We understand that being a small business owner is tough. That’s why we plan to spotlight a different business each month to help you learn about unique businesses in your own back yard.  

Tucked away down a quiet wooded lane just outside the Village of Bremen is one of the most unique businesses imaginable. But odds are you don’t even know they exist unless you’re from the Bremen area or you have a thing for diesel engines.

If you are among their legions of enthusiasts, you know that Unlimited Diesel Performance, Inc. is one of the best in the nation at what they do.

The business was born from a friendship between two former classmates who had a passion for working on diesel equipment and trucks. That was eleven years ago and the result has been phenomenal. Now Unlimited Diesel not only works on vehicles, they operate a booming mail order business for parts and have a successful injection shop.

Partners Nate Bailor and Ben Burnworth said they started out as just a couple of guys tinkering on their own vehicles – a hobby really. Then other people started bringing vehicles by their garage.

One thing led to another and before they knew it, both had quit their jobs and were self employed full time. Ben had previously worked for his father’s construction company and had cut his teeth working on his dad’s diesel equipment. Nate, with a vocational school background in automotive, had worked for other automotive shops.

Today they work on all kinds of trucks, specializing in Ford diesel engines, and filling to capacity their large garage on Logan-Thornville Road.

They are known for quality repair work, routine maintenance and performance work in their garage. The mail order part business is also hugely successful as they ship parts all over the nation and the world. “We have shipped parts all over – as far away as Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, even to Australia,” Nate explained.

Unlimited Diesel is currently among just a handful of businesses that they say do their line of work, extremely well, especially in the injectors field.

What sets them apart from the competition? They say it’s a combination of things, beginning with a lifetime warranty on injectors that is good for as long as the customer owns the vehicle. That squashes the one, two and five year warranties typically offered by the competition.

Ben also pointed out that their return rate on this warranty is so minimal they are confident their work is solid. “We take a different approach to it that may cost us a little more but we believe the product is worth it,” Ben said.

The pair were also quick to point out that some trade secrets result in superior work.

For fun, they are building a truck of their own they expect to take to truck pulls this summer. They will compete in the 3.0 class of a Central Ohio circuit, believing their unique build of chassis will give them a leg up on the competition.

But the two are interested in more than just chassis and injectors and diesels. They are good hearted , small town boys who seem to truly care about the community. In fact, they support the Cordle Cares Foundation, which raised $30,000 in 2014 to assist other non-profit organizations in Fairfield County and to provide scholarships to local students. Nate serves on the board and the business supports the organization through events like Bowling With Buckeyes which is coming up on July 11.

Career experts recommend doing something you love so that you never have to work a day in your life. When asked if it is still fun for them, the two agreed that it is. “We try to have as much fun as we can and we are still enjoying it,” Nate said.

Ben added, “It’s a dream come true. Not too many people can go to work every day and be happy.”

They try to make their employees happy as well, working to keep morale high and even taking the group to lunch in Lancaster every Friday.

Much has happened in eleven years and they say business has been good. However, Ben and Nate agree that they could benefit from a larger facility and more employees. “ We would love to expand someday. More space, more people would allow us to take on more work,” Nate explained.

Unlimited Diesel is located at 408 Logan-Thornville Rd NE, Bremen. Call them at 740.569.1319 or find them online at www.unlimiteddiesel.com or on Facebook.