Boniface Feature - interesting stuff

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Glorious Weather and Products at Florida Tow Show

All the pictures below can be seen larger by clicking on the image

As some seek the shade of a palm tree John Hawkins from Miller Industries presented the Century 9055 three stage boom; all part of a display that was presented nine times during the three days of the show. In fact, the show was only publicised as a two-day exhibition but such was the crowd on the Thursday before the official opening on Friday morning that the Miller sales reps started early.

Miller Industries who market their products under these brands; Century, Challenger, Vulcan, Holmes, Eagle, Champion, Chevron, Jige and Boniface presented – product changes representing innovations, developments and improvements, often derived from listening to their customers.

As a testament to the quality of the display and the products all the equipment that was taken to the show by Miller was sold.

Fifth wheel hook up. Not everyone is familiar with this accessory which when combined with the regular cross-member used for towing semi trailers allows tractors to be suspended from the fifth wheel

Solematic - shown for the second time in Florida. In 2003 Miller exhibited the Jige Solematic, an ultra low approach slide-bed on a Renault Midlum which had been shipped in from Europe. The level of interest shown led to the introduction into the US market through Miller distributors. The product, renamed for the US market – “Patriot” was installed on to regular US chassis and was extensively demonstrated to show the low angle and sophisticated controls. Both units were sold from the show stand.

Maxireach Lowline Boom goes to the States.

Boniface Maxireach Lowline or technically referred to as the I Boom was integrated onto a Century 9055 for demonstration at the Florida Tow Show. This boom is one of the lowest profile products available anywhere and was badged the “LOW RIDER” for the US market. It was enthusiastically received by customers from all over the world; particularly Japanese towers, who like us Europeans already have to cope with minimal ground clearance. Miller has been successful in selling a wide range of products to Japan, often with the original Maxireach, which is shipped out from England and added to the recovery equipment at the distributor in Japan. Judging from the response at this recent exhibition there will be many Low Riders following in the near future.

Rusty Truck Revisited

Back in July of 1994 Boniface were in the middle of an advertising campaign showing Interstaters from around the world. The Interstater is in operation all around the world and we knew that it would illustrate to potential customers the strength of the product by a series of advertisements on this theme.

Mike Boniface was visiting the National Tow Show, that in 1994 was located at the Pheasant Run Resort in Illinois and decided to visit Wes’s Towing Service of Calumet City who were located nearby. Mike had seen Wes’s brochure in which an Interstater he had purchased a few years earlier was featured and considering it was worthy of inclusion in the adverts went to visit Wes.

Wes is a terse man; responses to questions as to his well-being or life are usually “living”

Or “shit happens”. But clearly he knows a good product when he sees one. Wes has three Boniface products in service today. However, Calumet City, just south of Chicago with hard winters and salt, can be pretty hard on a product. When Mike first set eyes on the truck he quickly realised that this Interstater had worked!

Hence the advertisement was created with the headline “Chicago; Tough People, Tough Environment – Requirements – Rugged, Reliable Equipment; Worldwide Back-up, Solution Interstater”

The advert was well received and even now, ten years on, some of our customers remember it.

Mike was once again in Chicago in 2004 and 10 years on called on Wes to see how things were going. Well, he’s still “living” and “Shit still happens” and Yes, he still operates the same Interstater and the pictures are the proof of it.

Just think, this one has a mild steel body and is operating here twenty five years on. How long will our stainless steel versions last – even in Chicago!

Wes’s Towing, Calumet City

Wes has been a good Boniface Customer and friend and makes an interesting picture story.

This is Wes telling Jackie about the finer points of the Century 9055

Bill; He has driven this Interstater for the last twelve years and only changed one pump

This is the Boniface element of Wes’s fleet; a Concept 3000 from 1985 and Interstater from 1989 and a Recoverer from 1996