Derrico/Midwest Specialized Logistics open new location

A long-vacant corner of Colby’s industrial park has recently come to life as the home of two interrelated businesses, Derrico Logistics and Midwest Specialized Logistics.

Last Friday, business owners Nolan and Brooke Derrico cut the ribbon in front of their newly constructed office building on the corner of Park Place and Meadow Drive on the north end of the city’s business park.

Family members and employees gathered together with representatives from the city of Colby, the Abby-Colby Chamber Crossings Chamber of Commerce and the Clark County Economic Development Corporation to celebrate the grand opening of the new location.

Nolan described the humble origins of his parents’original company, Derrico Trucking, which they started in 2003.

“At the beginning, there was only one truck, one trailer, and one driver – that driver being my father,” he said. “My parents primarily focused on flatbed freight, hauling things like lumber and building materials. That focus did begin to change once my parents began to learn more about specialized hauling.”

Matthew and Terese Derrico continue to work for the company after their son bought it in 2021, with Matthew continuing to drive truck and Terese working as a certified pilot car operator, making regular trips to California and back in her pickup truck.

Nolan said a turning point for his parents’ businesses was getting involved in “over-dimensional transportation,” the hauling of oversized loads, about a decade ago. Both he and his brother were hired to work at the company when they were still in high school, leading them to learn how to operate and maintain the equipment.

As soon as he turned 18, Nolan got his commercial driver’s license and started driving truck for his family’s company. Not long after, he bought his own truck and trailer and took on the risk of becoming an owner-operator while still hauling freight for Derrico.

In 2019, Nolan started his own company, Midwest Specialized Logistics, a non-asset based freight brokerage – “not to be mistaken for a trucking company,” he said – which arranges deliveries for customers looking to haul freight.

“It took off quickly, and by the time the first summer rolled around, I had already hired Adam (Seefluth) to help with the brokerage,” he said. “Today, this brokerage is primarily used for overflow work that our company trucks are unable to handle.”

Both Derrico and Midwest Specialized operate across the lower 48 United States and in Canada and Alaska. Before moving to their current location in Colby, the two companies worked side by side on the family’s land west of Dorchester.

“At that time, we were operating both companies out of a three-car garage that was transformed into a hunting cabin and then transformed into an office, which was located on my grandparents’ farm, which is now my parents’ farm,” Nolan explained.

The original family farm was continually modified to accommodate the companies’ trucks and equipment.

“The cow pasture got smaller with every load of gravel that got hauled into expand the yard space,” he said.

Working with the city of Colby, the Derricos were able to find a piece of land for the company to relocate to in the city’s industrial park. As soon as they bought the land in 2023, Nolan said they immediately started developing it as a shipping yard and office space.

“It has been a long process from then until now, and the place sure does look different than the hayfield it was back then,” he said.

The office building, constructed by Precision Builders, includes a conference room, a trucker’s lounge, a break room, reception desk, offices, bathrooms and show rooms.

At last Friday’s ribbon-cutting, several of the companies’ loaded truckers were staged in the yards, providing an example of what the company does. Two larger loads contained two pieces of an electrical closure bound for a suburb of Phoenix, where it will be used for Arizona Public Service, a public utility that provides electricity.

“The new enclosure will ensure safe, reliable and efficient operation for a substation,” he said.

Another load contained a Curse Buster tillage machine, which is designed to preserve the soil and manage erosion for farmers.

“The first model hit the market in 2011 and they’ve been busy building them ever since,” he said. “This particular machine is destined for TLC Farms in Eaton, Colorado, which is north of Denver near Fort Collins.”

Jason Lindeman of Forward Bank, who has worked with the Derricos since they purchased their first truck years ago, said “it’s been inspiring to witness your commitment and passion every step of the way.”

“Running a profitable business takes vision, courage and a whole lot of hard work,” he said. “Today is a testament to that dedication.”