From family roots to industry leader, Dee Zee pioneers progress, diversity, and growth in automotive manufacturing
Dee Zee, Inc. is a leading American manufacturer of high-quality automotive parts and truck accessories. Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, Dee Zee designs and produces durable, custom-fit aluminum and steel products for trucks, SUVs and commercial vehicles, including running boards, toolboxes, tanks, and bed accessories. Trusted by major automakers as an OEM supplier and loved by aftermarket enthusiasts, Dee Zee combines precision engineering with practical functionality to enhance both the performance and appearance of vehicles. Built in the Heartland and shipped worldwide, Dee Zee delivers rugged reliability.
“Dee Zee was founded by Denny Elwell and Zane Smith,” begins Kelli Gallagher, President. “About five years in, Zane decided he wanted to pursue something different and that’s when Ron Shivers, who’s my father, and Charlie Brendeland joined the company. For many years Dee Zee was run by Denny, Ron, and Charlie. When Denny, the majority shareholder, decided to sell, the company was purchased by Lancaster Colony out of Lancaster, Ohio, which made Dee Zee a publicly traded company.
“Through that transition, Ron stayed on as president. Fast forward to 2008, Lancaster Colony decided to divest its automotive holdings, and my father purchased the company. In 2009, after growing up around the business and spending years in my own career, I decided it was the right time to make a change and work alongside him. I started in accounting and HR, and in January of 2013, I assumed the role of President and here we are today.”
Since 1977, the company has specialized in vehicle add-ons for both the consumer aftermarket and as an OEM supplier to major automakers like Ford, GM, Toyota, and Honda. “In the early 1990s, we entered the automotive OEM space,” Kelli shares, “and that side of the business has grown significantly over the years. Today, OEM manufacturing represents about 90 percent of our business, with the aftermarket making up the remaining ten percent. As a result, only about ten percent of what we build carries the Dee Zee name; the rest is either unbranded or produced with OEM-specific branding.
“I’ve been around the business for most of my life because of my father and over the years, the company has grown tremendously. Even with that growth, it’s important to me that we maintain a smaller-company, family feel. We’ve grown into a much larger organization, but I don’t want bureaucracy to define how we operate. My door is always open, and while we’ve grown from about 350 employees to more than 1100, I still try to know people by name across shifts and locations as best I can,” she elaborates.
“I also want Dee Zee to continue making a strong impact in the Des Moines community. Manufacturing can sometimes be a bit of a best-kept secret here, and people don’t always realize how large we are or how many people we employ. Another thing I’m incredibly proud of is our diversity; there are more than 30 languages spoken on our production floor, which is rare for this area. That culture and inclusivity is something we’re committed to continuing to promote.”
Training
With a highly diverse production floor, multilingual training and technology is essential to Dee Zee’s operational success. The company offers tuition reimbursement and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, and all employees participate in an annual training curriculum that includes both classroom-style safety instruction and virtual learning. This comprehensive program is a key part of the employee experience and ensures consistent standards across the workforce.
Kelli began her career in the automotive industry as an accountant for United Parcel Service and later worked at an international truck dealership. Having spent her career in traditionally male-dominated industries, she is undaunted by that environment. She emphasizes that running a large operation like Dee Zee requires strong teammates and leaders, regardless of gender, and her focus has always been on building an effective, collaborative team.
“Dee Zee currently has eight facilities, all within the Des Moines metro area and about 20 minutes apart,” Kelli continues. “As part of our 2027 plan, we’re consolidating some of these locations into two main campuses. Our Pleasant Hill operations include four facilities, handling stamping, tool and die, CNC milling, robotic welding, and other functions. At our Broadway campus, we’re constructing a third building and moving our corporate headquarters to the new West building, while converting the main plant to focus on aftermarket production. By consolidating facilities, we’ll increase efficiency, reduce logistics, and ensure our buildings have the latest technology, including temperature control, which some of our older sites lack.
“We completed our East building at the Broadway campus in 2024, and in that facility, we installed a vertical powder coating line from SAT in Italy. While we already have four other horizontal powder coating lines; this line allows us to hang products vertically, which is ideal for our long running boards and side steps that now extend wheel well to wheel well on trucks and SUVs. This new technology improves efficiency, increases capacity, and enhances the quality of our powder coating.
“With our Dee Zee 2027 plan and the consolidation of some of our buildings and campuses, we have a lot going on,” Kelli adds, “including relocating equipment, finishing the last Broadway West building, and aligning our work centers. This improvement will continue throughout the next year as we explore how AI can help us become more efficient and identify opportunities for improvement.
“We’ve always used robotic welding, laser cutting, and buffing, and we’re looking to expand what we can do robotically. Looking ahead five years, I hope to see Dee Zee operating efficiently within our two main campuses, continuing to grow in automotive OEM and aftermarket, while exploring opportunities in other industries. I want us to remain a large employer in the Des Moines area and continue making a positive impact on our community,” she concludes.
“Another key priority of mine is promoting manufacturing as a career for women. Manufacturing isn’t always seen as glamorous or a field women pursue, but we have everything from entry-level positions to professional engineers, and bringing women into the workforce adds fresh perspectives. That’s something I’m passionate about continuing to promote.”