SMITHCO ANNIVERSARY
CEO Scott Lovell
SmithCo, an industry leader in the manufacture of side dump trailers, is celebrating its 30th anniversary today.
CEO Scott Lovell says side dump trailers was not a new idea when the company was founded.
That something different was found far from northwest Iowa.
It took a few years for the side dump trailer to expand in the market.
Lovell describes what made side dump trailers attractive to contractors.
SmithCo manufactures different kinds of side dump trailers to accommodate different applications.
The latest SmithCo model put on display is the SX-6. It has six axles and measures 53 feet long. It’s used in mining operations in the western United States.
The Double Tub is used primarily in feed lots to haul silage, corn distillers, and manure.
The CP-30 is used in farming operations. It can handle up to 30 tons of material.
SmithCo trailers are sold far and wide.
Lovell says the firm has, over three decades, gained by far the largest share of the trailer manufacturing market.
Short term issues current interest rates and inflation. Lovell says as a result, they’ve gotten more creative with financing their trailers. Long term issues include finding qualified employees.
While there are uncertainties in the future, Lovell is confident in the potential for growth at SmithCo.
The firm currently operates out of a 70-thousand square foot facility along U.S. Highway 75.
The company was founded by Craig Smith in 1994. In 2019, the company was sold to Christiansen Farms of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota.
