Independent Truck Company
Independent Truck Company is a skateboard truck manufacturer based in Santa Cruz, California. Established in 1978, the company is owned by NHS, Inc. and sponsors an extensive list of team riders. The trucks are manufactured in the San Francisco and in China by Ermico Enterprises, Inc., the only dedicated skateboard truck foundry in the United States.
History
The company was co-founded by Richard Novak, Jay Shiurman, Fausto Vitello, and Eric Swenson and the Stage 1 model was the inaugural product, released on May 23, 1978 in Newark, California. The Independent truck (or "Indy") was designed as a response to the lack of quality skateboard trucks on the market at the time. In reference to the two other major truck companies on the market, Blackhart stated that one broke, and one didn’t turn (Bennett Trucks and Tracker Trucks, respectively).[1]
Logo
The iconic logo for the trucks was based on the Iron Cross according to legendary skateboard illustrator Jim Phillips, who created the design. It has remained the Independent logo since the company's inception.
Jim Phillips says in his 2007 book "The Art of Jim Phillips":
"...I began toying with the iron, or Maltese cross which was long dead as the old 60s surfer's cross, and even longer dead as the biker's cross. I used a beam compass to make it into a round shape, which looked completely different than the old square iron crosses... I took my idea into the NHS office the next morning and it went on the wall as usual. Jay and Rich each stared at it for a while, and they both thought that it looked a little too "Nazi". My sketches were rejected and I was sent back to the drawing board. I went back to my studio determined to use it, knowing it was the one. I searched my archives and scrap file for some justification for using the symbol. I found a firefighter's logo, symbols on the knights and Columbus sails. Then in my scrap file, under the letter P, I found a Time magazine cover of Pope John Paul from the June 18,1979 edition. It was amazing; there was a cross on his vestments almost the way I designed mine. I marched into the office the next morning with the magazine to show what I thought was proof of acceptability. They both looked at each other and said, 'Well, if the Pope has it, it must be okay!' That was that, and the Independent cross was born."
Team
- Tony Hawk
- Ryan Sheckler[2]
- Greg Lutzka[3]
- Chris Haslam[4]
- Andrew Reynolds[5]
- Lizard King[6]
- Braydon Szafranski[7]
- Justin "Figgy" Figueora[8]
- Fred Gall
- David Gravette[9]
- David González[10]
- Matt Miller[11]
- Luan Oliveira[11]
- Peter Raffin[11]
- Truman Hooker[11]
- Sean Conover[11]
- Evan Smith[11]
- Darren Navarette[12]
- Ben Raybourn
- Shawn Hale[13]
- Jeff Grosso
- Alex Olson
- Brian Anderson
- Victor Cortez
- Peter Hewitt[13]
- Emanuel Guzman[13]
- Lance Mountain[13]
- Dan Drehobl[13]
- Christian Hosoi[14][15]
- Ben Raemers[16]
- Dustin Dollin
- Aaron "Jaws" Homoki
- John Cardiel
- Greyson Fletcher
- Louie Lopez
- Curren Capels
- Corey Glick
- Chris Russell
- Tony Trujillo
- Ronny Sandoval
- Jagger Eaton
- Lizzie Armanto
- Ray Barbee
- Anthony Van Engelen
- Bob Burnquist
- Geoff Rowley
- Steve Alba
- Tony Alva
- Jesse Alba
- Omar Hassan
- Pedro Barros
- Rune Glifberg
- Bucky Lasek
- Stu Graham
- Kevin Kowalski
- Sam Hitz
- Gilbert Crockett
- Al Partanen
- Tommy Guerrero
- Steve Caballero
- Charlie Blair
- Scott Decenzo
- Dallas Rockvam
- Rick Howard
- Andrew Allen
- Elijah Berle
- Josh Borden
- Grant Taylor
- Auby Taylor
- Danny Way
- Chris Gregson
- Mike Smith
- Daniel Lutheran
- Eddie Elguera
- Wes Kremer
- Jake Johnson
- Ben Hatchell
- Mason Merlino
- Pat Ngoho
- Jim Greco
- Cyril Jackson
- Rowan Zorilla
- Kevin Long
- Braydon Szafranski
- Riley Hawk
- Erick Winkowski
- Raney Beres
- Roman Pabich
- Alex “Al” Adams
- Tristan Rennie
- Terry Brown
- Clayton Townsend
References
- ↑ Denike, Bob. BUILT TO GRIND: 25 YEARS of hardcore skateboarding from the archives of INDEPENDENT TRUCK COMPANY. San Francisco: NHS, 2004. Print.
- ↑ IndependentTrucks (21 August 2006). "Eric Koston - New Independent Stage 9 Low" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ Strange Notes (August 2012). "On The Spot With Greg Lutzka". Strange Notes. Strange Notes. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ IndependentTrucks (19 May 2010). "CHRIS HASLAM - NEW PRO V SERIES by INDEPENDENT TRUCKS". YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ Sidewalk (May 2012). "New Independent Trucks advert with Andrew Reynolds". Sidewalk. MPORA ACTION SPORTS NETWORK. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ "Team - Lizard King". Supra Footwear. One Distribution. 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- ↑ Dustin Dollin (August 2012). "6 Pack: Braydon Szafranski" (Video upload). Strange Notes. NHS, Inc. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ Don Nyugen (2012). "6 Pack: Figgy" (Video upload). Strange Notes. NHS, Inc. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ IndependentTrucks (9 September 2011). "6 Pack with David Gravette" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ IndependentTrucks (14 July 2011). "David Gonzalez Rides Independent" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 kdub (19 February 2010). "Fresh team pick ups". Strange Notes. NHS, Inc. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ IndependentTrucks (2 October 2012). "5&5 with Navs" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 rhino (12 January 2013). "Agenda Trade Show weekend" (Photo upload). Strange Notes. NHS, Inc. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ Aaron Smith (7 September 2012). "INDEPENDENT TRUCKS BEHIND THE AD WITH CHRISTIAN HOSOI". Skateboarder magazine. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ "Riders". Strange Notes. Strange Notes. August 2013. Archived from the original on 12 August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- ↑ "5&5 with Ben Raemers" (Video upload). Strange Notes on YouTube. Google Inc. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.