N. Ind. plant starts building new commercial van

WAKARUSA, Ind. — Production work has started at a northern Indiana factory on a new commercial van designed to be lighter and more fuel efficient.

The Reach walk-in van is being built at Utilimaster Corp. plant in Wakarusa (wah-kah-ROO’-sah) in a project with Isuzu’s commercial truck division. Company workers and executives on Tuesday marked the production launch, which officials say comes as consumers want more things delivered to their homes in the age of Internet shopping.

The company says the van’s body is made of composite material that saves 700 pounds per vehicle, helping give it a 35 percent improvement in fuel efficiency to about 16 miles a gallon.

Company officials tell The Elkhart Truth that they’ve hired more engineers and added about 25 production jobs, with that likely to double.