News
The Essential Guide to Understanding Side Dump Trailers
Nov 15, 2023
Side dump trailers represent a versatile and essential component of material transportation, capable of handling a wide range of materials such as gravel, debris, snow, and even trees. They find extensive use in the construction industry and offer valuable advantages in agricultural operations, thanks to their off-road capabilities with specially designed tires that excel in soft soil conditions.
Selecting the ideal side dump trailer specifications for your upcoming job can be a daunting task, given the diverse range of capacities and dumping designs available in the industry. It’s crucial to strike the right balance between functionality and cost.
With decades of experience, Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales is your trusted partner in helping you find the perfect equipment for your needs. We understand the demands of the agricultural sector, where equipment must endure challenging weather conditions, varied soil types, and countless hours of operation under the scorching sun. Every piece of machinery you invest in should be built to last.
Curious about the latest features offered by side dump trailer manufacturers? To assist you in making an informed choice for your next job and to provide a comprehensive overview of what to consider when selecting a side dump trailer, we’ve gathered the most important information for you:
What Is A Side Dump Trailer?
Side dump trailers are heavy-duty trailers equipped to unload the contents of a tub to one or more sides. In comparison to end dump trailers, which discharge their loads by lifting the tub from the front and tipping them out the back, side dump trailers offer enhanced safety and stability. While an end dump trailer might tip over if not properly secured on a flat surface, side dump trailers have a lower center of gravity, resulting in safer dumping and potentially lower insurance premiums.
In the agricultural sector, side dump trailers have transitioned from the roads to the fields, providing convenient transport for various materials, from silage to manure. Their low clearance facilitates easy loading and handling, ensuring maximum visibility. Additionally, you can find models that can dump from multiple sides, offering unparalleled versatility.
When considering material options, it’s essential to note that steel construction typically outlasts aluminum, a crucial factor when investing in farm equipment intended for years of dependable service.
What Is The Volume Capacity Of A Side Dump Trailer?
The capacity of a side dump trailer depends on the size of the tub you choose. Larger tubs may cause the trailer to sink into soft soil, so your choice should balance load efficiency and the ability to transport across extensive fields. Our Demco side dump trailer volumes range from 21.4 to 26.1 cubic yards.
For handling larger, heavier loads, consider trailers with multiple axles to distribute weight evenly across multiple tires. Look for high-quality tire designs that seamlessly transition from road use to field use to prevent stuck trailers and ensure smooth rides.
Our Side Dump Trailer Specifications
At Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales, we have a rich history of setting industry standards and trends in agriculture. This commitment to excellence is evident in our side dump trailers, offering patented designs that optimize performance. Our trailers boast some of the lowest tubs in the industry, making loading and transportation a breeze, no matter the destination.
Our Demco side dump trailers also lead the industry with a standard payload capacity of 26.1 cubic yards, providing ample volume without compromising stability. To further enhance your options, we offer side dump trailers with identical specifications, ensuring even weight distribution and a low center of gravity for smooth operation across rugged terrain.
Our innovative design includes a large single rail system that offers greater strength and reduced weight compared to traditional two-rail systems. Each tub is meticulously crafted with flexible corners to resist cracking under pressure, ensuring durability and reliability in all conditions.
In summary, when searching for the highest-quality side dump trailer for your agricultural work, consider specifications that promote smooth interaction with trucks or tractors, robust steel frames that outlast aluminum, and innovative features that facilitate tub clean-out and reduce the risk of tipping during transport.
Finding the perfect trailers for your agricultural needs doesn’t have to be a challenging process. Whether you prioritize air suspension, stable tubs, or an efficient dumping system, our friendly, knowledgeable team members can assist you in finding the perfect trailer for the job.
Tom Johnston Receives Safety Advocate Award in the 2023 Iowa Motor Truck Awards
Oct 25, 2023
Safety Manager Tom Johnston has been nominated and recognized as ‘Safety Advocate’ in the 2023 Iowa Motor Truck Awards hosted by the Iowa Motor Truck Association. The annual awards celebrate the best of the best in Iowa’s motor truck industry, recognizing companies who strive for excellence, innovation and high standards of professionalism.
Safety is the primary concern when it comes to trucking. In our industry safety comes well beyond of the wellbeing of the driver – it’s vital for keeping all our people safe so they can come home to their families at the end of each day. Being a safety professional is a demanding job that never ends. People who advocate safety in our industry deserve gratitude, respect and appreciation.
Here is what Tom says about his profession: “The trucking industry is one of the greatest industries in our country. Everything is moved at some point by truck. That’s staggering when you really think about it. That is a lot of miles. And truth be told, I feel no other industry can hold a candle to the safety record our industry has despite the efforts of some to paint a different picture.”
“Being a safety manager/advocate in the industry to me is a lot like being behind the scenes. I do not profess being the star of the show. That credit goes to those that actually turn the wheels. However, I like to feel that what I do is give my drivers the tools and knowledge they need to not only keep themselves and others safe on the road but get home to their families at the end of their runs. Much like the spouses at home my job is to provide them with support whether it be to lend an ear for mental wellbeing by listening to their frustrations after being on the road for 2 weeks and dealing with crazy traffic to guiding them through the steps to take should there actually be an accident and making the experience a little easier for them. That is what being a safety manager/advocate in the trucking industry means to me.”
August 2023 marked 10 years since Tom Johnston joined Keizer Companies. Safety is paramount at our companies and goes hand in hand with our motto ‘It’s All About The People’. Through Tom’s unwavering commitment to safety and through introducing new safety initiatives and programs, Tom has made a profound impact on the safety of Keizer companies’ workplace, ensuring the well-being of our employees, and promoting a culture of safety within our group.
Tom has a remarkable ability to listen to our people and is highly regarded and respected amongst our teams, not just as the person responsible for safety but also as a leader and mentor. Tom’s ability to maintain composure in the event of an accident is exceptional. He speaks with drivers to help them stay calm, making sure they are safe and feel ok to talk with the third party and insurance companies. Tom does everything in his power behind the scenes to make sure our drivers are safe and healthy.
But Tom’s dedication does not stop there. He works with all our employees – mechanics, office, sales – throughout all four of our locations, finding methods to aid with heat exhaustion with our mechanics during the hot summer months to working with the service and parts departments during the winter months to find boots/shoes/grippers for employees so they can walk safely in the parking lots if there is packed snow or ice.
Known to everyone as ‘Safety Tom’, he has a great ability to make safety fun yet paramount to every employee. When he joined Keizer Companies he started our monthly newsletter ‘Trailer Talk’ where he dedicates space to raise awareness about workplace safety, physical and mental health as well as safety contests and healthy recipe ideas. He runs orientations for new employees where he includes videos and memes to make safety sessions engaging and safety processes memorable.
Tom has won many accolades for our group of companies over the years, including Occupational Excellence Achievement Awards presented by the National Safety Council for our Sioux Falls and Omaha branches (2023) and the Governor’s Meritorious Safety Award for Transport Refrigeration of South Dakota (2022 and 2021), to name just a few.
Our founder Jim Keizer always put his people first and his motto ‘It’s All About The People’ is as true today at Keizer companies as it was when Jim started the business in the 1970’s. Tom’s commitment to safety means that our people can enjoy a safe workplace and can go back safely to their loved ones at the end of their shift.
Big congratulations from everyone at Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales, Safety Tom! You are a true professional with tremendous dedication to your role. You have taken our Keizer group of companies a huge leap forward in the past ten years and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do to keep us all safe.
The award ceremony took place on Wednesday, September 20th September. Congratulation to all recognized companies and individuals!
A Comprehensive Guide to Finding the Perfect Flatbed Trailer
Oct 18, 2023
Are you looking for a new or used flatbed trailer? In this article, our experts provide you with valuable information on how to make the best flatbed trailer purchase tailored to your specific needs. We’ll also explore various options and accessories that can help you secure your cargo safely, minimize downtime and maximize the efficiency and return on your investment.
Choosing the Ideal Flatbed Trailer
Selecting the right flatbed trailer is crucial, and it hinges on several factors. Your choice should be based on what you plan to haul, where you’ll be hauling it, and how long you intend to keep the trailer.
If you need a light weight option, consider an aluminum trailer. Alternatively, if you need a workhorse, a combo trailer might be your best choice. For heavy-duty requirements, an all-steel trailer could be the perfect fit.
1. Aluminum Flatbeds: Lightweight and Resale Value
Aluminum flatbed trailers are known for their lightweight construction, consisting entirely of aluminum for beams, side rails, and floors. While they may cost more upfront than combo and steel trailers, they typically offer a higher resale value. These flatbeds incorporate a camber to level the beam as weight is added due to aluminum’s flexibility.
2. Combo Flatbeds: Strength and Cost Efficiency
Combo flatbed semi-trailers combine a steel beam, aluminum floor, and aluminum side rails, offering the weight-saving benefits of aluminum with the strength of a steel beam. They strike a balance between cost and durability, often sitting between the prices of aluminum and steel options.
3. Steel Flatbeds: Durability and Affordability
Steel trailers are constructed entirely from steel, including the beam, side rail, and suspension hangers. They are exceptionally durable, built to withstand tough conditions and are ideal for heavy workloads. Their wood floors offer versatile dunnage securement options.
Step Decks and Lowboys: Making the Right Choice
When it comes to selecting between a step deck and a lowboy trailer, consider your cargo’s size and height. Step decks are versatile for hauling mid-sized equipment while offering the flexibility to transport various loads. For larger and heavier equipment, consider a removeable gooseneck (RGN) or a lowboy trailer, capable of carrying cargo up to 12 feet high.
Securing Your Load on a Flatbed Semi-Trailer
Load securement is critical to ensure safe transportation. Here are some options to consider:
1. Straps and Winches: Winches, available in steel, galvanized steel, and low-profile designs, are commonly used to secure loads. Consider their placement on both sides of the trailer for taller loads.
2. Pockets and Spools: Depending on the manufacturer, you may use pockets to secure loads. Be mindful of working load limits and chain ratings, and consult with the manufacturer and DOT for load securement regulations.
3. J-Plates: J-Plates (J-Hooks) are adjustable load securement systems, compatible with flat hook straps or chains. They can be positioned anywhere along the track on both sides of the deck, providing flexibility.
Enhance Your Flatbed Trailer with Accessories
Consider adding accessories to optimize your flatbed trailer
1. Toolboxes: Choose from various configurations and mounting options for toolboxes to suit your needs.
2. Dunnage Racks: Dunnage racks free up space on your trailer bed, allowing you to transport more cargo while securely storing wood (dunnage) for unpalletized loads. Various styles and configurations are available.
At Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales, we are here to help to find the perfect next semi-trailer and accessories that match your specific requirements. Contact one of our locations in Sioux City, Des Moines, Omaha or Sioux Falls, and our friendly, experienced team will help you choose the right equipment!
Carrier Transicold Names Transport Refrigeration of South Dakota Dealer of the Year
Mar 31, 2022
ATHENS, Ga., March 24, 2022 – Carrier Transicold has named Transport Refrigeration of South Dakota Inc. the winner of its 2021 Dealer of the Year Awards for North America. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable, and intelligent building and cold chain solutions.
“In 2021, our dealer network demonstrated the power of teamwork to meet and exceed customer expectations in the face of ever-changing challenges and position us to nimbly adapt to continued changing conditions in 2022,” said Mike Noyes, Vice President and General Manager, Truck Trailer Americas, Carrier Transicold. “We applaud their continued success in providing exceptional service to our cold chain customer base.”
Owned and operated by the Keizer family of companies, Transport Refrigeration of South Dakota is located in Sioux Falls. Related Keizer companies include Keizer Refrigeration in Sioux City, and Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales with locations in Sioux City, Omaha, Sioux Falls and Des Moines.
“Being named Dealer of the Year was a wonderful surprise,” said Shane Keizer, President and son of the late Jim Keizer, who founded the business in the 1970s with a tool kit, a pickup truck and the motto, “I will come to you.”
That legacy of personal service excellence transcends to today’s team at Transport Refrigeration of South Dakota and contributed to its latest recognition, Keizer said.
About Transport Refrigeration
Transport Refrigeration is a top-performing distributor for Carrier Transicold, a global force in refrigeration units that are used in refrigerated transportation of goods. Our experienced sales, parts and service staff can help you with all your refrigeration needs. Our parts and service departments offer a 24-Hour mobile service available day or night for your convenience.
Transport Refrigeration was founded by Jim and Jackie Keizer, industry leaders and 35-year veterans of the trucking industry, who also acquired Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales in 2001. The legacy of Jim and Jackie lasts through the next Keizer generation with our current owner Shane Keizer and his wife Shawn, who continue to grow our companies through innovation, investment in the training of our staff and building strong relationships with our customers. Shane has seen our industry change since the early days, but the initial values and philosophy of Jim and Jackie Keizer remain as strong as ever.
- Do what is right for our customer, with honesty being an essential part of our business
- Do our best for our customer, resolve their issues quickly and seamlessly and build lasting relationships
- Treat our customer with honesty and respect at all times, the way we want to be treated
- Deliver value as a dealer, parts as well as service supplier
Batter Up!
Jul 02, 2021
It’s the final inning of the College World Series games, the batter steps up to the plate as the pitcher clutches the ball firmly in his grasp. He lifts his forward leg and makes the pitch. SLAM! The ball goes flying! As the crowd cheers there are some voices that stand out from the rest: Mid-States Utility and some close friends of the company who reside in the stands as well.
Throughout the last two weeks our company has taken over 150 customers to the College World Series games that were going on in one of our home-locations of Omaha, Nebraska. Some tickets were given to customers directly, and some were accompanied by our various salesmen and staff.
Needless to say, it was a great time out in the sun watching the games and just getting to enjoy time with some of our close friends and customers outside of the work environment. We were proud to offer these tickets to those that are considered family to the Kiezer companies. We appreciate everything that they do for us, so this was one of our ways of giving back to them.
We hope that all of our friends we brought along had a wonderful time at these games, because we know that we did!
Team Building at its Finest
Jun 14, 2021
Over the weekend of June 12 – 13, 2021 our Omaha location had a massive team-building campout with hopes of further-building team spirit, and teamwork amongst those working at their location. With some work and fun activities they achieved a weekend of fantastic comradery and a positive work-environment away from the typical work environment.
Mark Golden, Operations Manager at the Omaha location, led the charge to increase a positive work-attitude in a separate environment during this campout, preparing the various activities the employees participated in. He had a lot of great ideas and carefully laid out plans to best achieve their goal. See below what sorts of things they did to help build, and bring out, that team mentality.
“We gathered for a team building camping trip over the weekend, we pitched our tents at Oldham’s Recreation Area in Soldier, Iowa. The day started at 9:00 am when we picked up the teams in our companies Mercedes van supplied by Shane Keizer. The teams were chauffeured by Service Manager Mike Albright on an hour and a half back road drive through the loess hills. When they arrived Our parts manager Jenni Blum had planned and set up an outstanding camp site with loads of fun, food and prizes. In between we had smores, floated in the swim area, fished and hung out listening to Operations Director Mark Golden play guitar. Dinner (8oz fillet’s and Baked Potatoes) was served by the managers and was enjoyed by all.”
Seeing with Another’s Eyes
We started with a blind folded drawing game where the partner had to explain to the blind folded team member a description for them to draw while blind folded.
A (Classic) Sack Race
Second was a good old fashioned sack race.
More Brains are Better Than One
Third each pair were given a box of random items and had to build a self propelled boat from the items without communicating verbally to each other.
A Good Manager Trusts Their Employees
Fourth the teams had to build a Hammock from duck tape that would support the Operations Director
Bravery in the Face of Fear
Fifth parts manager Jenni Blum had set up a projector screen movie of Friday the 13th with a surprise guest appearance from her brother Rob Farley dressed as Jason.
Prizes and Fun
Every event was a team building event where the teams had to work together to achieve a goal, at the end of that event they were given camper bucks to buy select prizes. In between we took breaks at the swim area, Fishing and just sitting around listening to music. On Sunday morning breakfast was served, teams helped each other clean up the campsite and load each others gear and everyone returned home refreshed, safe and Happy.
#TrailerSafetyWeek
Jun 06, 2021
Making Roadways Safer One Trailer at a Time
We’re gearing up for the fourth annual national Trailer Safety Week to be held June 6-12, 2021! By participating in this safety campaign, we hope to improve the safety of the nation’s roadways by raising trailer safety awareness through education of end-users, dealers and manufacturers on safe trailering practices. The goal is to close the communication gap between trailer manufacturers and end-users to make towing safer.
Safe trailering practices save lives, and with millions of trailers—used by businesses, local governments, and individuals—traversing the nation’s roadways every day, it is crucial to ensure that trailers are being towed safely for the sake of everyone on the roads. End-users are vastly undereducated on the proper use of trailers; they recognize that they would not purchase a car without seat belts but do not understand that purchasing a trailer without key safety features can be just as dangerous. It’s crucial to utilize the connections that dealers and manufacturers have with consumers to increase safety and awareness. From driving tips to trailer maintenance and components, the Trailer Safety Week website provides end-users with need-to-know information regarding trailer safety in an easy-to-understand format.
Join the hundreds of companies, associations, and law enforcement groups already celebrating Trailer Safety Week. Whether you’re a dealer or manufacturer, pointing end-users to the information on www.TrailerSafetyWeek.com is an easy way to help improve our nation’s roadways and show your company’s commitment to safety.
Don’t delay, join this trailer safety movement taking the nation by storm today. www.TrailerSafetyWeek.com/interest.
Questions? Contact the Trailer Safety Week team at TrailerSafetyWeek@natm.com.
Celebrating a New & Old Chapters
May 03, 2021
It’s nothing new to say that Covid has affected a lot of areas in our “usual” lives, but we’ve all made sacrifices and compromises in order to keep society moving as well as our lives and businesses. Mid-States Utility has been no stranger to these changes and sacrifices. Normally, at the end of the year, in December, each of our locations would gather their respective team together for a Christmas celebration full of fun, family, and food. Unfortunately, as Covid continued to manifest into 2020, and grow worse, we saw need to postpone our celebration until a later date.
Jumping forward to the spring of 2021 where we find ourselves currently, our wonderful safety and HR staff were able to bring in the Covid-vaccination for our employees who chose to receive the shot. Now, we had the safety net needed to allow for us to gather together to a limited extent.
Although we were unable to have family join us for this “Christmas in Spring” party (as we named it), we were still able to have an enjoyable celebration between us employees at each locations with a number of activities and incredible food to be enjoyed at each one.
Stacy Retiring
In addition to the employee celebration we had a bittersweet announcement for each location in that our co-owner Stacy Bricker was retiring as of the end of April 2021 and would be moving off to Florida. Although we’re sad to see her go, we’re all incredibly excited for her new direction she’s taking and wish her all the best out in sunny Florida. We included a goodbye video which was shown at each of the parties thanking her for everything she’s done for the company and its employees over the years. There were tears, their were goodbyes, and even gifts given as she said a few words thanking everyone for everything they’ve done to keep the company moving forward.
During each party Shane, the owner of Keizer Companies, wanted to make this particular celebration extra special and put together a number of plans with some of the HR office staff. These plans included:
Decoration/Theme
Our Omaha location always knows how to party, so when we arrived and they had set things up as a beach-theme we were so inspired and had so much fun with it that we brought that theme and all the decorations with us to all the following locations!
Food
Extravagant food available at each of the locations. We love our cookouts and grilling up some brats and burgers, but Shane wanted to go all-out with steaks, filet mignon, chicken filets and baked potatoes along with a number of sides options and drinks. Needless to say, every employee ate incredibly well during the party.
Music
During our meals, we enjoyed the incredible talent of our very own Omaha Service Manager Mark Golden as he played live music stemming from his band “Almost Good” which you can see more of by going to his Facebook Page using the link below.
Almost Good Facebook Page
Giveaways/Prizes/Gifts
After the food and entertainment Shane had gifts to give out the the employees, but he wanted to add to the fun of it by turning it into a game! We went with a “Let’s Make a Deal” style game where each employee came up to the front and had three doors to choose from. Behind each door was a different prize including: outdoors items like lawn games and tents, cooking items like grills and cooking sets, and more random high-ticket items like Roombas or tablets! Needless to say, the employees had a great time and walked away with some incredible items.
Mark Golden MC’d the gameshow, while our HR manager Erica Vickery ran the “doors” and handed out the prizes.
Wishing you could have been at the festivities? Love seeing the pictures and wish you could be a part of it? Well perhaps you can. We’re always looking for more team members as our company continues to grow! Check out our careers page at the link below and fill out an application, or fill out the form on the page to be notified whenever we add new positions!
Mid-States Utility Careers Page
2020: A Year In Review
Dec 23, 2020
Looking back on a year full of challenges.
It’s fair to say that everyone was placed under some level of struggle and difficulty abnormal to the yearly challenges we typically face thanks to COVID19 and everything that has stemmed from that. It has definitely been tough on businesses and individuals alike. At Mid-States Utility, it has been no different. We’ve faced all sorts of tough trials throughout this year, but sure enough we pulled through and here we are almost at the end looking back on how we pressed through.
We want to take a step back and look at all the positives that came out of this year to remind us that, as we go into the new year, the year of 2020 will not be remembered as a “catastrophe” but rather use our 2020 hindsight to help us grow and keep our heads high as we go into 2021. We’ll be crossing our fingers for a smoother year, but remember that we made it through 2020 and we feel confident that means we can weather any struggle that comes our way.
January
We kicked off the start of 2020 with one of our salesman retiring. Bruce had been a salesman at Mid-States Utility for 4 years and although we were sad to see him go, we are truly thankful for all the time and awesome work he gave us while he was working with us!
We’re always big on employee achievements, even when those achievements aren’t work-related. One of our Omaha, NE employees, Kyle Bugge, bowled his first 300-point game at Leopard Lanes this past weekend. Nice job Kyle!
Another thing we’re big on is our company history. Because of our pride in our heritage we decided to create a video to commemorate how far we’ve come and to show the path Jim Keizer took to get us where we are today. Check it out below!
Even though COVID19 hadn’t taken a huge impact on the US by this point, we were still focusing on the importance of safety. Our Operations Manager from our Omaha branch, Mark, attended a special presentation and luncheon where Nebraska State Police discussed accidents and some various training on the steps to take in the case of a vehicle accident. It’s always important to stay up-to-date on policies and training!
Just for fun, we celebrated National Hat Day this year for the first time. Employees were encouraged to wear all sorts of hats and, of course, Mid-States Utility hats were available. We even gave some hats out to our customers!
February
Collaboration is key to success, we believe and strive to follow this motto in every aspect and department. In February we brought all the parts managers together from all of our locations to participate in all sorts of team-building activities, meetings, and product demos. This allowed for them all to gain all the knowledge, and hopefully inspire some great new ideas, to implement throughout the coming year.
Our Omaha location enjoyed the axe throwing so much that shortly after they decided to go out for some team building activities of their own. They went over to their local Axe Throwing location followed by dinner at Stay Sweet, Nicola’s in the Omaha Old Market.
Mid-States and Keizer Companies are always looking for great employees to bring in and add to our wonderful staff. We were reaching out to, and bringing in new employees for various positions all throughout the year of 2020. We’re constantly growing and want others to join us as we expand so if you or someone you know is looking for an awesome employment opportunity, please reach out to us!
Our parts and service department always stay on the cutting-edge of the products available to them. We had a fantastic opportunity, to get a presentation and demonstration from #ReeferBond on their product and how it can benefit us.
Our Omaha location always finds some way to have some at any given time. One day, they decided to have a drawing contest between the employees to see who could make the best turkey! You can read all about it in the blog post above!
Back in the day, our Omaha Service Director Mark Golden would give out prizes to employees that went above and beyond in their work. He has decided to bring it back!
Today the traveling “Top Banana” award goes to Travis Bohl, Parts Salesman, for exceptional customer service and support. Thanks for the awesome work, Travis! Shortly after, Adam Keogh was awarded the “Kudos Coin” for going above and beyond in his work. Not long after that our service tech Dusty Rhodes received some employee swag as a reward for helping a customer out who then left a massively positive review.
We always appreciate any and all customer feedback. If you want to leave us a review you can do so on Facebook or Google Reviews! We’d love to hear from you! And if an employee really helped you out, let us know so we can thank them personally!
May
We were recognized, once again, for our safety efforts thanks to the hard work from our safety manager Tom, and the various safety teams and managers at all of our locations who are dedicated to making sure employees are out of danger’s way while at work. You can read more about it in our blog post above.
We don’t allow any drinking on the job, but mocktails (which contain no alcohol) are fair game. Our Omaha Service Manager Mark Golden is always finding new and fun ways to keep morale high! He whipped up a (non-alcoholic) mocktail drink for everyone!
Today is national Mock tail day! We made a tropical mock tail for the team to bring in some much needed smiles and say thank you.Thank you for hanging in tough and putting in work during this uncertain time. It is a proud time for the trucking industry right now. A tough family of people from around the globe that faced fear when it showed up and work tirelessly to keep the world moving.
Mark Golden – Omaha Service Manager
July
Omaha parts manager Jenni Blum along with her team hosted a group movie day open to all employees that wanted to attend. They had a great turn out with tons of food, buttered popcorn, and laughs while they enjoyed viewing “Super Troopers” and “Dazed and Confused.”
Thanks to all that attended, it was great to see a team come together even in there off time to enjoy each other’s company and get to know each other better.
We have the awesome opportunity to work with Siouxland Youth for Christ this summer as they sell peaches to raise money for their annual summer camp and other programs. Check out this article about all the details and also how you can support the organization! You can read more about it in our blog post above!
This is year 2 for us getting recognition by the Iowa-Illinois Safety Council. They have awarded us these plaques for Excellent Hazard Control. We truly appreciate the council and their commitment to safety and we too will continue moving forward with our commitment to safety for our employees, customers and facilities.
August
A good friend of our company, Scotty Briggs, sent us a letter thanking us for supporting him in the Special Olympics!
September
Some of our employees over at the Omaha branch took a step back and went on an employee retreat where they did some team building activities, discussed future plans for the company, and just took a look at past and future. You can read more about it in our blog post above.
October
Some great pictures of the teams that participated in this year’s Nebraska Trucking Association Golfing Tournament. Our Omaha trailer salesman Dave Willman and our Omaha Outside Parts Salesman Mike Davis both hosted teams for this year’s tournament.
Our Omaha parts staff were greeted with a sweet treat one morning after the Parts Manager Jenni brought in a “Make Your Own Donut” kit that gave everyone their own choices to create their own donuts. A great example of a positive work environment!
Huge thanks to our owners Shane and Stacy who provided the service employees at our Sioux Falls location with free boots and a pizza lunch. Ensuring your employees have the necessities for success is how a business thrives!
We had our first ever competition for Open Enrollment signups with the goal to see which location could get the most employees to fill out their necessary open enrollment documentation before the end of the first week. Omaha took the win in the competition for Open Enrollment, managing to get 98% of the employees there were signed up by the deadline. To reward them they received the first-ever Keizer company blankets.
It wouldn’t be October at Mid-States Utility without a Halloween Party. This year, Sioux City joined in the festivities with their own Halloween celebration and several of the employees took advantage of the opportunity to dress up! Of course, it’s always hard to beat Omaha when they celebrate! They’re renown for their festivities during Halloween! Of course, all celebration was carefully planned with COVID-safety and restrictions in-mind.
November
We’ve turned our food drive into a yearly competition after seeing its success last year. The employees loved bringing in non-perishable food items for donations to their locations’ respective food bank. This year, we started the drive a little earlier and we’re glad we did because every single one of the three locations that participated broke last year’s donation records!
The final results are in for the Keizer Company Food Drive competition. We are incredibly proud to announce that all three locations surpassed last year’s donations for our respective food banks!
Retaining the 1st place title is the Sioux City location followed close behind by last year’s 2nd place Sioux Falls and finally Omaha who was close behind them. It’s been a great competition with a TON of participation from all of our employees, all finishing with over 6,000 food items for our communities! We truly appreciate the opportunity that all of our respective Food banks have given us to allow us to help our communities.
Safety can many times be a thankless job. And while each of our locations has an employee ran safety committee occasionally one of our team members go above and beyond when it comes to ensuring their coworkers are safe. Lyle Kummer, Outside Parts Salesman at our Sioux Falls store, is one of those special individuals. Lyle has been a member of our safety committee for some time now and according to our Safety Manager, Tom Johnston, “has been a true gem for our Sioux Falls team. I wish there was a way to clone him for our other locations. What him and the rest of the safety committee has achieved in Sioux Falls is nothing short of spectacular. His efforts have made my job easier along with helping to save the company money and most importantly keep his fellow coworkers safer!”
Safety Tom enlisted the help of Mark Eaton, former NBA All-Star with the Utah Jazz, to recognize Lyle’s efforts in Safety. You can see the video creation here!
In General
Along with everything going on each month, here were some other events and achievements we participated in throughout the year of 2020.
Throughout the summer we did a number of giveaways including a die cast truck and trailer, as well as some awesome coolers for anyone who purchased a used reefer during the giveaway period. We had a ton of success and we’re excited to see what sort of giveaways we’ll be doing next year! To make sure you don’t miss these head over to our Facebook and Instagram pages and follow/like them to be notified whenever we share a post!
If there’s one thing we love doing it’s cookouts and pizza parties! Throughout the year our locations each had their own little celebrations giving food to our employees as a sign of appreciation for their hard work! Of course, we followed some strict COVID safety guidelines in order to safely host these cookouts such as gloves for everyone serving food, disinfected eating spaces, employee social distancing, and of course masks.
As the research and safety guidelines changed as the virus progressed so did our precautionary measures. The pictures you see above were taken at various points throughout the study of the virus so you may notice differing levels of precautions. Rest assured that, as these studies have discovered new information so have we changed our safety guidelines to assure maximum possible employee safety within the workplace.
As mentioned above, we’ve taken all sorts of precautions as studies have given us new information on the COVID19 virus. Employees were all given masks and various disinfectant products in order to keep their workspaces clean and sanitary. Additionally, we had to limit customer interaction and access to our facilities to ensure the safety of our employees. Because of this we have placed signs throughout our building to show customers where they can come in and speak with our staff without fear of potential infection spread.
We continue to have our safety drawings led by our fearless safety manager Tom giving out all sorts of gift cards and prizes to the employees for following our various safety procedures and ensuring a safe and positive work environment for all of our staff.
As we near the end of the year we want to offer our sincerest and most heartfelt thanks to all of you who have continued to support us through these trying times. Without you we couldn’t continue to offer our various products and services to our communities. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and we can’t wait to see you all on what will hopefully be a much safer year to come! Here’s to 2021!
Taking a Step Back
Sep 22, 2020
More than likely, you’ve either put together or taken part in some sort of employee team-building exercise, collaborative training, or group discussion within the workplace. These are great ways to grow employees’ ability to learn and better themselves within the company at work. Another option, which doesn’t always present himself and that many employers will overlook is the benefit of doing these sorts of exercises away from the office.
Over this past weekend Mark Golden, our Omaha location’s Director of Operations, did just that with Jennifer Blum (Parts Manager) and Mike Albright (Service Manager). They went all the way out to Missouri to take a step back and look at their work from a big-picture standpoint.
Companies all around the world have been experiencing a multitude of changes thanks to Covid19 and we’re no stranger to that. We’ve taken a number of precautions for our customers and employees that have changed the way we execute many of our daily functions. One benefit of this retreat was the ability to stand back and look over the craziness going on from a distance, a place where one doesn’t have to be handling and dealing with the craziness in the moment. A place that allows a deep breath and a calm moment to allow for those big decisions to be made where every option can be analyzed and weighed.
The retreat gave time to relax. Many of the changes and decisions have already been made so it was nice to be able to step away from that and take a deep breath, enjoy nature and the tranquility around you and simply rest. Often, in the hustle and bustle of the workplace, we neglect our mental and physical need to simply relax.
Bonding and friendship within the workplace can often be a powerful and beneficial benefit for the culture. It creates a sense of community. Often, though, those bonds and friendships can be strained by the general stress and exhaustion of the workplace. Another benefit of these retreats is the ability to appreciate the bonds that have been created in the workplace, and grow those friendships, without the, oftentimes, hectic environment.
Needless to say, our Omaha managers had a great and relaxing time as they stepped back and took a look at what’s been going on and look into the future at how we can grow and what’s coming in the days to come while relaxing and becoming closer as a team.
