Cargo trailers are enclosed trailers to transport goods, tools, livestock, and more. If you’re looking for a high-quality trailer, you will find many reputable American brands to choose from below.
The leading cargo trailer brands:
- American Trailer World Corp
- Great Dane
- Wilson Trailer Company
- HDT Global
- Sundowner Trailers Inc.
- Aluma Ltd.
- Vanguard National Trailer Corp.
They offer unique features and have gained their reputations due to their quality and leading annual sales.
In this article, you will find details about each brand, including some history, descriptions of products they offer, and information on annual sales.
You will find our top picks for certain needs, highlighting the specialty of each manufacturer. This will help you determine which brand may have the trailer that best suits your needs.
Rent a cargo trailer also has some interesting articles on Buying A Utility Trailer and Buying an Enclosed Trailer
Largest Manufacturer: American Trailer World Corp.
American Trailer World (ATW) is the umbrella over several leading trailer brands, including BigTex, PJ Trailers, CM Trailers, RC Trailers, and more.
The company has the largest collection of trailer and truck bed manufacturers. Each company in the ATW family offers something specific, whether it is trailers specific for livestock, tools, cars, toys, etc.
The ATW family of companies offers the broadest range of trailer types, features, and parts. Headquartered out of Texas, ATW produces over $900 million in sales annually.
ATW will connect you with the retailer that will best fit your needs. They have national reach and boast unmatched organizational might.
If you are looking for any sort of cargo trailer, there is a good chance that ATW is going to be your best bet.
As you continue through this article, you will notice the size of this company and the sales it generates more than doubles almost all other manufacturers.
This is a large network that works as a one-size-fits-all as the ATW family of companies offers everything from commercial to personal use.
An advantage of choosing ATW is the network you become connected with. When you need service, it is very likely that no matter your location, there will be a company nearby that is a part of the ATW family.
However, with this all being said, there is a chance the large size may make your search overwhelming, or you want to support a smaller, family-owned company.
Read on to learn more about some smaller brands with big reputations.
Best for Innovative Features: Great Dane
Great Dane was founded in 1900 in Savannah, Georgia. The company created sheet metal systems to move sawdust and woodchips out of sawmills.
The company started building flatbed cargo trailers in the early 1930s. Great Dane is a pioneer in transportation solutions, and the company has earned a great reputation after years of excellence.
Great Dane has remained committed to the research and development of new products. They were the innovator of refrigerated trailers.
The company boasts durable and high-quality trailers and emphasizes excellent customer service and their relationships with customers.
Great Dane’s product catalog includes:
- Refrigerated trailers
- Dry trailers
- Open-deck trailers
The company also produces and sells parts, tools, and accessories for trailers.
Great Dane offers both standalone trailers and truck bodies. The company’s headquarters is in Chicago, Illinois.
Products and parts are sold at dealers across the whole United States. The company produces over $500 million in revenue annually.
Best for Livestock: Wilson Trailer Company
Wilson Trailer Company is another innovator in the cargo trailer industry. The company started in 1890, specializing in livestock transportation. The company shares its mission of “Customer Satisfaction Through Quality Products & Services.”
The company uses corrosion-resistant aluminum on its trailers after studying its advantages and limits. The advantage is that the aluminum is longer lasting and has lower maintenance costs.
The company claims their trailers provide the latest innovations, a long service life, and the best value in the industry, emphasizing concern for operator and cargo safety.
Wilson’s product catalog includes:
- Livestock trailers
- Commodity trailers
- Flatbed trailers
- Gooseneck livestock trailers
The family-owned business has headquarters in Sioux City, Iowa, and all production plants are located in the midwest, with retailers across the country.
Wilson Trailer Company generates $131 million in revenue each year.
Best for Military and Industrial Use: HDT Global
HDT Global offers several trailer systems specific for military or industrial use and ideal for any extreme environment, and the company shares values of safety, quality, integrity, innovation, and service.
HDT Global has a unique product catalog.
HDT Global’s trailer system product catalog includes:
- Generator trailers
- Generator ECU trailers (GET): Trailer-mounted generator for portable environmental control and power in remote locations
- Cargo trailers
The company’s corporate office is out of Solon, Ohio, with plants across America and the UK. The company generates over $250 million in sales each year.
Best Variety: Sundowner Trailers, Inc.
Sundowner Trailers, based out of Durant, Oklahoma, has been manufacturing aluminum trailers since 1976. You will find trailers of many sizes for many different purposes.
Their product catalog is more robust than many other companies in the transportation solution space.
Sundowner’s product catalog includes:
- Horse trailers
- Livestock trailers
- Living quarter trailers
- Cargo trailers
- Utility and open car haulers
- Motorsport haulers
- Toy Haulers
- Commercial Trailers
As you can see, Sundowner’s produces many trailers that accommodate particular goods or needs.
The company is recognized for its commitment to innovation and design—the company generates over $70 million in sales each year.
Best Interior: Aluma Ltd.
Aluma Ltd. offers unique interior lining and customization to its trailers, making them the best choice to transport things from ATVs to antique show cars. Other interior features include things like dome lights, rear ramp doors, vents, and more.
In addition to their unique interior offerings, they also manufacture a variety of other-purposed trailers.
Aluma’s product catalog includes:
- Utility trailers
- Recreational trailers
- Tilt trailers
- Enclosed trailers
- Truck beds
Aluma also offers parts and accessories available for separate purchase. This means you can highly customize the trailer to best fit your needs, which is a unique service when comparing Aluma to other companies.
The company started in 1992 and has continued to expand a number of times over almost 20 years. The company is headquartered in Bancroft, Iowa, and operates heavily in the midwest.
The company does nearly $40 million in sales each annually.
Most Up and Coming: Vanguard National Trailer Corp.
Vanguard National Trailer Corp. is a newer trailer manufacturer that started in Monon, Indiana, in 2003. The company has since grown to be another leader in transportation solutions.
The company offers long-life specifications, superior corrosion protection, and high strength and is complete with advanced safety components on every trailer.
Vanguard’s product catalog includes:
- Dry freight trailers
- Refrigerated trailers
- Flatbed trailers
- Converter dollies
Vanguard generates over $200 million in sales each year. There are dealers in 38 states across all regions of the United States. As a younger manufacturer, it is clear the company is committed to creating quality products and making them widely accessible and available.
Final Thoughts
If you are in the market for a cargo trailer, one of these seven companies will likely be able to find what you need. They all offer a wide variety while also having specialties.
They also all have close to national reach, with some international, through their many manufacturers. Be sure the dealer you work with is an authorized dealer.
This can be determined easily through the companies’ websites.
These companies have long-lasting reputations for excellence in both product and service, and their exceptional annual sales set them apart from other manufacturers in the transportation solutions industry.
Sources
- ATW: Home Page
- Inc Fact: AMERICAN TRAILER WORLD Revenue, Growth & Competitor Profile
- Great Dane: Home Page
- Wikipedia: Great Dane Trailers
- Inc Fact: GREAT DANE Revenue, Growth & Competitor Profile
- Wilson Trailer: Our Full Line of Aluminum Commodity Trailers
- Inc Fact: WILSON TRAILER Revenue, Growth & Competitor Profile
- HDT Global: Home Page
- HDT Global: Products
- Sundowner Trailer: Home Page
- Inc Fact: SUNDOWNER TRAILERS Revenue, Growth & Competitor Profile
- Aluma: About Aluma Trailers
- Vanguard National Trailer Corp.: Home Page
- Dun & Bradstreet: Vanguard National Trailer Corporation