Custom Truck Maker Curry Supply Company Turns 70

Thu November 21, 2002
Brenda Ruggiero

For the past 70 years, the Ritchey family has worked together to maintain the quality of Curry Supply Company in Curryville, PA. Now in its fourth generation, the company’s main focus is to manufacture and sell water trucks, mechanic’s trucks, and fuel and lube trucks that are utilized by quarries, road builders, landfills, coal mines, site contractors and utility contractors.

Based at the same location since it was founded in 1932, Curry Supply is located next to the Altoona Blair County Airport that is serviced by USAir. A total of 56 employees work to keep day-to-day operations running smoothly, lead by President Chris Ritchey.

In the shop, skilled craftsmen manufacture and assemble the trucks from the ground up under the direction of Foreman Mike Stell.

“Our service is taken seriously,” said Jason Ritchey, director of sales marketing. “We usually think that it begins at Curry Supply before you buy the truck. We listen to our customers and implement their feedback [back] into our products. The biggest thing we provide is that we custom build to the customers’ exact specifications.”

Curry Supply builds both on and off-road water trucks, for dust control and cleaning, including systems for articulated trucks. They feature United water tanks and have 100-percent welded tank seams inside and out. The dished tank ends are 100-percent welded on each side for superior tank strength, and baffles help to eliminate stress cracking. The trucks also have sealed wiring systems. Curry Supply also will custom build water systems, if desired.

Service trucks for field service and repair feature Wilcox mechanic’s bodies, hydraulic cranes, hydraulic air compressors and welders. Currently, they are available in 6,000-, 8,000-, 10,000- and 14,000-1b. (2,721; 3,628; 4,536; and 6,350 kg) units. Curry Supply also offers a fuel/lube package for the service trucks. The service bodies are available in crane, non-crane and enclosed bodies.

Fuel lube trucks for on-site preventative maintenance and fueling come with McLellan bodies. Other features include hydraulic product pumps, hydraulic EVAC systems, high-pressure grease pumps, hydraulic air compressors, hydraulic pressure washers, electric rewind reels, halogen work lights and environmental spill clean-up kits.

In addition to standard lube trucks, Curry Supply developed a line of enclosed lube trucks for customers who wanted the additional safety, security and weather resistance of an enclosed unit. All models feature dual heating systems that draw heat from the truck engines and offer plug-in heaters for cold weather starting.

Curry Supply also maintains a service department that offers ASME-certified repairs. In addition, the shop does service calls and covers warranties. An elaborate parts department also is part of the package.

Besides manufacturing trucks, Curry Supply also is a dealer of previously owned construction equipment. The partial list includes wheel loaders, graders, excavators, backhoes, bull dozers and dump trucks.

Other family members currently at Curry Supply include Joe Ritchey, vice president, and Cary Ritchey, secretary/treasurer.

Over the past 70 years, the economy has certainly seen some ups and downs. But Curry has managed to come out on top.

“Perseverance is hard work,” Jason Ritchey said. “Primarily, we persevered with hard work and dedication. We’ve got a good loyal following and a really good crew.”

For more information, 800/345-2829.

This story also appears on Construction Equipment Guide.