Maine Trailer Inc. is a multifaceted company headquartered in Hampden, Maine, with branches in Auburn and Presque Isle. To learn more about the services and products it offers, we spoke with President and CEO, Rod Hathaway, and Marketing Director, Chris Brady.
Hathaway, who’s been with the company for 25 years, tells us how it began 40 years ago when the original owner, who was in the retail furniture business, needed a secure place to store excess furniture shipments where they would be protected from rain or wind. Today, the company still has storage trailers, but is also one of the leaders in Maine when it comes to distributing shipping containers for storage needs.
“One thing led to another and that got us into the storage business itself, and from there it segued into containers as the more popular option for storage needs. Customers use us now to customize containers that can be used as office spaces on job sites and other business ventures. In addition to storage, Maine Trailer also has a full trailer service department, a parts showroom, a sales and leasing department, and a trailer registration department,” he explains.
Containers provide solutions
Maine Trailer, Hathaway tells us, is the largest independent dealer of containers in the state, with most of the ISO steel containers the company rents, sells, and/or customizes manufactured in China. All meet international specifications for worldwide shipping.
Imports come directly into the U.S. in these containers on ships where they are stacked 17 to 18 high and 20 wide, which adds up to more than 100,000 containers arriving annually in ports all along the Atlantic seaboard, where they are unloaded. Retailers can then buy both new and used containers. ‘New’ refers to containers that have crossed the ocean only once, with used containers having crossed many times. And, while used containers may show exterior dents or scratches, they have different classifications, such as wind and watertight, or cargo worthy. Maine Trailer always purchases wind and watertight containers for its used inventory to make sure customers are receiving a quality product.
By partnering with CARU Containers, a global container distributor, Maine Trailer maintains a robust inventory of containers in its yard, with a website updating inventory daily, allowing customers to see what is in stock in real time.
The external measurements of the rugged steel containers measure 8 feet wide by 20 or 40 feet long by 8 feet 6 inches high, with the most sought-after containers being the 40-foot-high cubes, offering one extra foot in height in comparison to the standard height containers.
“People can call us and say, ‘I want number 101342 in blue,’ and we can check our system, make sure it’s still available, and give them a price and delivery cost right then and there,” says Hathaway. “We are unique in that there are other companies who will advertise containers online, and customers can order them, but they may not be able to pick out the exact one they want. We want to make shopping even more convenient where a customer could shop for a container while sitting on the couch in their own living room.”
Containers can be sold as-is for customers’ storage needs, or they can be customized in-house to meet a variety of needs, something Maine Trailer is very skilled at. “We tell our customers if you can dream it, we can make it happen,” Brady explains.
To create container office spaces, for example, the work begins with building a frame, cutting out spaces for a door and dual-pane vinyl windows, applying spray foam insulation if desired, and ensuring everything is welded and caulked correctly. Custom office spaces can be provided with an HVAC system, electrical package, and security cage, and repainted with the client’s color of choice. These solutions are ideal for businesses that require more workspace or need to spread out, as some did during the pandemic, or for temporary construction-site offices which can be moved to different sites when a job is completed.
For customers who may want a modified storage shed, customization can include placing double-width doors or even up to three roll-up doors, something self-storage companies like because they can put in dividers and rent space to three separate individuals. “People like these storage units,” according to Brady, “because they are wind-resistant and watertight, especially important with regards to the weather patterns of recent years. People know what they have stored there will stay secure and dry and don’t have to worry about a wooden shed blowing over or roof tiles coming off.”
Recently, the company attended the Maine Resource Recovery Association trade show to discuss its products and capabilities in providing solutions at dump stations and recycling storage operations.
In addition, Brady notes that there are many variations to what people think of as the standard container. Variations include refrigerated containers, containers that have a tarp over an open top so they can be filled with bulk materials, those that have sides that open and can be used to store motorized vehicles, as well as smaller “mini” containers that can nest inside larger ones.
As a former physical education teacher, Brady is proud to tell us that Maine Trailer is the official trailer and storage container partner of the Maine Black Bears at the University of Maine in Orono. The University is currently using some of the company’s containers as they renovate their athletic spaces. “It’s great to have support from them,” he shares. “We don’t have any professional sports teams in Maine, but when it comes to hockey, everyone is watching the Black Bears. Being their official partner is a big deal.”
Made-in-America trailers, parts, and service
After acquiring trailers to store furniture early on, Maine Trailer eventually expanded into a retailer of North American-manufactured, brand-name trailers.
The company’s trailers, which can be purchased or leased, are true workhorses, manufactured in North America, including CAM Superline, LOOK Trailers, Econoline, and Manac. These trailers, with various payload capacities, are ready to fulfill a variety of needs: hauling equipment, dumping, or enclosed cargo transportation.
Maine Trailer, in partnership with Aurora Parts To Go, stocks a complete inventory of over-the-road and heavy duty trailer parts, which can be delivered free within the state. Frequent customers can avail themselves of the company’s Parts Ordering System where they can list specific preferences, brands, and pricing for a myriad of trailer-related parts.
Meanwhile, Maine Trailer’s expert technicians deliver service in-house or on the road in Maine. The Hampden location includes a seven-bay garage where skilled mechanics handle tough repair jobs.
Registration from Maine to Alaska to Hawaii—and everywhere in-between
Since 1985, Maine Trailer has been a bonded, licensed registration agent for the State of Maine for registering and titling trailers. But as Hathaway tells us, “We register fleets of trailers across the U.S. as we go well beyond the state of Maine. Companies out of Alaska, Hawaii, California—in fact, in all 50 states—revert to the state of Maine for their trailer titles and tags.”
He explains that it is relatively inexpensive to register in Maine because owners do not have to pay property tax, as they do in many other states, and they can register for up to 12 years, with 5-year plates being the most popular. “Once they register with us, we send out notices when it is time to renew, and all the owners have to do is let us know if they want to renew their plate. We send them a new registration card and there’s no need for them to have to be off the road.”
Currently, Maine Trailer is developing a new website that will make it even easier to complete the registration process—just the latest in a series of smart moves for this experienced and trustworthy company.
