maria was working for an aerospace lab. After a car accident that left Ed unable to work with his hands above his head, he decided in 2017, that tool distribution was the best option for him. Maria, after helping on the truck for some time, joined him shortly after at the end of 2020.
“The business took off,” says Maria. “It kept growing and to this day I feel like we’re still growing.”
It's all in the details
The Lees purchased their truck, an M2 Freightliner Cabin Chassis with a 22’ long box, from Summit Bodyworks in 2019 and had it delivered in 2020. They’ve customized the truck, making it fully their own, and maximizing their space to increase efficiency in their day-to-day operations.
Inside the truck, the Lees added custom, sliding shelves on the bottom of their main shelving, allowing for more products to be stored. Technicians come on the truck and can pull that shelf out without getting on their knees in an uncomfortable position to look.
Additionally, when working with Summit, the Lees custom-designed an insert for one of their Mac Tools toolboxes. In the area normally considered a toolbox pocket, they designed removable shelving for the entire back of the truck.
On the steps, drip plates stop customers from tracking in the rain and other messes, helpful in the Washington weather. A 5’ long and 18” tall creeper pocket on the exterior driver’s side stores creepers to save room for more inventory on the inside. They’ve even added security cameras to the truck as a proactive measure to keep their inventory safe and give customers that extra peace of mind.
“We have the screen for the security cameras... so the customers can see it,” says Ed. “Oddly enough, they like seeing themselves on the video.”
Making things easy
Most of the shops on their route in Spokane, Washington, are dealerships or mom-and-pop shops. No matter what kind of shops you visit, in this industry time is money, and getting customers taken care of on time can have a huge impact. To keep things easy for themselves and the customers, the Lees started pricing out all their inventory.
“[It] allows for customers to know what the prices are right off the bat,” says Maria. “They’re not waiting for us if we’re working with other customers, and we’re not having to look up pricing all day long.”
Since their truck is heavily loaded—a compliment paid to them by both technicians and Mac Tools representatives alike—they keep everything organized by category. Cooling systems, hand tools, and more, all have their designated place on the truck. The body shops they service have a full body tool section separate from the rest of their products. The only area that sees regular change is a shelf in the front of the truck that houses featured and promotional products.
“We’re not necessarily changing the entire layout of the truck every month,” says Maria. “Then it’s easier for guys to know where they can find what they’re looking for.”
Keeping your own space
To separate their space from the customers’, Ed and Maria added an L-shaped desk for their main computer and a second countertop across from it.
“It’s one thing you don’t think about when you first get started in the business,” Maria explains. “After being on the road all day long ... it’s definitely helpful just for your well-being to know that this is my space.”
No matter what this industry throws at them—an unfortunate start or even a new addition to the truck in the form of a Jack Russell pup named Max—the Lees continue to feel fortunate.
“We’ve been extremely blessed,” Ed says. “This was the hand that was dealt to us, so we played it the best we could. I feel very fortunate.”
