Jean Thibault

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, in partnership with its Quebec, Canada exclusive Pierce dealer, L’Arsenal, has secured an order for five Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Towers for the City of Montreal Fire Department.   The apparatus will be built on the Pierce Arrow XT custom chassis known for its rugged and dependable characteristics that meet the demands of high-volume departments.  “The City of Montreal Fire Department faces unique challenges as the second most populous city in Canada with unique geographic attributes and infrastructure design,” said Jean Thibault, president of L’Arsenal.   Ascendant Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower  “The need for excellent maneuverability along the city’s narrow roads and alleys made the 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Towers the ideal apparatus to support the critical work of the department.”  Thibault continued, “The configurations offered by the apparatus address the need for a more compact and maneuverable fire truck with lower travel height, shorter overhang, and lighter weight, without having to compromise on aerial performance.”  Key Features  Since its introduction by Pierce in 2018, the 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower has brought voice of customer feedback and market-disrupting attributes to the forefront of the industry by offering features including superior maneuverability, drivability, operator functionality, and serviceability. Other key features include:  Mid-mount configuration that can also satisfy the needs of the traditional rear-mount market  Length under 42’ and lower overall height (as low as 10' 8")  1,000 lb. dry / 500 lb. wet payload capacity  Up to 20-degree below grade operation and 50-degree below grade scrub area  Integrated ground pads for rapid aerial operation setup  With the City of Montreal Fire Department’s primary focus on safety, noise reduction, maneuverability, visibility, and overall performance, the Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Towers will be an essential resource for the community’s firefighters who cover 166 square miles and serve 1.7 million citizens. 

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced that it has delivered seven pumpers built on the Pierce Saber custom chassis mounted with Canadian company MAXIMETAL’s firefighting body configuration.   The “MaxiSaber” apparatus represents the first seven of the 35 awarded pumper trucks to be built and delivered to the City of Montreal Fire Department over the next five years.  Since instituting an agreement in 2015 with MAXIMETAL of Saint-Georges de Beauce, Quebec, Canada, Pierce has sold its Pierce Saber custom chassis to MAXIMETAL who in turn, manufactures and mounts its various firefighting body configurations onto the chassis. The completed apparatus is provided to fire departments across Canada.   MaxiSaber value-driven chassis  “When we searched for a body builder to work with Pierce in the design of a family of apparatus specifically for the Canadian market, MAXIMETAL stood out as the perfect fit because of their reputation for quality, reliability, and focus on superior customer service and support,” said Jim Johnson, president of Pierce Manufacturing. “Over the last four years, we’ve learned how well our collaborative vision aligns, and we look forward to continued growth across Canada in the years to come.”  MaxiSaber configurations offer a value-driven chassis without compromise on build quality" In 2018, MAXIMETAL announced it was awarded the $32.1M contract spanning five years with the City of Montreal Fire Department, one of the largest contracts in the company’s history.  “MAXIMETAL is honored to work with Pierce Manufacturing in the fulfillment of such a significant apparatus order for the City of Montreal Fire Department,” said Chris Sapienza, director of business development. “MaxiSaber configurations offer a value-driven chassis without compromise on build quality, cutting-edge performance and advancements in visibility, space, ergonomics and serviceability.”   Primary focus on safety  The City of Montreal Fire Department covers 166 square miles and serves 1.7 million citizens from 67 fire stations. Built on contouring Mount Royal and completely surrounded by water, Montreal is recognized as a cosmopolitan city with one of the largest underground networks in the world.   As the second most populous city in Canada with unique geographic attributes and infrastructure design, many factors contributed to the selection of MaxiSaber apparatus including a primary focus on safety, egress in and out of the cab, noise reduction, visibility and overall performance.  Drummondville-based L’Arsenal will work with the Montreal Fire Department providing aftermarket and product support.  Spacious cab interior  Other apparatus features include a spacious cab interior with a raised roof transition line “L’Arsenal is equipped to provide exceptional aftermarket service and support to ensure that the new apparatus for the City of Montreal Fire Department maintain optimal performance, maximizing time in service,” said Jean Thibault, President of L’Arsenal. “We look forward to supporting the department and the community with our experience and expertise.”  The apparatus included in the City of Montreal Fire Department’s order will include a total of 35 MaxiSaber pumpers, all built on the Pierce Saber custom chassis with the last delivery estimated to take place in 2022.   Other apparatus features include a spacious cab interior with a raised roof transition line, wraparound windshield for excellent outward visibility, a 450 hp engine, and a 50-degree cramp angle for excellent maneuverability along the city’s narrow roads and alleys.