Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company is an American

semi-trailer A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. In the United States, the term is also used to refer to the combination of a truck and a semi-trailer; a tractor-trailer. A large proportion of a semi-trailer's weight is supported by a trac ...

truck dry van, flatbed, and

refrigerated van A refrigerated van (also called a refrigerated wagon) is a railway goods wagon with cooling equipment. Today they are designated by the International Union of Railways (UIC) as Class I. History The first wagons were cooled with ice that had ...

trailer manufacturing company, with its headquarters in the City of Industry, Los Angeles County, California, and sales office in

Alpharetta, Georgia Alpharetta is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, and is a part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 US Census, Alpharetta's population was 65,818 The population in 2010 was 57,551. History In the 1830s, the C ...

and a Parts Distribution Center in Batavia, Ohio. The company also designs and manufactures dry freight vans, curtainsided trailers, and aerodynamic technologies. It is the largest manufacturer of refrigerated van trailers in the United States. Utility was founded in 1914, by brothers H. C. Bennett and E. W. Bennett. Before founding Utility, the two brothers had previously owned a lumber business in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the on ...

. After selling off that company, the two purchased the assets of a wagon company in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

and incorporated a new company there. The name Utility was adopted after the company had pivoted toward the manufacturing of

trailers Trailer may refer to: a Transportation * Trailer (vehicle), an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle ** Bicycle trailer, a wheeled frame for hitching to a bicycle to tow cargo or passengers ** Full-trailer ** Semi-trailer **Horse trail ...

for the burgeoning diesel truck market of the early 20th century; most of Utility's clientele were California's original

utility companies A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and ...

, and the name stuck. Ownership of Utility has remained within the Bennett family since its founding. The company's operations remained localized within the western United States until the 1960s, when it began its gradual expansion east of the Rocky Mountains. By the mid-1990s, most of the company's business was in the East Coast as opposed to the west, although its base of operations remained in the City of Industry in Los Angeles County. Utility has six trailer

manufacturing Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to ...

facilities in North America. Utility's single temp and multi-temp refrigerated trailers are manufactured at the

Clearfield, Utah Clearfield is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. The population was 31,364 at the 2020 census. The city grew rapidly during the 1940s, with the formation of Hill Air Force Base, and in the 1950s with the nationwide increase in suburb ...

Atkins, Virginia Atkins is a census-designated place (CDP) in Smyth County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,143 at the 2010 census. History The Old Stone Tavern was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Geography Atkins is lo ...

, and Piedras Negras, Mexico plants. Utility's dry vans are manufactured at the

Glade Spring, Virginia Glade Spring is a town in Washington County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,456 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kingsport– Bristol (TN)– Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Jo ...

and

Paragould, Arkansas Paragould is the county seat of Greene County, and the 19th-largest city in Arkansas, in the United States. The city is located in northeastern Arkansas on the eastern edge of Crowley's Ridge, a geologic anomaly contained within the Arkansas delta ...

plants. Utility also manufactures several flatbed models including an aluminum/steel combination flatbed, an all-steel flatbed, drop decks, and curtainsided trailers, all produced at the Enterprise, Alabama facility. The company's manufacturing plant in Clearfield, Utah, was opened up in 1993, occupying a plot of land. In 1994, they opened up the Atkins, Virginia, plant, occupying there. After the city of Clearfield denied them a permit to expand their operations beyond their plot of land in 1998, Utility opened up the Glade Spring, Virginia, facility in 1999. The company also has an independent dealer network in over 100 locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America. Authorized dealers offer trailer sales, aftermarket parts, and service.

References

{{Trucking industry in the United States Trucking industry in the United States Companies based in the City of Industry, California Manufacturing companies based in California Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1914 1914 establishments in California