Two Chicago Fire Department E-ONE units — Tower 37 (aerial ladder) and Engine 126 (pumper) — photographed on the city's lakefront. The Chicago Fire Department has placed an order with Ocala-headquartered E-ONE and Winter Park-based Wheeled Coach for 120 new vehicles valued at more than $100 million.
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2026-06-025 min readOcala-Built: E-ONE Lands 120-Vehicle, $100M+ Order from Chicago Fire Department
This is a business news article published on 2026-06-02 covering local Marion County, Florida news. The Chicago Fire Department has placed one of the largest emergency apparatus orders in North America — 120 vehicles valued at more than $100 million — with Ocala-headquartered E-ONE and its sister brand Wheeled Coach. The order includes 42 E-ONE pumpers, 38 aerial ladder trucks, and 40 Wheeled Coach ambulances.
Updated 3 months ago
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Only In Ocala Editorial TeamLocal Content Specialists · 8+ years in Marion County
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One of the biggest fleet deals in the North American fire-service industry just landed on an Ocala-built assembly line.
The Chicago Fire Department announced June 2, 2026 that it has placed an order for 120 new emergency vehicles — pumpers, aerial ladder trucks, and ambulances — valued at more than $100 million. The apparatus will be built by Ocala-headquartered E-ONE, Inc. and its sister brand Wheeled Coach, both part of Terex Corporation's (NYSE: TEX) Specialty Vehicles segment. The deal was brokered through dealer partner Fire Service, Inc.
According to the announcement from Terex Specialty Vehicles, the Chicago order breaks down as follows:
The combined contract is described by Terex as one of the largest single fire-apparatus orders in North America.
For Marion County, the headline isn't the city of Chicago — it's the city of Ocala. The 80 fire trucks in the order — every pumper and every aerial ladder — will be designed, engineered, and manufactured at E-ONE's headquarters and production complex on the north side of town, where the company has built fire apparatus for more than 50 years.
E-ONE is one of the largest private employers in Marion County's manufacturing sector, and orders of this scale ripple out across the region — through paint and powder-coating shops, electrical sub-assemblies, custom cab fabricators, hose and pump suppliers, and the local skilled trades that move heavy steel and aluminum through a final-assembly line. A 120-vehicle, multi-year order is the kind of backlog that stabilizes employment on the production floor and pulls forward investment in tooling and training.
The 40 Wheeled Coach ambulances in the order will be built at the company's plant in Winter Park, Florida, about 90 minutes south of Ocala — keeping the entire $100M+ contract inside the state of Florida.
Chicago Fire Department runs one of the busiest emergency response operations in the United States, with a service area covering roughly 234 square miles and 2.7 million residents. The apparatus being ordered is the workhorse fleet of any major-city department:
- Pumpers — front-line engines that handle the bulk of fire-suppression and rescue calls.
- Aerial ladder trucks — high-reach apparatus used for rescues from upper floors, ventilation, and large-building fire attack. Chicago's high-rise inventory makes aerial coverage non-negotiable.
- Ambulances — Type I, Type II, and Type III EMS rigs that carry the load of medical response calls, which in most major cities outnumber fire calls by a wide margin.
E-ONE markets its current-generation custom cabs and chassis on durability, advanced firefighter safety systems (including airbag and crashworthiness packages), and operational performance designed for high-call-volume departments. Wheeled Coach was the first ambulance manufacturer to publicly conduct IHS-style side-impact and roll-over testing, and uses that crashworthiness pedigree as a core part of its pitch to municipal buyers.
"We are honored to partner with the Chicago Fire Department and Fire Service, Inc. on this landmark order," said Mike Virnig, president of Terex Specialty Vehicles. "Providing 120 custom apparatus underscores our shared commitment to innovation, safety and reliability — ensuring Chicago's firefighters and paramedics have the tools they need to protect their communities."
"Fire Service, Inc. is proud to support the Chicago Fire Department in this significant investment in public safety," said Shawn Junker, president of Fire Service, Inc. "These vehicles are built to meet the demands of one of the busiest departments in the nation, with an emphasis on dependability and performance."
Across North America, fire departments are confronting an unusually old apparatus fleet. The average front-line fire engine in the U.S. is well past its NFPA-recommended 15-year refresh window in many jurisdictions, and lead times on new custom apparatus have stretched to two to three years at most manufacturers as supply chains have lagged demand. A 120-vehicle commitment from a flagship department like Chicago is exactly the kind of long-horizon order that lets a manufacturer plan capacity, stabilize a supplier base, and keep delivery slots predictable for the smaller departments that share the same production line — including the many Marion County and Central Florida agencies that have historically bought E-ONE apparatus close to home.
E-ONE, Inc. has been building fire apparatus in Ocala for more than 50 years, producing custom pumpers, rescue trucks, aerial fire trucks, rescue pumpers, and other emergency vehicles for municipal and industrial fire departments worldwide. The company is part of Terex Corporation's Specialty Vehicles segment.
Wheeled Coach has built ambulances at its Winter Park, Florida facility since 1975 and produces Type I, Type II, Type III, and medium-duty units for municipal and commercial EMS operators. The company markets itself under the tagline "Trusted by the Toughest" and is also part of Terex Specialty Vehicles.
Fire Service, Inc. is the Midwest-based dealer that brokered the Chicago deal. The company provides emergency apparatus sales, service, parts, and support across the region.
Terex Corporation (NYSE: TEX) designs and manufactures specialty equipment across emergency services, waste and recycling, utilities, and construction — including fire apparatus, ambulances, recreational vehicles, waste collection vehicles, and mobile elevating work platforms. The company operates manufacturing facilities across the United States, Europe, India, and the Asia Pacific region.
The Chicago Fire Department has ordered 120 emergency vehicles — 42 E-ONE pumpers, 38 E-ONE aerial ladder trucks, and 40 Wheeled Coach ambulances — valued at more than $100 million. Terex describes it as one of the largest single fire-apparatus orders in North America.
The 80 fire trucks (pumpers and aerial ladders) will be built at E-ONE's headquarters and production complex in Ocala, Florida, where the company has manufactured fire apparatus for more than 50 years. The 40 ambulances will be built at Wheeled Coach's plant in Winter Park, Florida.
The order was placed through Fire Service, Inc., the Midwest dealer for E-ONE and Wheeled Coach apparatus. Shawn Junker is president of Fire Service, Inc.
They are sister brands. Both are part of Terex Corporation's (NYSE: TEX) Specialty Vehicles segment. E-ONE builds fire apparatus in Ocala; Wheeled Coach builds ambulances in Winter Park.
E-ONE has manufactured fire apparatus in Ocala for more than 50 years and is one of the largest private manufacturing employers in Marion County.
Visit terex.com for the official corporate announcement.
The Chicago Fire Department announced June 2, 2026 that it has placed an order for 120 new emergency vehicles — pumpers, aerial ladder trucks, and ambulances — valued at more than $100 million. The apparatus will be built by Ocala-headquartered E-ONE, Inc. and its sister brand Wheeled Coach, both part of Terex Corporation's (NYSE: TEX) Specialty Vehicles segment. The deal was brokered through dealer partner Fire Service, Inc.
The Numbers
According to the announcement from Terex Specialty Vehicles, the Chicago order breaks down as follows:
| Apparatus | Quantity | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Pumpers | 42 | E-ONE (Ocala, FL) |
| Aerial ladder trucks | 38 | E-ONE (Ocala, FL) |
| Ambulances | 40 | Wheeled Coach (Winter Park, FL) |
| Total | 120 | $100M+ contract value |
The combined contract is described by Terex as one of the largest single fire-apparatus orders in North America.
Built in Ocala
For Marion County, the headline isn't the city of Chicago — it's the city of Ocala. The 80 fire trucks in the order — every pumper and every aerial ladder — will be designed, engineered, and manufactured at E-ONE's headquarters and production complex on the north side of town, where the company has built fire apparatus for more than 50 years.
E-ONE is one of the largest private employers in Marion County's manufacturing sector, and orders of this scale ripple out across the region — through paint and powder-coating shops, electrical sub-assemblies, custom cab fabricators, hose and pump suppliers, and the local skilled trades that move heavy steel and aluminum through a final-assembly line. A 120-vehicle, multi-year order is the kind of backlog that stabilizes employment on the production floor and pulls forward investment in tooling and training.
The 40 Wheeled Coach ambulances in the order will be built at the company's plant in Winter Park, Florida, about 90 minutes south of Ocala — keeping the entire $100M+ contract inside the state of Florida.
What Chicago Is Buying
Chicago Fire Department runs one of the busiest emergency response operations in the United States, with a service area covering roughly 234 square miles and 2.7 million residents. The apparatus being ordered is the workhorse fleet of any major-city department:
- Pumpers — front-line engines that handle the bulk of fire-suppression and rescue calls.
- Aerial ladder trucks — high-reach apparatus used for rescues from upper floors, ventilation, and large-building fire attack. Chicago's high-rise inventory makes aerial coverage non-negotiable.
- Ambulances — Type I, Type II, and Type III EMS rigs that carry the load of medical response calls, which in most major cities outnumber fire calls by a wide margin.
E-ONE markets its current-generation custom cabs and chassis on durability, advanced firefighter safety systems (including airbag and crashworthiness packages), and operational performance designed for high-call-volume departments. Wheeled Coach was the first ambulance manufacturer to publicly conduct IHS-style side-impact and roll-over testing, and uses that crashworthiness pedigree as a core part of its pitch to municipal buyers.
Executive Comments
"We are honored to partner with the Chicago Fire Department and Fire Service, Inc. on this landmark order," said Mike Virnig, president of Terex Specialty Vehicles. "Providing 120 custom apparatus underscores our shared commitment to innovation, safety and reliability — ensuring Chicago's firefighters and paramedics have the tools they need to protect their communities."
"Fire Service, Inc. is proud to support the Chicago Fire Department in this significant investment in public safety," said Shawn Junker, president of Fire Service, Inc. "These vehicles are built to meet the demands of one of the busiest departments in the nation, with an emphasis on dependability and performance."
Why the Order Matters
Across North America, fire departments are confronting an unusually old apparatus fleet. The average front-line fire engine in the U.S. is well past its NFPA-recommended 15-year refresh window in many jurisdictions, and lead times on new custom apparatus have stretched to two to three years at most manufacturers as supply chains have lagged demand. A 120-vehicle commitment from a flagship department like Chicago is exactly the kind of long-horizon order that lets a manufacturer plan capacity, stabilize a supplier base, and keep delivery slots predictable for the smaller departments that share the same production line — including the many Marion County and Central Florida agencies that have historically bought E-ONE apparatus close to home.
About E-ONE
E-ONE, Inc. has been building fire apparatus in Ocala for more than 50 years, producing custom pumpers, rescue trucks, aerial fire trucks, rescue pumpers, and other emergency vehicles for municipal and industrial fire departments worldwide. The company is part of Terex Corporation's Specialty Vehicles segment.
About Wheeled Coach
Wheeled Coach has built ambulances at its Winter Park, Florida facility since 1975 and produces Type I, Type II, Type III, and medium-duty units for municipal and commercial EMS operators. The company markets itself under the tagline "Trusted by the Toughest" and is also part of Terex Specialty Vehicles.
About Fire Service, Inc.
Fire Service, Inc. is the Midwest-based dealer that brokered the Chicago deal. The company provides emergency apparatus sales, service, parts, and support across the region.
About Terex Corporation
Terex Corporation (NYSE: TEX) designs and manufactures specialty equipment across emergency services, waste and recycling, utilities, and construction — including fire apparatus, ambulances, recreational vehicles, waste collection vehicles, and mobile elevating work platforms. The company operates manufacturing facilities across the United States, Europe, India, and the Asia Pacific region.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the Chicago Fire Department order?
The Chicago Fire Department has ordered 120 emergency vehicles — 42 E-ONE pumpers, 38 E-ONE aerial ladder trucks, and 40 Wheeled Coach ambulances — valued at more than $100 million. Terex describes it as one of the largest single fire-apparatus orders in North America.
Where will the apparatus be built?
The 80 fire trucks (pumpers and aerial ladders) will be built at E-ONE's headquarters and production complex in Ocala, Florida, where the company has manufactured fire apparatus for more than 50 years. The 40 ambulances will be built at Wheeled Coach's plant in Winter Park, Florida.
Who brokered the deal?
The order was placed through Fire Service, Inc., the Midwest dealer for E-ONE and Wheeled Coach apparatus. Shawn Junker is president of Fire Service, Inc.
Are E-ONE and Wheeled Coach the same company?
They are sister brands. Both are part of Terex Corporation's (NYSE: TEX) Specialty Vehicles segment. E-ONE builds fire apparatus in Ocala; Wheeled Coach builds ambulances in Winter Park.
How long has E-ONE been in Ocala?
E-ONE has manufactured fire apparatus in Ocala for more than 50 years and is one of the largest private manufacturing employers in Marion County.
Where can I learn more?
Visit terex.com for the official corporate announcement.
E-ONE
Wheeled Coach
Terex
Chicago Fire Department
manufacturing
Ocala business
Marion County
Fire Service Inc
fire apparatus
June 2026
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