Oshkosh Fire Truck Subsidiary, Pierce, Expands Aerial Line with New 75-Foot Aluminum Ladder

[Oshkosh Truck via BizWire]

OSHKOSH, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2004--Oshkosh Truck
Corporation (NYSE:OSK) announced today that its subsidiary, Pierce
Manufacturing Inc., a leading manufacturer of custom and commercial
fire and emergency vehicles, has expanded its aerial product line with
a new, 75-foot aerial ladder constructed of aluminum. This is the
first aluminum ladder engineered and manufactured by Pierce and is
designed to target fire departments that place a priority on lighter
weight aerial devices in their fleets.
"Pierce has always led the industry in the development of safe,
high-performance aerial apparatus. Now, we've expanded the line with a
best-in-class aluminum ladder. Its remarkable performance
characteristics again demonstrate Pierce's exceptional engineering and
testing capability," said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh chairman, president
and chief executive officer.
This new, rear-mount ladder provides industry-leading performance
and safety characteristics. The new Pierce 75-foot ladder uses 6061-T6
aluminum extrusions in its construction to provide superior strength
characteristics. It has a 2.5:1 structural safety factor and delivers
the highest distributed load ratings of any aluminum ladder in the
industry. Mounted on a single-rear-axle Pierce custom chassis, this
aerial apparatus can carry 500 gallons of water and 115 feet of ground
ladders.
In addition, it is the only aluminum ladder available with a
replaceable egress. If it's ever damaged on a call, departments can
simply replace it with a new one instead of replacing the entire fly
section of the ladder.

Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. is the leading North American
manufacturer of custom fire apparatus. Products include custom and
commercial pumpers, aerials, rescue trucks, wildland trucks,
minipumpers and elliptical tankers. The company designs and
manufactures its own foam systems. To learn more about Pierce, visit
www.piercemfg.com.

Oshkosh Truck Corporation (NYSE:OSK) is a leading manufacturer of
specialty trucks and truck bodies for the defense, fire and emergency,
concrete placement and refuse hauling markets. Oshkosh Truck is a
Fortune 1000 company with products marketed under the Oshkosh(R),
Pierce(R), McNeilus(R), Medtec(R), Geesink and Norba brand names. The
company is headquartered in Oshkosh, Wis., and had annual sales of
$1.9 billion in fiscal 2003.
To learn more about Oshkosh Truck Corporation, visit its web site
at www.oshkoshtruckcorporation.com