Truck-Lite has hired Aaron Justice as vice president of operations to lead the manufacturing, supply chain and quality functions for its U.S. business unit, including oversight of three Truck-Lite manufacturing facilities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
“Today’s LED lighting is increasingly electronic, more intelligent and more efficient — a trend that will accelerate as commercial vehicles to shift to electric power,” said Doug Wolma, president of Clarience Technologies. “Aaron has joined Truck-Lite at an exciting time in our industry, and we look forward to his leadership to ensure the company is best prepared to deliver the right products customers will need for tomorrow.”
Justice most recently served as plant manager at Eaton Corp. and has more than seven years of manufacturing leadership experience. He also served for more than 10 years in the United States Air Force. Justice holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics with a minor in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy, and a Master of Business Administration degree in Operations from Vanderbilt University.
Truck-Lite was founded in Jamestown, New York, in 1955 and maintains a strong presence across the region today. Truck-Lite and parent company Clarience Technologies employs nearly 1,000 people in the region – approximately one-third of its entire global workforce – across three Truck-Lite U.S. manufacturing locations in McElhattan, Wellsboro, and Coudersport, PA, as well as at the Truck-Lite Corporate Headquarters in Falconer, NY, and the Clarience Technologies Global Research and Development Center in Pittsburgh.
Though the brand is no stranger to innovation –Truck-Lite created the first sealed light over 65 years ago which sparked a revolution in truck and trailer safety lighting—the need for new innovations has grown as electric, autonomous and connected vehicle technologies arrive to commercial transportation. Truck-Lite recently introduced “At the Speed of Light,” an initiative to accelerate development of new technology applications and product innovations that better serve customers, for this reason.
The industry’s shift toward electric is also a major reason driving the company’s decision to relocate Truck-Lite corporate headquarters from Falconer, New York, to Knowledge Park at Penn State Behrend in Erie, PA, the company says. The new facility is expected to be fully operational this summer. This state-of-the-art facility will house an innovation lab and provides the company with opportunities to collaborate with students, academics and other technology leaders in the area surrounding the university.