Utility Trailer Manufacturing announced Monday at the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting in Nashville an expansion of its North American dealer network alongside the launch of a new line of advanced hybrid Transport Refrigeration Units (TRUs).
The expansion includes new facilities, strategic acquisitions, and relocations stretching from the West Coast to Mexico, all aimed at bolstering service capacity and parts availability.
Expansion and realignment
Mark Glasgow, Chief of Sales for Utility Trailer.
Mark Glasgow, Chief of Sales for Utility Trailer, noted the company's dealers are investing aggressively to meet fleets' evolving needs, adding this has been the most active 12 month period of investment and expansion in 30-plus years.
The company’s dealer network is seeing movement across several key regions. A new full-service dealership opened in Chilhowie, Virginia. This tenth location for Southeast Utility Trailer is strategically positioned between Utility’s manufacturing plants in Atkins and Glade Spring to enhance regional fleet support.
Utility Trailer of California acquired TNT Sales of Oregon (now operating as Pacific Coast Utility Trailer) and added a new location in Delhi, California. The dealer is also finalized the acquisition of Western Trailer Repair’s operations in Seattle. Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company added Western Trailer Repair to its dealer network last fall as a parts and service provider in Seattle.
Interstate Utility Trailer is opening a mobile service facility in Valley View, Ohio, and a new full-service location in Sellersburg, Indiana. Additionally, a second Cincinnati-area dealership is under construction in Franklin, Ohio, which will eventually house the company’s headquarters.
Utility Trailer Sales Southeast Texas acquired Utility Trailer of Dallas, rebranding as Utility Trailer of Texas with a new facility in Amarillo. Meanwhile, Utility Trailers de Mexico added nine new locations, bringing its nationwide total to 13.
Most recently, Southern States Utility Trailer, with locations in Mississippi and Louisiana, has purchased Utility Trailer Sales of Tennessee in the Nashville-area.
New hybrid technology
Coinciding with the physical expansion, Utility launched the Cargobull 625+ Mono-Temp and 655MT+ Multi-Temp hybrid TRUs. Developed exclusively for the 3000R refrigerated trailer, these units use ultra-low-emission hybrid technology.
The new units feature a two-stage compressor in a sealed assembly, eliminating the traditional shaft seal to reduce refrigerant loss and maintenance costs. According to the company, the units offer up to 20% more cooling capacity at -20 degrees Fahrenheit and are quieter compared to prior models.
The system also introduces an optional electric power take-off (ePTO). When paired with an electric tractor, the TRU can operate entirely on electric power, removing the need for high-voltage battery systems or e-axles on the trailer itself.
Andreas Schmitz, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of Schmitz Cargobull, noted that the company has more 1,000 TRUs in the market despite only being in North America for just more than a year.
