“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Marc Anthony
Early in the morning, as the sun rises and traffic picks up along U.S. Route 30 through Dalton, Ohio, owner Seth Amos and staff are in the shop installing and customizing steel and aluminum truck beds. For Seth, he’s doing what he likes to do.
Seth grew up on a farm, so he was working on farm equipment all the time. “When something broke, you just fixed it,” he said. Seth followed the heavy truck-diesel mechanic track at a vocational school.
Ever since he was 16, Seth has been working for himself. In his life, he has only had what he calls “one real job.” It was for a custom farming outfit out of Orrville.
Seth started his business, which became ALE Truck Beds, while working his custom farming job. When he finished his farming job in the day, he would work on his business at night.
When Seth started his company, he sold livestock equipment and trailers. In fact, that’s where ALE comes in: Amos Livestock Equipment.
From selling livestock equipment, the company ventured into selling trailers because it was something consumers bought all year. The demand for livestock equipment was primarily in the spring and fall.
Next, Seth started offering steel and aluminum truck beds, and those flatbeds just took off. The selling of livestock equipment that started on the side became a full-time business that now focused on the truck beds.
And, ALE Truck Beds was born.
Seth and crew still sell livestock equipment and trailers if someone is looking for them, but the focus (and inventory) is now on the truck beds.
When the company concentrated on selling and customizing aluminum and steel truck beds, Seth found it very enjoyable. So, did his customers because ALE Truck Beds made an old truck look great or added more function to a good truck.
Some of the company’s customers came in with trucks that had rusted-out truck bodies. To look at the truck body, you would think it should be headed to the junk hard. However, a truck bed from ALE gave the vehicle a totally new look.
After seeing the new makeover, “Customers seem to go away happy,” Seth said.
The decision to pivot to truck beds has been a good choice. He went from “selling stuff here and there” in 2015 to be able to work the business full-time in 2017.
His wife, Stephanie Amos, also helps with the family business, when she is not homeschooling their children. She will help with marketing materials, paying bills, and inventory.
Growing the business has not come without its challenges. Seth didn’t take over an established business, and he had never sold anything prior to embarking on this venture. But, he has put in the time and learned.
Starting ALE Truck Beds has been a rewarding journey for Seth, and he hopes one day he can mentor someone like himself and provide the insights he learned on the job.
Since starting the business, Seth gets to work with a wide range of people, from company presidents and CEOs to the “average Joe.”
While ALE Truck Beds has outfitted company truck fleets, a lot of customers are just individuals who want to make that old truck look better or make it usable again.
Others come wanting a steel or aluminum truck bed because they plan to use their vehicle for service-oriented work, perhaps for landscaping or construction work.
At the end of the day, the driving force behind ALE Truck Beds is the idea of serving others.
“I like to help people,” Seth said, often going beyond what is expected.
Seth Amos also likes seeing trucks with his company’s beds driving past the shop along U.S. Route 30.
If you are looking to give your old, rusted truck new life or want to outfit your truck with a new bed to use in your business, stop by ALE Truck Beds at 19 W. Lebanon Road North in Dalton, Ohio, or call Seth at (330) 933-7526.
ALE Truck Beds also offers a full line of accessories, like aluminum sideboards, toolboxes of varying sizes, rear hitch bumper plates, LED strobe lights, LED turn indicators, and an assortment of LED lights.