More than 40 years ago, Gil Blais was working as a pharmaceutical sales representative when he repeatedly heard from large animal veterinarians that they needed better equipment and drug storage solutions for traveling to farms. In response, he invented an organizational box for them to use, designing and constructing it by hand. The boxes were metal, fit onto a truck bed, and kept gear and medicines organized and accessible. When other veterinarians began to ask for more product, Blais quit his job and founded La Boit Speciality Vehicles, Inc., to produce organizational units for large animal veterinarians. Soon, small animal veterinarians were asking for his help as well.
Today, La Boit Specialty Vehicles is recognized throughout the United States as the leading provider of mobile specialty vehicles. In addition to manufacturing units for mobile veterinary services (including spay/neuter and pet adoption), their vehicles extend to a range of customized options for multiple industries, including dental care, blood donations, and even mobile command centers for law enforcement use.
Gil’s son, Jeff, now leads the company, which is still family-owned after 42 years. David Mayhew is the company’s Chief Operating Officer. "We design and hand-build our vehicles from the chassis up with attention to detail, quality and safety," said Mayhew. "Each unit comes with the unique technologies and capabilities identified by the customer to provide on-location services for their community.”
While Mayhew estimates that La Boit delivers eight out of every 10 mobile vet clinics in the United States, requests for human medical clinics have been growing. Their human mobile medical and dental clinics are used by healthcare providers around the country to provide much needed healthcare to individuals and families in underserved communities. The mobile clinics are equipped with state-of-the-art medical, imaging, and dental equipment.
“The demand for these units is continuing to steadily rise,” said Mayhew.“ Last year was the first year that our orders for human medical vehicles overtook vet vehicles. We expect medical to take more and more of the share of overall business.”
With nearly 85 skilled employees delivering 35 to 50 specialty vehicles annually, La Boit is creating opportunities for in-demand jobs in Gahanna that include electricians, cabinetmakers, and welders. Employees at La Boit enjoy meaningful work, job security and a collegial environment. La Boit trains internally and can be a great fit for people looking for well-paying careers that values workmanship and customer service.
“We’re never prouder of what we do than when a customer comes to pick up their vehicle and sees it for the first time”, said Blais. “We’ve had customers tear up, seeing their vision, sometimes their entire business, made real. It’s much more than a transaction. We take a picture of every vehicle we deliver and share in the celebration.”