GVW Builds Companies

We leverage great people and great technology to grow our businesses

Proactive

We use our operational expertise to create value while working with existing management teams.

Results Driven

We invest in companies that can be built into platforms for growth.

Enterprising

We cultivate an entrepreneurial environment that fosters growth through “out-of-the-box” ideas.

Global

Our global perspective permeates through all we do – customers, people, processes and products.

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About Us

We are a dynamic, industrial holding company dedicated to investing in, growing and starting businesses.

Founded in 1993, we invest, grow and provide strategic expertise for scalable early stage, high growth, and mid-sized businesses.

Along the way, we have expanded globally into diverse industries including manufacturing, distribution, technology, big data, engineering and energy efficiency.

People

Our people are the foundation for what we do. We are committed to developing our people to their fullest potential.

Products

Our strategy is to start with the end customer’s perspective and work backwards to develop products and services that address the customer’s needs.

Process

To achieve big results, we implement processes that drive sustainable growth, mitigate execution risk, increase speed to market and reduce costs.

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Management

Andrew Taitz

Andrew Taitz, Founder, Chairman, and CEO

Andrew Taitz is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of GVW Group, LLC, which encompasses affiliated domestic and international operating companies in the heavy-duty commercial vehicle manufacturing, distribution, engineering and IT industries.

GVW Group continues to seek and invest in new advanced technology opportunities that either support affiliates or would enable penetration of new markets for which GVW Group brings unique value.

Consistent with all of Andrew Taitz’s efforts for almost three decades (including his past investments and dispositions of Workhorse Custom Chassis and Union City Body Co.), GVW Group™ companies seek the best people, who are then empowered to create value for customers – often by doing things differently.

By understanding customers, their markets, and their true drivers of value and sustained competitive advantages, GVW Group companies meet customer needs in ways more fundamental and aligned toward forward-looking growth and profitability.

Mr. Taitz and the GVW Group companies have also been industry leaders in furthering and promoting sustainable, environment-friendly products and services. The GVW Group companies continue to seek and advance such opportunities as core to their key growth initiatives.


Jeffrey Leeb

Jeffrey Leeb, General Counsel

Jeffrey Leeb has been the General Counsel of GVW Group since joining the organization in 2015. In this capacity, he supports and represents GVW Group and its manufacturing, parts distribution, engineering, IT, and energy rebate affiliate companies in connection with all legal, risk management, and compliance matters.

Prior to joining GVW Group, Mr. Leeb was with three of Chicago’s largest law firms, practicing primarily in areas including energy regulation, litigation, investigations, corporate and banking transactions. He also held marketing and sales strategy and planning positions with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in Orlando, Florida.

Mr. Leeb graduated from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) with a B.S. in Accountancy. He received his J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (concentrations in Finance, Strategy and Entrepreneurship). He is also a registered Certified Public Accountant in Illinois.

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Our Companies

Autocar
Aculocity
GreenOhm
TRIZ Engineering
GVW Parts
J.I.T Parts
Autocar Parts
GVW Investments
Vorza Tech

Our Exits

Workhorse Custom Chassis
Union City Body Company
Uptime Parts

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5 Reasons to Work Here

You are an "A" player
You want to make a difference
You're not afraid to try new things
You want to win, not just play the game
Your ideas really matter

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In the News...

The newly introduced DC64R severe duty conventional truck has achieved a breakthrough in chassis and body integration

12 June, 2019

The newly introduced DC-64R severe-duty conventional truck has achieved a new breakthrough in chassis-body integration. Autocar has announced that it is mounting roll-off hoist bodies directly on the Autocar DC truck production line. This is an unprecedented change to the model of refuse truck production, bringing together the two main components -- the chassis and the body -- and treating the truck as one complete tool. Autocar calls this process the Ultimate Power of One™ and says refuse truck operators will experience several significant benefits from this innovation.

James Johnston, President of Autocar, said "We've always known that improving the integration of our refuse truck chassis and refuse bodies is essential to reducing our customers' downtime. So flawless integration is a key aspect of our Always Up® mission. We decided to take responsibility for building the truck as one compete tool. When we engineer the truck as a complete tool and mount body components right on the Autocar production line we call that ‘Power of One'."

Autocar introduced Power of One integration on the ACX™ cabover truck recently and data reported by truck operators for the first 90 days in service shows a substantial improvement in uptime and reliability. The Power of One trucks also demonstrated cost savings not only from avoided repairs but also from the other downtime-related costs such as lost driver hours and towing that were eliminated. Autocar will offer Power of One integration with all refuse body manufacturers.

Autocar's Ultimate Power of One Roll-off Truck
 

Enhanced safety is another benefit of Autocar's Power of One integration. Since the whole system - chassis plus body - is pre-engineered and then assembled as one complete tool, Autocar's finished trucks comply with all FMVSS and EPA regulations. This is one more aspect of Autocar's Always Up model that differentiates it from other truck brands which, many times, are modified after they are built, substantially increasing the risk of noncompliance with safety standards and other government regulations.

Johnson continued, "With the new DC we take that vision to its ultimate conclusion: Mounting the entire refuse body at the same time and in the very same way we build the truck. That's Ultimate Power of One."

Autocar explains the Ultimate Power of One process starts with engineering each truck based on that specific customer's needs and working closely with the selected body company's engineers. All the body components are then installed during Autocar's production process, with full Autocar OEM quality. So, all the electrical harnesses are installed together, eliminating the risk of splices, loose connectors, or drilled access holes. Body components are huck-bolted onto the frame rails in the precisely correct locations, not welded, avoiding misplacement and damage to the rails. Autocar will also fully mount tarper systems and lighting kits, so when the truck rolls out of the Autocar factory it "Driver Ready" and can go to work immediately.

Eric Schwartz, Managing Director of Autocar Trucks, said "Building trucks with the Power of One process is a game-changer for our customers. They tell us they have experienced a significant improvement in uptime for the Power of One trucks already in service. There's another benefit that the Ultimate Power of One takes ever further: We are able to deliver ready-to-work truck months faster than ever before. In fact, for trucks ordered now we are committing to deliver completed trucks in calendar 2019. That's critical for our customers who have commitments to provide service for their customers."

Autocar offers the DC-64R with a wide range of Ultimate Power of One specifications. Roll-off hoists are available with 60,000 and 75,000 lb. capacities for 22- and 24-foot long dumpsters. Telescopic, single-forward, and single-rearward-mounted cylinder configurations are also available. The DC-64R can be engineered with a rear-cab guard and with or without pusher axles, as the customer's needs require. All installed on Autocar's production line.

Schwartz added, "We've done everything possible to make the DC-64R The Refuse Truck to help our customers be more successful than ever. The Ultimate Power of One is a big part of achieving that goal. People interested in seeing how the DC-64R can help them should visit www.autocartruck.com/my-new-truck."

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