Customer Demands Unfreeze Potential of Refrigerated Trailers

Refrigerated trailers have come a long way since they replaced carted boxes of perishable goods cooled with blocks of ice. Their evolution continues as technology advances and customers make new demands.

Today’s refrigerated trailer is a marriage of lightweight construction and microprocessor technology — consistent with the high-tech trends seen in other areas of trucking. Demand for units is growing with the increase in demand for convenient food products.

An estimated 300,000 refrigerated trailers ply the roads of North America — up from 225,000 in 1990 — to meet consumer tastes. The Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association reports that 25,000 new units are turned out by refrigerated trailer makers each year. It’s a $1 billion market whose principal players are Great Dane, Utility and Wabash.

To keep ahead of the evolutionary curve, manufacturers are busy thinking of better and lighter designs to meet the needs of fleets.

The production and other changes are in response to demands for lower cost per mile, said Dale Frank, sales manager of temperature-controlled products for Xtra Lease, one of the major equipment leasing companies offering refrigerated trailers.

Frank said his company deals with a lot of non-trucking customers, such as supermarkets, restaurants and food service companies. He said they “don’t want to be bothered with maintenance problems or any of the common concerns associated with trucking, except cost.”

Dheraj Ahluwalai, product manager for Transport International Pool, another big lessor, said refrigeration technology has taken a leap in the 1990s that produced substantial potential for lowering cost.

For the full story, see the July 5 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.