Randall Buck, General Manager of Sterling Fleet Outfitters
SURREY – Innovation is at the heart of everything at Sterling Fleet Outfitters.
The company is best known for their vehicle upfitting services for cargo vans, pickup trucks and mixed fleets. General Manager Randall Buck, whose father Rob Buck started the company in 2002, notes the company is one of the leading commercial fleet upfitters and now serves clients across North America.
“Our mission is to advance and elevate people by equipping them to succeed,” notes Randall. “We do this with superior fleet solutions that boost performance, productivity, and safety – empowering businesses to get more done. We’re constantly pushing for innovation and quality, and our vision is to become the number one fleet outfitter in North America.”
Sterling Fleet Outfitters was the first to introduce aluminum van shelving to commercial upfitting in B.C. Before that, tradespeople had to work with steel shelving, which was heavy, prone to rust and very noisy. The switch to lighter-weight aluminum changed the game for trades.
“Innovation has continued to drive our success,” Randall points out. “In 2018, we began designing and manufacturing our own upfit products to better serve our customers. During the pandemic, we pivoted quickly to produce protective guards for essential construction workers — and while many companies struggled, we saw significant growth because we adapted to the market’s needs.
Sterling Fleet Outfitters team members
“When vehicle supply chains were disrupted, fleet managers had to move from vans to pickups or mixed fleets, and our solutions — like our pickup truck capsules — helped them stay productive.”
One of their biggest innovations was the Fiber Splicing Truck Cap, introduced in 2016. It’s now used across North America and sought after internationally. Since then, they’ve expanded into specialized caps for forklift service, HVAC, and utility work.
“In 2023, we launched Packd Upfit Equipment, our proprietary line of shelving made from lightweight aluminum and recycled composite bases,” he adds. “Each shelf can support up to 250 lbs while being 30% lighter than traditional shelving — a perfect fit for EV fleets that need every ounce of efficiency.”
Sterling Fleet Outfitters has a talented team that works closely with fleet specialists to create packages that make technicians more efficient on the job. They recognize that when they optimize storage, work surfaces, lighting, power, and safety features, they’re directly improving the return on investment for clients.
A Sterling Fleet Outfitters fiber splicing truck cap and a technician working on a job in the lower mainland
“We take a consultative approach and aim to deliver the best customer experience possible. And we back that up with data — a 95% on-time delivery rate, a Net Promoter Score of 85 (which is top tier), and a 4.9/5 Google rating. Those numbers really speak to how we serve our customers,” he states.
Product-wise, their Packd upfitting line is seeing huge traction. It’s light, durable, and well thought-out, and includes smart locking mechanisms, optimized sizing, and modular configurations, which make a real difference in daily use.
Their truck caps are also growing rapidly in popularity because they’re transferable, and can move them from one truck to another as long as the bed length matches. Their cab-height model has become especially popular as compact cargo vans are phased out, and as fleets look to “right-size” — moving away from expensive service bodies to lighter, more flexible slip-in truck caps.
Since its inception, the company’s growth has been consistent, including through the pandemic and most recently, the U.S. tariffs.
“Like past challenges, we see it as an opportunity to innovate,” Randall explains. “Our customers in the trades are facing similar pressures, and by helping them adapt, we continue to evolve and grow ourselves.”
That is possible because of the strength of their team.
“They are the ones that keep innovation alive, no question about it,” he notes. “Being open to new ideas from the team, whether it’s product design, business processes, or new markets, is critical.”
www.sterlingfleetoutfitters.com
