Our History

North Central started in 1964 with a straightforward idea: commercial vehicle buyers deserved more than a parts counter and a handshake. They needed someone who understood the work.

You need a partner who can look at an operation, ask the right questions, and build something that actually held up in the field. That idea still drives everything we do. Over six decades, we've grown into one of the most experienced upfitting operations in the Upper Midwest, with two full-service locations, a team of career commercial vehicle specialists, and a portfolio that spans contractor fleets, municipal public works, law enforcement, and fire service.

We might not be the biggest name in the industry. But we show up, do the work right, and are here for when you need us — for this build and the next.

Scott Schug

President

Group of people standing together indoors near a school bus, white truck, and white van.

Key Chapters

Over sixty years of building relationships, one vehicle at a time.

1964

Founded in Central Minnesota

North Central is established to serve the commercial vehicle needs of contractors, municipalities, and fleets across the region. From the start, the business is built on relationships, not transactions.

2017

Two Locations, One Standard

North Central opens its Mounds View facility, giving the team a second full-service operation to serve customers across the Twin Cities metro and greater Minnesota. Both locations operate under the same process and the same commitment to quality.

2019

Building with Knapheide

NorthCentral becomes a Knapheide distributor, expanding its upfitting capabilities with one of the industry’s most established names in commercial work truck equipment. The relationship brings proven products and greater flexibility to build vehicles around the way customers work.

2022

Expanding Into Public Safety

As law enforcement and fire service upfitting grows in complexity, North Central develops dedicated expertise in mission-critical builds — squad cars, fire apparatus, and first responder vehicles that demand a higher standard of precision.

Today

Part of Scipi Companies

As part of Scipi Companies, North Central has the organizational backing to invest in people, equipment, and long-term relationships. The upfitting division continues to expand its capabilities while staying true to what's always made us effective: showing up, listening, and building it right.

The Future

Let's Keep Building. Together.

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Where we're headed

Thanks for building with us.

The commercial vehicle world keeps moving. New platforms, new technology, new demands from the fleets and departments we serve.

What won't change is the thing that's always set us apart: we come to your facility, we learn your operation, and we build something that works the way you need it to. That's been true since 1964. It'll be true for the next 60 years. Thank you for being part of the story.
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Set Up a Consult

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Let's build the right vehicle
for your work.

Set up a consult. Your rep will come to your site, learn your operation, and map out what you need. No obligation, no guesswork.

Set Up a Consult