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Truck and trailer manufacturers are closely related to the steel industry, so as the steel industry grows, more trucks are required for transportation.
Much of the increased transportation demand is for products made of steel or required by industries that use steel.
In addition, trucks and trailers use significant amounts of steel in their own structures, adding to the demand for steel and eventually, more trucks.
For those reasons, a healthy steel economy generally results in a healthy truck-and-trailer economy.
Steel Industry Boosts Truck Growth
Just over halfway through 2019, the United States steel industry was producing 5% more than the same period the previous year. That was driven in part by the U.S.-China trade war and intense reshoring efforts by numerous firms that no longer found it economical to operate overseas.
With higher demand for transporting goods and raw materials, the truck-and-trailer industry also experienced rapid growth during the period. MNI, compiler and publisher of the industrial data that powers IndustryNet, shows that year-to-year sales were up by nearly 23%, from $104.77 billion to $128.52 billion.
At least 7% of the 1,958 companies in the industry reported an increase in number of employees, resulting in an overall industry job increase of 2.4%, or 1,796 positions.
Largest Truck and Trailer Manufacturers in the U.S.
Here are the largest truck and trailer manufacturers as measured by number of employees.
| COMPANY | EMPLOYEES ON SITE | CITY | STATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Motor Co., Kentucky Truck Plt. | 8,000 | Louisville | KY |
| FCA US, LLC | 4,267 | Warren | MI |
| Volvo Trucks North America, Cab & Vehicle Assembly | 3,500 | Dublin | VA |
| Crown Equipment Corp. | 3,000 | New Bremen | OH |
| Toyota Motor Mfg. Texas, Inc. (TMMTX) | 3,000 | San Antonio | TX |
| IC Bus, LLC | 2,800 | Lisle | IL |
| Wabash National Corp. | 2,500 | Lafayette | IN |
| Terex Aerial Work Platforms | 2,500 | Redmond | WA |
| Daimler Trucks North America, LLC | 2,200 | Cleveland | NC |
| General Motors Co., Flint Truck & Bus Assembly | 2,100 | Flint | MI |
| Metalsa Structural Products | 2,000 | Elizabethtown | KY |
| Volvo Group North America, LLC | 2,000 | Greensboro | NC |
About The 11 Largest Truck and Trailer Manufacturers
1. Ford Motor Co., Kentucky Truck Plant
Employees on site: 8,000
The plant produces the Ford F-250 through F-550 Super Duty pickups, Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition SUVs.
2. General Motors Co., Wentzville Truck Assembly Center
Employees on site: 4,600
At 3.7 million square feet, the giant plant produces all GM full-size vans and midsize trucks, including the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Savannah, Chevrolet Express and GMC Canyon.
3. FCA US, LLC
Employees on site: 4,267
Short for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, FCA US builds the Dodge Ram 1500 and soon plans to produce the Jeep Wagoneer.
4. Volvo Trucks North America, Cab & Vehicle Assembly
Employees on site: 3,500
Also known as the New River Valley Plant, the facility builds all Volvo trucks sold in the United States. Over the next six years, $400 million is to be invested in the plant to modernize and improve its already high-efficiency production.
5. Crown Equipment Corp.
Employees on site: 3,000
Crown Equipment Corp is the fifth-largest manufacturer of powered forklifts in the world. Formed in 1945, Crown also manufactures 85% of the parts and components used in its vehicles.
6. Toyota Motor Mfg. Texas, Inc. (TMMTX)
Employees on site: 3,000
The San Antonio-based subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation produces the Tundra and Tacoma series pickup trucks. Production capacity is roughly 200,000 units per year.
7. IC Bus, LLC
Employees on site: 2,800
Well-known for its RE and CE series of school buses, IC Bus also builds commercial versions for non-scholastic transportation.
8. Wabash National Corp.
Employees on site: 2,500
Originally started as a trailer company, Wabash National has expanded to include truck bodies, trailer aerodynamic modifications and railroad-car components.
9. Terex Aerial Work Platforms
Employees on site: 2,500
Perhaps best-known through its subsidiaries, Genie and Demag, Terex has become a world leader in telescopic/lattice boom cranes and aerial platforms. It also produces concrete mixer trucks, wood-processing machines and crushing equipment.
10. Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
Employees on site: 2,200
Many well-known truck brands are owned by Daimler, including Freightliner, Western Star, Detroit Diesel and Thomas Built Buses. They have rapidly become the No. 1 supplier of fleet and commercial trucks in North America.
11. General Motors Co., Flint Truck & Bus Assembly
Employees on site: 2,200
The facility is the only GM plant left in the Flint, Mich., after the closure of Buick City. The 5.2 million-square-foot unit builds all of GM's full-size pickup trucks.
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