The United States is home to a vast manufacturing industry today, which produces everything from cars to computers to books to children’s toys. Standing alone, this industry would rank among the world’s most powerful economies, but it cannot function without support. This is where the robust American transportation network comes in, to deliver food and goods of all kinds to and from factories, warehouses, retailers, and more. Carrier companies are many, and while most are small, there are a few large ones that own trains, ships, and jets that may deliver goods anywhere in a timely manner.
Most of these carriers are small, and those companies own a modest but hardworking fleet of trucks that can carry freight all over the nation. Besides, these trucks are much easier to afford than a train, and they can go to many places that other vehicles cannot. A carrier company may invest in a variety of specialized and generalist trucks and trailers alike, and new or used reefer units may be among them. Any carrier owner looking to expand their options may look into used reefer trailers for sale, and new wholesale reefer units may be appealing, too. When is it time to buy reefer trailer units, and what makes a good deal on used reefer trailers for sale?
All About Reefers
For those not familiar, reefer trailers are semi truck trailers that have air conditioning units built into them, and they can chill the trailer’s interior to preserve cargo that is sensitive to heat. These units typically have insulation in their walls, too. This is a big industry; some 500,000 such trailer are in use across the United States, and around the world, the demand for them is huge and still growing. The worldwide reefer trailer market is due to reach a market value close to $7.65 billion by the year 2022, and from 2016 to 2022, that market may grow at a CAGR of 4.8% or so.
What are these units like? They range from 28 to 53 feet in length, and they may be up to 13.5 feet tall. Some are bigger than others, and the largest models may tip the scales at 44,000 pounds for carrying lots of cargo. Often, these trailers are used for grocery store clients, as these shippers need cold-sensitive food and beverages to arrive without suffering heat damage. While cereal and pasta may be loaded into regular trailer, items such as milk, cheese, meat, and frozen processed food will need a reefer to arrive safely. In fact, a reefer truck will usually arrive at and leave a warehouse that has on-site fridge units inside, and crew will transfer cold-sensitive items from one cold area to another. And once a reefer arrives at a grocery store’s dock, the dock personnel there will unload cold items and transfer them to on-site freezer and fridge areas. Sometimes, these reefers can also be used to deliver dry ice, regular ice, or any other cold-sensitive cargo such as wine.
Finding Used Reefer Trailers for Sale
No carrier company will function without vehicles, so a company owner may look for used reefer trailers for sale when they want to expand operations to include grocery stores who need cold items delivered. This is not to be done lightly, though, since even used reefer trailers for sale may be fairly expensive to purchase or finance, let alone brand-new ones. So, an interested buyer may find these used reefer trailers for sale online, and inspect them in person before making a purchase. A quality, gently used reefer will have no maintenance issues, and its air conditioner should work well. Minor, cheap repair jobs can be done if need be.
A truck buyer can get a truck loan on a new reefer or entire truck to buy, and this is a common alternative to trying to secure bank loans. A truck loan is fairly easy to get, even for carriers with low credit scores, but they may have to provide photos of their vehicle and document how far it goes on trips. Carriers may even take out loans on vehicles that they already own so that they can afford another unit, and the vehicle itself may act as collateral in a secured loan.
