By Will Chelak
Jaime Pickering has spent nearly four decades fighting fire; first in the field and then as an instructor training emergency and fire management organizations nationwide.
Dedicated to the job since college, these efforts expanded in 2015 when Pickering and his wife, Rebecca, launched Pickering Pyro Protection in Aumsville, Oregon. Starting as The National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA) Certified Training facility with one truck, the organization has since grown to include 12 vehicles and the annual training of thousands of firefighters.
“In addition to the instructional courses, we all also lend our equipment and services to organizations that fight fires across the country,” says Pickering. “We pride ourselves on being available whenever needed.”
In recent months, this meant the repair of the wood decking on a used, 25 ft flatbed trailer that Pickering purchased in 2020 from a local associate. “Nearly 30 years old, the trailer’s decking was warped and cracked, making it extremely difficult to haul our 17,000-lb bulldozer, bobcats, and other equipment at least once a month to various sites located throughout the region and surrounding states,” says Pickering.
After a Google search and several conversations with TrailerDecking.com in Forest Gove, Pickering drove more than 100 miles to purchase the company’s Apitong 2×8 Full Sawn Rough Heavy Duty Deck Boards and ExoShield Apitong Oil.
“We literally rolled into the parking lot and TrailerDecking.com not only brought out the material but helped us fit the decking into the flatbed,” explains Pickering. “So, we knew exactly what we needed before we left their facility.
“Back home, it then took 3 days to stain and fasten the deck boards onto the trailer, which now looks amazing. Plus, the staining process could not have been easier. One at a time, we stained all four sides of each board and the top boards a total of three times. This included letting the stain set into the wood for a few hours and then wiping off the excess. The entire job took about two days to complete.”
Known for its ability to enhance the strength and beauty of exterior wood products used in most heavy automotive and industrial applications, TrailerDecking.com’s Apitong Oil is composed of a proprietary blend of Tung oil, UV blockers, fungicide, and trans-oxide pigments that resist water and acid, while delaying the graying and weathering process.
“Everything came out great and the trailer looks almost new,” adds Pickering. “We’ve actually had the trailer back on the road several times since it’s been refurbished. It’s performed perfectly and with a look that embodies the quality of our services.”
For more information on the complete line of TrailerDecking.com products and accessories, visit www.trailerdecking.com or call 1.855.APITONG.
About TrailerDecking.com
TrailerDecking.com was established in 2009 as a business unit of Nova USA Wood Products, an international leader in tropical hardwood decking and flooring, TrailerDecking.com offers a complete line of Apitong flatbed trailer flooring in both rough and shiplap, laminated hardwood truck flooring for van bodies, hardwood trailer components such as scuff liner and tie-down rails, and supplies like Apitong Oil, a high-quality wood finish developed for the transportation marketplace.