A Look Inside Safe Jack

By Amanda DePeel. Photos by Safe Jack

An interview with Amanda DePeel at Safe Jack

What is your background?
I was a farm kid. I grew up doing off road driving from the age of 5, no kidding. I drove pickups, International Scout, Old flat fender Willys pickups, 2 ton trucks out in the fields. Spent lots of time in the mud and I learned a lot about driving. I also spent a lot of time under farm equipment with a jack and a bunch of blocks trying to fix something while lying in the mud. I left the farm when I was 23 and went to aircraft maintenance school. I worked for a number of companies as an aircraft mechanic until 1983 when I opened my own company, Bogert Aviation. I have been a licensed aircraft mechanic for 45 years.

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What year did you open your company?
Bogert Aviation was my first company started in 1983 and we have been in business ever since. In 2006 we had an opportunity to develop a special jack for the military for heavy armored vehicles. Through that experience, I recognized the need for improvements to the jacks that are commonly in use. We started SAFE JACK in 2012 as a result of that work. I am proud that we can say, “Made in the USA”.

What drove you to be a part of the Overland and/or Van Life community?

Jacks haven’t changed in a meaningful way in over 100 years. It really seemed like the Overlanding community needed our gear and we wanted it tested by those that would be out in the boonies and needed to depend on their gear. We asked quite a number of off road driving experts to test and evaluate our ideas. One thing led to another and our gear was endorsed and given high marks in various product reviews. That got the ball rolling. We are very thankful for the support of the Overlanding community.

What are the reasons you started producing/selling the products you do?

While doing research for a military project, I came across a report claiming that 10’s of thousands of people are injured each year in jack related accidents. It seemed that everyone was comfortable with the status quo. I figured there was no reason for that many injuries. We should do something about it. Imagine having your rig falling off the jack in your driveway would be terrible but there would be emergency services nearby. If the same thing happens out on the trail…it could be fatal, especially if you are on your own.

What do your customers enjoy most about your products?

When it comes right down to it, the customers love our products because they work. They know that if there is an emergency, they can depend on SAFE JACK products to come through for them. Ask someone that uses our gear. They will tell you.

Where is the majority of your customer base located?

While we do a fair amount of exporting to Europe, Canada and Australia, most of our customers are located in the USA. We have a large customer base in the southwest states (California, Nevada, Arizona) where bottle jack use is more common, and we have a large customer base on the Eastern side of the United States that focuses more on Hi-Lift accessories.

Where do you see your company going in the next few years or so?

We started with one product for the Hi-Lift type jack and have expanded from there, The SAFE JACK brand is growing very quickly.  I expect our volume to more than double in the next two years. We have some new product lines that are very exciting. You will be hearing about them soon. We also have been awarded a contract for some specialty SAFE JACK gear for the military. I fully expect that the government market will become a major part of our business.

Any additional information you would like to share?

Safe Jack is growing for a few really good reasons.  We are needed. Safety is no accident. We build nothing but the best. If you depend on your gear, you are going to want to carry SAFE JACK. Our customer service staff is brilliant. If you have questions, they will make sure you get answers.  As we say, “We make common jacks…uncommonly safe.”

Want to learn more about Safe Jack?

Reach out to Amanda DePeel