According to Trailer Body Builders’ recently-published 5-year Forecast, industry data shows that the growth currently being experienced within the trailer market is “unprecedented.” This can be attributed to a number of consumer trends, most notably the rise of e-commerce and omnichannel retail. As much of the world is getting used to ultra-convenient delivery, North American trailer manufacturers, in particular, are reaping the rewards of the trend.
With a retail revolution like this, new and smaller trailer manufacturers are scrambling to get in on the action, but the 25 tried and true players – many of which have been around for 50 years or longer – still hold 90% of market share. These trailer-makers are the ones who have been innovating the semi-trailer market for years and have the budget, talent, and tools to continue doing so.
As the transportation and logistics industry continues to evolve and manufacturers look for ways to build more aerodynamic trailers, seek the most durable materials, and other improvements to boost transportation efficiency while maintaining regulatory compliance, these manufacturers are the companies to watch.
Below, you will find a list of the top 25 semi-trailer manufacturers operating in North America today. The following have been organized alphabetically, for your convenience.
Recently crowned as “Saskatchewan Manufacturer of the Year” in 2018, Doepker Industries is a customer-driven trailer-maker that specializes in made-to-order, customizable trailers for grain, gravel, deck, logging, and oil-based fleets. Doepker Industries also holds a wide range of patent-pending engineered designs which are backed up by an array of in-house, signature inspections.
Key facts about Doepker Industries:
Doonan Trailer Corporation has been providing fleets the world over with steel, aluminum, and combo trailers since 1973. This Kansas-based manufacturer specializes in made-to-order and mass production all-steel and all-aluminum custom flatbeds, drop decks, double drops, oilfield trailers, extendibles, and RGN lowbeds.
Key facts about Doonan Trailer Corporation:
For over 50 years, East Manufacturing has provided fleets with sturdy flatbed, drop deck, dump and refuse trailer applications that are specifically designed to maximize payloads. These days, the company’s goal is to continually manufacture highly-specialized, ultra-long-lasting trailers at the lightest weights possible for heightened MPGs and swifter ROIs.
Key facts about East Manufacturing:
Fontaine Trailer is best known for being the largest platform trailer manufacturer in North America. In addition to its illustrious title, Fontaine’s portfolio also includes a heavy-haul catalog, featuring lowbed, extendable, and hydraulic tails, as well as friction stir welded doors, factory installed optional equipment, Fontaine trailer parts, and even a Department of Defense line of trailers.
Key facts about Fontaine Commercial Trailer:
Felling Trailers has been operating in Central Minnesota for 45 years. The trailer-maker manufactures a wide range of products, including those used in commercial, construction, utility/telecom, and government-based fleets. In terms of quality of processing, Felling Trailers is at the top of their class; in fact, in 2017, the manufacturer received the coveted ISO 9001:2015 Certification for its Quality Management System in the Saulk Center and Litchfield operations.
Key facts about Felling Trailers:
Great Dane is one of the most recognizable names in the trailer business – and for good reason: it has consistently provided fleets with high-quality, innovative products for 120 years. Currently, the manufacturer makes hundreds of different models within a range of six separate product families, including the Everest, Alpine, and Johnson (refrigerated), Champion and Sahara (dry freight), and Freedom (flatbed).
Key facts about Great Dane:
Heil Trailer’s portfolio includes a diverse range of trailers, including those manufactured for hauling sensitive materials, such as petroleum, crude oil, and cryogenic materials, as well as everyday dry bulk and asphalts. Though its product line is vast, the manufacturer is best known for its groundbreaking stainless steel trailer, a favorite of fleets everywhere for close to a century.
Key facts about Heil Trailer:
Hyundai Translead is currently the #1 van trailer manufacturer in all of North America. The large trailer-maker specializes in customized products within a wide range of lines, including its dry van trailers, refrigerated trailers, flatbed trailers, chassis, and dollies.
Key facts about Hyundai Translead:
Servant Leader’s Kentucky Trailers is a specialty trailer manufacturer that has a versatile product range which includes trailers specifically built for commercial, military/government, mobile medical, moving/storage, motorsports, mobile marketing, oil/gas, and much more. In addition to its established product line, Kentucky Trailers also includes a division that specializes in the building of completely customized trailers serving a variety of unique industries.
Key facts about Kentucky Trailers:
Alliance, Ohio-based MAC Trailer is a popular manufacturer of steel and aluminum dump trailers, transfer trailers, flatbed trailers, drop deck trailers, pneumatic tank trailers, and straight truck bodies. Its network includes wreck, repair, and service locations, as well as a comprehensive sales division which offers competitively-priced used and leased trailers and aftermarket parts.
Key facts about MAC Trailers:
Since 1976, Pitts Trailers has been providing America’s forestry and construction-based fleets with a variety of hauling options, including log trailers, chip vans, moving floors, loader trailers, hydraulic tails, tagalongs, and many more. Currently, Pitts Trailers is the Lowboy leader, as it features six unique, ultra heavy-duty options in its product catalog.
Key facts about Pitts Trailers:
Polar Tank Trailer designs trailers for industries that routinely haul sensitive materials, such as chemicals, food, petroleum, food grade liquid, corrosives, hot products, and more. Its Food Grade line is specifically built to meet the 3A and Sanitary Food Grade Standards, making it a leading choice for North America-based food manufacturers.
Key facts about Polar Tank Trailer:
Back in 1982, Reitnouer Trailers revolutionized the trailer manufacturing industry by making the very first totally bolted aluminum flatbed trailer. Since then, Reitnouer has continued to expand its product line by regularly adding trailer designs built for heavy-duty and flexible use, including flatbeds, drop decks, multi-axles, b-trains, and an innovative range of specialty trailers.
Key facts about Reitnouer Trailers:
Strick Trailers bills itself as being “America’s premier manufacturer of aluminum sheet and post trailers.” Its title is backed up by a solid industry reputation for manufacturing a range of dry van trailers, as well as custom models. Its specialized trailers are made to support a variety of different industries, including sports, beverage companies, food manufacturers, and more.
Key facts about Strick Trailers:
Stoughton Trailers is a Wisconsin-based manufacturer that has been in business since 1960. Its product range includes a number of specialized and traditional trailers and parts, including Z+ composites, tough plates, aluminum sheets and post, grain trailers, drop frames, extra wides, livestock trailers, and refrigerated trailers.
Key facts about Stoughton Trailers:
130-year-old Timpte, Inc. manufactures the leading grain hopper in all of North America. Its flagship “Super Hopper” model has been the most popular in the market since 1980 and comes with over 1,000 different customization possibilities in both its 22-foot and 50-foot models.
Key facts about Timpte, Inc.:
Trail King Industries is a leading manufacturer for industries working within an array of disciplines, including open deck construction, open deck commercial, materials hauling construction, agricultural, and other specialized industries. This South Dakota-based manufacturer also boasts a large service and parts department, which includes refurbishment.
Key facts about Trail King Industries:
Towmaster Trailers is a Litchfield, Minnesota-based trailer manufacturer that specializes in the design and build of drop decks, hydraulic dumps, deckovers, rigid/detachable goosenecks, hydraulic tails, and much more. In 2017, Towmaster Trailers was purchased by Monroe Truck Equipment, a merger that has further diversified the company’s trailer portfolio.
Key facts about Towmaster Trailers:
Ever since 1989, Travis Body and Trailer, Inc. has built more than 14,000 trailers within an array of different heavy-duty categories, including end and bottom dumps, rendering trailers, steel trailers, and transfer trailers. The manufacturer also makes a line of specialty trailers that can be customized to the specific needs of each unique fleet.
Key facts about Travis Body and Trailer, Inc.:
Ever since 1938, Talbert Manufacturing has been making some of the industry’s finest heavy haul trailers and trailer parts. The Northwest Indiana-based facility routinely makes custom trailers for a variety of industries, including commercial, construction, transportation, utility, military, government, aerospace, agriculture, oil field, rail, and energy.
Key facts about Talbert Manufacturing:
Utility Trailer is “a leading manufacturer of quality, lightweight, high-value dry vans, refrigerated vans, flatbeds, and customizable commercial trailers.” The company has been in existence for over a century and throughout the years, it has pioneered a number of different trailer technologies, including industry-standard foam-in-place insulation and much more.
Key facts about Utility Trailer:
Vanguard National Trailer Corp. is a manufacturer of innovative dry freight and refrigerated semi-trailer vans for the North America transportation industry. Its models include composite sidewall as well as sheet and post dry van models, and, truckload, grocery, and multi-temp refrigerated trailer models.
Key facts about Vanguard National Trailer Corp.:
Wabash National is a leading trailer manufacturer of dry vans, refrigerated vans, tank trailers, and platforms. Founded in 1985, the trailer-maker has diversified its client portfolio to include some of the biggest names in the commercial transportation, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries.
Key facts about Wabash National:
Western Trailer is a manufacturer that provides heavy-duty products to many working in the transportation industry. Its line of trailers includes a wide range of models, such as the Agricultural, Platform, Forest, Refuse, Curtain, and Specialty. In addition to its trailer manufacturing business, Western Trailers also serves the transportation community as the biggest parts dealer in the Northwest.
XPO Logistics provides specialized solutions to both the transportation and supply chain sectors. In addition to serving as a tried and true delivery firm, XPO Logistics also offers emergency parts and repair services when fleets need it most, with typical turnaround times of 24 hours.
Key facts about XPO Logistics:
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