CLINTONVILLE, Wis. — Chuck Mehlhorn has a job not everyone can claim: he builds fire trucks.

“This is a niche market right here," he said. "There aren’t a lot of place that build firetrucks from the chassis up."

Mehlhorn works at Seagrave in Clintonville, where he builds trucks used by fire departments around the country.

It’s a job where he thinks about who is using the trucks, and why.

“Every time I look at a truck I look at the bumper and it says where it’s going and the type of truck it is,” Mehlhorn said. “You always think in the back of your mind, ‘That truck is going to that department to serve that community.’ It’s pride. I take pride in this company.”

With business growing, Human Resources Representative Carly Kolodzik said the company is seeking about 100 people for jobs.

The jobs range from assembly and fabrication to painting and welding.

“Every truck is different,” she said. “The trucks on the outside might look very similar, but the whole inside could be completely different. Different switches, gauges, the way that the lights are set up. All those little things a customer can create on their own and we’ll make it happen for them.”

Welder and aluminum lead man Ian Johnson has been with the company for seven years. The joy of building fire trucks hasn’t worn off.

“Knowing that I helped make a difference to save people's lives, that’s the most gratifying,” he said. “That’s the thing I appreciate the most, knowing I’m making a difference.”.”

Assembler Lexi Van Lannen said she wants end users — firefighters — to know there’s more that goes into the truck than just parts.

“That we care a lot about what we do and we work hard to get it to where it’s going to be,” she said.

There’s pride too in seeing the finished trucks in action.

“When you’re watching TV and you get a newscast, the first thing I look at is the grill on the fire truck,” Mehlhorn said. “If it’s a Seagrave, I’m proud because that truck is serving the department and doing what it’s got to do.”

More information about careers at Seagrave can be found at https://seagrave.com/Careers.