March
2011
"STORIES"

By Steve Pollock

FREEPORT, PA.... While many companies struggled to survive the recession, Manac Trailers U.S. had an astonishing 280% increase in sales from 2009 to 2010.  Body Builder Magazine currently rates Manac 8th among North America's Top 10 Trailer Manufacturers and they continue to climb in rank.  The company's customer base is comprised of primarily small to medium size fleets and owner-operators.

Manac's success comes from a strong dealer network, 3 great brands and a continuing commitment to delivering value to their customers.  Manac also offers one of the most diverse product lines of any North American trailer manufacturer.

 In this recent recession Manac acquired strategic assets of Trailmobile and reintroduced the Trailmobile ULTRAPLATE Dry Van. In 2002, during the previous downturn, Manac had acquired CPS dumps, adding bottom, side, and end dumps as well as grain trailers, enhancing their product offerings.  Along with these acquisitions, came manufacturing plants in both Kennett and Oran, Missouri.  Manac is now the only North American trailer manufacturer to have  plants in the U.S. as well as in Canada.  The Trailmobile ULTRAPLATE Dry Van is manufactured entirely in the U.S. at the Kennett, Missouri plant. That facility also manufactures platform and stepdeck trailers as well.  The Oran, Missouri plant continues to build the CPS line of agricultural and construction dump trailers.

Producing over-the-road trailers in the US Midwest has allowed Manac to more effectively serve the U.S. market, while enabling the Canadian plants to concentrate on building custom trailers for Canadian and U.S. customers.  This strategy has been so successful; it has not only fueled sales growth, but has positioned Manac to now export trailers back up to Canada.

Another significant part of Manac’s recent growth is the company's innovation in the marketplace.  By improving existing products as well as introducing new ones, Manac has been able to keep pace with the changing needs of the trucking industry.  Last year the company introduced the industry's first 100% galvanized steel stepdeck platform trailer, the new redesigned Darkwing Aluminum Platform, along with engineering and corrosion improvements to the already successful ULTRAPLATE Dry Van.

Recently the widespread use of liquid deicers has created severe corrosion issues for tractors and trailers that log many miles during the winter months.  Manac has been addressing these corrosion problems by offering a hot zinc dip galvanizing process on nearly all their steel trailer components. These galvanized parts, as well as the fully galvanized platform trailers; offer corrosion resistance far superior to paint.  The galvanized coating will not shrink, crack or peel like paint or other coatings. However, customers can still order painted trailers if they prefer a more traditional look.  Galvanized corrosion resistance is now a standard offering in all Manac trailers. Even the composite ULTRAPLATE Dry Van features galvanized steel componentry, including coupler assemblies, rear frame and slider rails.  For Manac customers this equates to value of ownership in the form of lower maintenance costs, a longer life cycle and a greater residual value.

To learn more about the innovative trailers and complete product lines offered by Manac, call their U.S. sales headquarters in Freeport, Pennsylvania at 877-466-2622 or log onto www.manac.us. Or www.trailmobiletrailers.net You can also talk with a Manac representative at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky on March 31, April 1 and 2.  They will be at Booth #16160 in the North Wing.