Great Dane’s new refrigerated trailer plant in Statesboro, Ga., recently celebrated the completion of the facility’s first customer trailer produced to order in a commemoration ceremony with the trailer’s new owner, Rowland Transportation of Dade City, Fla. According to the trailer maker, the first customer trailer is an Everest TL refrigerated trailer, which features a wide range of advanced construction features designed to maximize the trailer’s performance and operating efficiency.
In taking delivery of the trailer, Rowland Transportation president Doc Hyder commented on his family’s long-standing relationship with Great Dane. “Great Dane has been a leader in the field of refrigerated transportation, which is why my family has used them for 70 years. Our relationship with Great Dane goes back to the 1940s, when my great-grandfather hauled fresh produce out of Florida and North Carolina to Boston, using wet bed ice bunkers to keep the product cool."
“It’s exciting to see customer trailers rolling off of our assembly lines here in Statesboro," plant manager Kevin Black said. "We’ve made tremendous progress since opening our doors earlier this year – all made possible due to the hard work of our dedicated plant employees and community partners."
Great Dane said its Statesboro facility encompasses 450,000 sq. ft., including office space and a 3,000-sq.-ft. climate-controlled, noise-free customer preview center. The facility is dedicated to manufacturing Everest refrigerated trailers, the TL model reefer for truckload carriers and the CL model reefer built especially for the unique needs of multi-temp and foodservice operations, especially those in the Southeast.
The Statesboro facility’s technologies include the use of robotic welding, automated production processes, computer-controlled foaming operations and an optimized material handling system for quality and efficiency, according to the company. Numerous green initiatives also are in place, including energy-efficient lighting and the use of a building management system to automatically control lights, air quality and building temperature; programs to reduce water consumption; and the use of load monitors to ensure optimal energy consumption, the maker added.
The manufacturing plant in Statesboro is currently operating with one production line, with a second line and second shift slated to start up later in the year. At full capacity, the new facility will produce more than 5,000 trailers annually, employing more than 400 workers, according to Great Dane.
