Case Study
How Miles Products helped DECKED introduce their market changing product.

The team at DECKED came to Miles Products with a great product concept and unique challenge. We are proud to have helped them realize their vision and win the war on disorganized trucks everywhere!

Background
Jake Peters and his buddies liked to work on their trucks. They wanted the vehicles to serve their needs as best as possible, whether for fun or work. This meant organizing all the cargo, for whatever the next task or adventure might be.
After experimenting (and battling) with homemade wooden drawers, and storage compartments made of plywood, dimensional lumber and big box store hardware, they knew there had to be a better way.
What started out on a napkin in a local diner, evolved into 3 years of R&D and two full-length, weatherproof, 2000 pound payload retaining, 100% American made pickup truck storage systems.
DECKED was born!
Challenges
DECKED knew that manufacturing success would be key to their future. However, product development and manufacturing was unfamiliar territory to their key managers.
They needed partner companies who could contribute with competitive pricing, design for manufacturability expertise and a proven commitment to service and quality.

Company founder, Jake Peters, had a strong new product concept and had identified structural foam molding as a potential material and process for the job.
After discovering Miles Products via a Google search, Jake called Bruce Miles and cautiously floated the idea over the phone. He had two big concerns. How much would it cost? And, can it be done?
The finished product performance had to be as rugged and hard-working as the workers and outdoor sports enthusiasts who made up their target market.
Jake had a number of must-haves plus a wish list.
The DECKED product had a significant bill of material including:
- Structural foam deck and drawers
- Center frame and legs
- Cast aluminum handles
- Wheel axle components
- Custom mounting brackets and stampings
- Plus an assortment of product accessories
The best options for manufacturing these sub-components had not been determined. However, Jake strongly believed that the line should be 100% made in the USA.
DECKED hired a high profile automotive engineering firm to design the system and recommend production processes for the various components.
It was then up to DECKED to select the manufacturing process and the targeted supplier.