Professional Distributor - 12

Stocked to sell

This tool dealer always keeps his truck fully
stocked, stating " If you don't stock it, you can't sell it. "
by Kayla Oschmann, Assistant Editor

ave Fulkman has been a Mac Tools dealer for five
years. He previously worked in aviation doing composite repair and custom interior. Since he knew tools
well, Fulkman decided to sell them. He now enjoys running
a route in southeast Indianapolis, Indiana, selling tools to
mainly heavy duty and mom and pop shops.
Since Fulkman started, he's upgraded his ride three times.
His first truck was a 2006 C5500 GMC Topkick with an 18'
box, and his second was a 2011 Freightliner NC55 with a 22'
box. Now, he owns and operates a 24' 2020 Peterbilt 337. His
latest and greatest truck is a custom Black Wolf edition with
a black ceiling, red lace, black AC covers, and dark walls. It
also has stacks on the front and black milled wheels from
American Racing, a feature that makes him stand out.
" Everybody knows me as the tool truck guy with the black
wheels, " Fulkman laughs.
Fulkman worked alongside Tim Herr, owner of Herr Display Vans, to custom design his new truck. With many options
to choose from, having previous selling experience - and
trucks - helped him decide how he wanted to organize and
structure his new workspace.
" I took a day off and drove out to see Tim, " he says. " We
sat down, and he drew up a design on his program. When
you buy a new truck, you can do whatever you want with it;
so just trying to figure out how you think you want it was the
biggest challenge for me. "
For functionality, he went with an L-shaped desk in the
corner on the driver's side. For displays, he made sure to have

a designated area for power tools, ratchets, scan tools, and
torque wrenches. And for himself, he left room for a refrigerator
and microwave to keep from eating out all the time.
With just a few last-minute changes, the truck was ready in
February 2020. Before taking it home, he drove it to the annual
Mac Tools Tool Fair in Denver, Colorado to be featured.
Once home, Fulkman packed the truck full of tools - all
organized and with a purpose, because that's how this tool
dealer likes it.
" I like to keep things very organized, " he says. " I don't
like clutter. As much as I try to pack it all in, I don't like
things unorganized. "
To help keep him organized, Fulkman utilizes pullout drawers.
" I like pull-out drawers, " he says. " I have 12 pull-out drawers and they're all organized with wrenches, electrical, lighting,
bit sets, [...]. [This way] I'm able to fit more on the truck. "
He also uses every space strategically, including
the ceiling.
" I can't stand seeing a truck with a bare ceiling, so my
ceiling is packed full, " he says. He has tools from mirrors and
magnets to pick-up tools, scrapers, and pliers. " When you look
up, it's not just random, " he adds. " Everything has a purpose. "
Fulkman always keeps his truck fully stocked, a quality
his customers have picked up on.
" They always say I'm well-stocked and that I have the most
tools [compared with] the other tool trucks around, " he says.
" If you don't stock it, you can't sell it. "

To view more photos of
Fulkman's truck, visit:

VehicleServicePros.com/
21157190
Dave Fulkman

Indianapolis, Indiana
Population: 876, 862
12 Professional Distributor I February 2021 I VehicleServicePros.com

http://www.VehicleServicePros.com/21157190 http://www.VehicleServicePros.com

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