Lund Runner Steps

LUND TRUCK STEP RUNNERS FOR STANDARD & CREW CABS CLICK HERE to purchase a Lund Truck Step Runner for your Standard or Crew Cab truck

Lund International was founded in 1965 by Allan W. Lund, an entrepreneur highly skilled in the design of fiberglass products. Originally an insurance salesman. Allan Lund began producing prototype work for snowmobile, boat, and other recreational vehicle makers. By the late 1970s, as light truck sales increased, Lund began producing appearance accessories for light trucks such as the sun visor. He developed several new product lines in the 1980s and by 1990, the visors, available for 940 different makes, models, and years of vehicles, were producing record breaking revenues.

Lund's second product was a cab spoiler. The company soon expanded to offer 20 additional product lines, including bug shields, fender extensions, and grill inserts. One of the company's fastest growing lines from this period was running boards, mainly because women, who were driving trucks in greater numbers, found them helpful for getting in and out.

Lund consolidated operations and doubled its production capacity as a means of keeping up with demand for its products, which soared 41 percent in the first nine months of fiscal 1994, compared with results of a year earlier. In 1994, Lund won approval to sell its products in Europe. A surge in truck sales accounted for much of the company's success. Offering a broad line of branded products, the company kept its name highly visible by sponsoring NASCAR races. Lund unveiled three new products in late 1995. The company introduced a running board that came in four variations and fit 22 different sport utility vehicles, a market that was just beginning to develop. The second product introduced that year was a rounded exterior sun visor that did not require screws to attach to the vehicle. Representing a new product area for Lund, the third introduction was a tonneau cover, a flat seal over a pickup's cargo hold. The cover featured an easy-to-use seal that saved customers the cost of installation. Lund experienced very favorable orders for both the tonneau covers and sun visors. Company officials reported that the new headquarters and new automated manufacturing plant allowed the company to fill orders more efficiently and rapidly.

In the winter of 1997, Lund signed a merger agreement to acquire a much larger competitor, Deflecta-Shield Corporation of Indianola, Iowa. Deflecta-Shield was founded in 1961 and successfully sold hood shields. The company developed product lines to include running boards, side window deflectors and covers, visors, tonneau covers, and other styling accessories. In 1994, Deflecta-Shield acquired a leading aluminum products manufacturer, which enabled the company to extend product offerings to a more diverse market. Products included aluminum running boards, storage boxes, bed protection, and other accessories. Continuing to grow through acquisitions, Lund acquired 100 percent of the outstanding common stock of Ventshade in 1998 and Smittybilt in 1999. Ventshade made window shades, hood shields, light covers, and other accessories. Smittybilt specialized in offering a broad line of tubular products, including the Outland and SureStep brands. Harvest Partners committed to investing additional equity in Lund and structured the financing for the transactions. Belmor, a nationally recognized manufacturer of class 8 truck accessories, became a subsidiary of Lund at the time of the Deflecta-Shield merger. The expansion program resulted in sales growth from 1997 to 1999. The company introduced five new products for the year, including Eclipse hood scoops, X-Terminator wrap bug shields, Stainless Interceptor wrap bug shield, Ultima storage boxes, and the Smittybilt Sure-Step box step.

Lund continues to be a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad line of appearance accessories for new and used light trucks, including sport utility vehicles, minivans and standard sized vans.

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