The top 25 trailer manufacturers built more than 366,000 trailers in 2018, which was 51,000 more than 2017 results, a US source has reported.
The 2018 trailer production total is reportedly trending at peak levels for the fourth consecutive year, surpassing 360,000 units, according to a manufacturer survey (Top 25 North American Truck-Trailer & Chassis OEMs published in February 2019).
Of the companies surveyed, Heil Trailer and Polar Tank have dropped from the list. Fruehauf de Mexico and Premier Trailer have reportedly taken their place.
High container chassis numbers are disrupting trailer builder rankings as the collective OEMs reported chassis production at 15 per cent of total trailer numbers in 2018 (up 10 per cent in 2017).
It is estimated that these OEMs built over 314,000 complete trailers in 2018 plus and approximately 52,000 incomplete trailers or container chassis. In 2017, the surveyed OEMs built 282,000 complete trailers plus 33,000 chassis. The variation between complete trailer and chassis production can affect the global OEM ranking.
There is speculation, based on trailer order backlog data, that the top trailer builders will repeat similar build rates for the first two quarters of 2019.
The OEMs shared their production results for 2018 with the source.
US-based Hyundai Translead built 65,737 total truck trailers in 2018, an 8 per cent increase over 2017.
Wabash National delivered 60,150 complete truck-trailers in 2018, an 11 per cent increase above 2017.
Vanguard National Trailer confirmed its parent company, CIMC USA, built its container chassis while Vanguard National built its dry freight vans and reefers. Vanguard produced 11,800 dry freight vans, which as a 25 per cer cent boost compared with last year. The OEM reportedly built 3,200 refrigerated vans (27 per cent increase over 2017) and a total of 15,000 dry and refrigerated vans (25 per cent better than 2017).
CIMC Intermodal produced 43,000 container chassis (53 per cent over 2017), and CIMC chassis and Vanguard van production together totalling 58,000 units (45 per cent increase over 2017).
Great Dane built 49,000 trailers in 2018 (seven per cent over 2017).
Utility Trailer Manufacturing built 48,802 trailers in 2018 (13 per cent increase over 2017), including 21,122 dry freight vans, 24,586 refrigerated trailers and a total of 3,094 flatbeds and curtainsiders.
Stoughton Trailers reportedly shipped 15,832 trailers in 2018 (1.5 per cent over 2017).
Fontaine Trailer Company built 8,541 trailers in 2018 (46 per cent increase over 2017).
Manac produced 8,300 truck-trailers in 2018 (14 per cent increase over 2017).
EnTrans International (including Heil Trailer and Polar Tank) produced 7,684 trailers (having collectively produced 5,000 tank and lowbed trailers in 2017).
Strick Corporation built 6,100 trailers and chassis in 2018 (a 36 per cent increase over 2017).
MAC Trailer Manufacturing built 5,994 trailers in 2018 (a 26 per cent increase over 2017).
Pitts Enterprises built 4,800 trailers in 2018 (9.1 per cent increase over 2017).
Reitnouer built 3,695 trailers in 2018 (a 21 per cent increase over 2017).
East Manufacturing Company built 3,393 trailers in 2018 (18 per cent boost over 2017).
Timpte built 3,080 trailers in 2018, which was a drop of four per cent in production compared with last year’s results.
Trail King Industries built 2,400 trailers in 2018 (a 14 per cent increase over 2017).
Fruehauf de Mexico built 2,369 trailers in 2018 (an 11 per cent increase over 2017).
Doepker Industries built 1,970 trailers in 2018, doubling production compared with last year’s results.
Kentucky Trailer built 1,866 trailers in 2018, almost a boost of a third of last year’s results.
XPO Logistics Trailer Manufacturing built 1,774 van trailers in 2018, down by three per cent compared with 2017 results.
Felling Trailers built 1,688 truck-trailers in 2018 (an increase of 11 per cent over 2017).
Western Trailer built 1,142 trailers in 2018 (a 15 per cent increase over the previous year).
Premier Trailer built 1,088 trailers in 2018 (a nine per cent increase over 2017).
Talbert Manufacturing built 1,062 trailers in 2018 (an increase of 33 per cent over 2017).
Tremcar built 959 tank trailers in 2018 (an increase of 16 per cent over 2017).
Travis Body and Trailer built 949 trailers.
October last year, Global Trailer published its latest top 25 global OEM ranking list. This resource can be downloaded here.