Trachte Building Systems

What Trachte Building Systems does

Trachte Building Systems is a privately held US steel building manufacturer founded in 1901 and headquartered in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, with 101-250 employees. The company designs, engineers, manufactures, and erects complete pre-engineered and customized steel building systems for self-storage facilities across North America (United States and Canada), serving self-storage owners and developers, architects and design professionals, and general contractors.

Trachte's core product portfolio spans single-story, multi-story (two- to four-story), climate-controlled buildings, door and hallway systems, boat/RV buildings, canopies, micro units (portables), pre-engineered metal buildings (PEMB), and flex space buildings, with a wholly-owned Trac-Rite Door subsidiary that manufactures proprietary roll-up doors (Models 944, 944WL, 977, 977WL, 988, 988WL) featuring the EP3 extreme performance spring rated to 130 mph wind resistance. Notable engineered capabilities include the Create-A-Space conversion system for retrofitting existing buildings, climate-controlled building systems with snow loads of 10-110 lb and wind loads of 70-150 mph, and supporting services such as self-storage business advice, site plan assistance, custom engineering, and installation by vetted in-house erection crews.

The business model is project-based with quote-based pricing and multi-year contracts, distributed through a North American network of regional managers (direct field sales), a contractor portal, and phone-based ordering. Marketing and lead generation runs through industry events including the Inside Self-Storage World Expo and state self-storage association conventions, educational seminars targeting prospective investors and developers in cities across the US and Canada, and content-rich web resources. The company has won Inside Self-Storage's Best Building Components award for 13 consecutive years (2026) and expanded its footprint in March 2025 by acquiring MakoRabco, a steel building construction services provider for storage and industrial facilities, from New State Capital Partners.

Name

Trachte Building Systems

Legal name

Trachte Building Systems, Inc.

Website

https://trachte.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Trachte Building Systems designs, engineers, manufactures, and erects pre-engineered steel self-storage building systems across North America. Founded in 1901 and headquartered in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, the company serves self-storage developers, architects, and general contractors with integrated design-to-installation services and proprietary Trac-Rite doors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Steel Self-Storage Building Systems

NAICS

Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Industrial Building Construction (23621)

SIC

Prefabricated Metal Buildings & Components (3448), Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440), Metal Doors, Sash, Frames, Moldings & Trim (3442)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Steel self-storage buildings
• Pre-engineered metal buildings
• Roll-up storage doors
• Building conversion systems
• Building erection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sun Prairie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Steel Building Systems Sales: Trachte designs, engineers, manufactures, and erects complete pre-engineered and customized steel building systems for self-storage facilities. Revenue is generated through the sale of building systems including single-story, multi-story, conversion systems, and component parts (doors, hallways, canopies).
2. Installation and Erection Services: The company provides dedicated erection services as part of their coordinated process. Field services team ensures projects stay on schedule and are constructed properly by vetted and trained erection crews.
3. Door and Hallway Systems: Trachte supplies Trac-Rite roll-up doors and hallway/partition systems as standalone products or bundled with building systems. Lead times as short as 8 weeks for door and hallway systems.
4. Acquisition of MakoRabco: Acquired MakoRabco, a steel building construction services provider for storage and industrial facilities, to enhance offerings and market presence in the self-storage industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Trachte Building Systems designs, engineers, manufactures, and erects pre-engineered and customized steel building systems for the self-storage industry. The company produces complete building types including single-story, multi-story, climate-controlled, boat/RV, and conversion systems, along with proprietary Trac-Rite roll-up doors and integrated installation services across North America.

Product overview

Trachte Building Systems is a steel self-storage building manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of pre-engineered and customized steel building systems for the self-storage industry. The product suite centers on core building types including Single-Story Buildings, Multi-Story Buildings (two- to four-story configurations), Climate Controlled Buildings, Door & Hallway Systems, Boat/RV Buildings, Canopies, Micro Units, Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings (PEMB), and Flex Space Buildings. Supporting these are the proprietary Conversion Systems (Create-A-Space) for retrofitting existing structures, Smart Locks for enhanced security, and Trac-Rite Door subsidiary products (roll-up door models 944, 977, 988 series). The company also provides integrated services including business advice, site plan assistance, custom engineering, and professional installation. With over 125 years of manufacturing leadership, Trachte designs, engineers, manufactures, and erects complete building systems for owners, developers, architects, and general contractors across North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single-Story Buildings Pre-engineered steel self-storage buildings designed for efficient footprint with drive-up access and interior corridor configurations.
• Multi-Story Buildings Two-, three-, and four-story steel building designs that maximize rentable square footage on constrained land, including drive-up access on multiple levels.
• Door & Hallway Systems Interior corridor and partition systems for climate-controlled facilities, including roll-up doors and hallway configurations for new construction and conversions.
• Boat/RV Buildings Large steel buildings designed to accommodate boats, RVs, and oversized vehicles with drive-up access and various door configurations.
• Canopies Covered structures providing weather protection for loading areas, entrances, and vehicle storage.
• Micro Units (Portables) Compact self-storage units designed for smaller items and personal storage needs.
• Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings (PEMB) Customizable metal building systems engineered for various storage and commercial applications.
• Flex Space Buildings Versatile steel buildings that can serve both storage and light commercial or industrial purposes.
• Smart Locks Electronic locking solutions for self-storage units providing enhanced security and access control.
• Conversion Systems (Create-A-Space) Partition and corridor systems designed to convert existing buildings into self-storage facilities, including customizable partition heights and corridor configurations.
• Climate Controlled Buildings Steel buildings engineered for temperature and humidity management with insulated panel systems, interior corridors, and elevator-ready multi-story designs.
• Trac-Rite Door Systems Roll-up door products manufactured by Trachte's subsidiary Trac-Rite Door, including Models 944, 944WL, 977, 977WL, 988, and 988WL with EP3 extreme performance spring rated for 130 mph wind resistance.
• Self-Storage Business Advice Consulting services providing guidance on self-storage development, investment decisions, and business planning.
• Site Plan Assistance Professional assistance with site layout planning and development design for self-storage facilities.
• Custom Engineering Custom structural engineering services for non-standard designs and site-specific requirements.
• Installation Services Professional building erection and installation services by Trachte-trained crews as part of the coordinated project process.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40-year paint warranty and 25-year Galvalume roof warranty provide long-term value assurance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MakoRabcocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2025Trachte acquired MakoRabco, a provider of steel building construction services for various storage and industrial facilities, from New State Capital Partners. The transaction was facilitated by Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) and TKO Miller served as exclusive investment banking advisor for Trachte. The deal enhances market presence of both companies in the self-storage industry.
• Trac-Rite DoorcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerTrac-Rite Door is a subsidiary of Trachte Building Systems that manufactures roll-up doors including Models 944, 944WL, 977, 977WL, 988, 988WL. All Trachte self-storage systems are designed and manufactured to include Trac-Rite doors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cornerstone Building Brands: Cornerstone Building Brands is a large diversified exterior building products manufacturer whose portfolio includes metal building systems, doors, and storage solutions. Its scale and breadth make it an indirect incumbent competitor with overlap into self-storage and adjacent categories.
• Butler Manufacturing: Butler Manufacturing is one of the largest pre-engineered metal building companies in North America, serving industrial, commercial, and storage end markets through a national builder network. As a broad-line incumbent, it competes with Trachte in self-storage while serving many adjacent verticals.

Direct peers

• Ceco Building Systems: Ceco Building Systems designs and manufactures custom-engineered metal buildings for commercial, industrial, and storage applications. Its product overlap with Trachte's PEMB and self-storage offerings makes it a comparable competitor.
• Nucor Building Systems: Nucor Building Systems is a large-scale pre-engineered metal building manufacturer serving commercial, industrial, and self-storage end markets. As a subsidiary of Nucor Corporation, it competes with Trachte through greater scale and broader product breadth.
• Janus International Group: Janus International is a leading global manufacturer of self-storage building components, doors, and hallway systems, and is Trachte's most direct competitor. Both companies supply integrated steel building solutions, roll-up doors, and accessories to self-storage developers across North America.
• Steel Building Insights / General Steel Corporation: General Steel Corporation designs and supplies pre-engineered steel buildings for commercial, storage, and industrial end uses. Its custom-engineered building approach and project-based sales motion are directly comparable to Trachte's go-to-market model.
• Olympia Steel Buildings: Olympia Steel Buildings supplies pre-engineered metal buildings, including self-storage facilities, with a direct sales model. Its product portfolio and customer base overlap materially with Trachte's PEMB and self-storage offerings.
• Armstrong Steel Corporation: Armstrong Steel sells pre-engineered steel buildings direct to end customers, including self-storage applications. Its direct-to-consumer model overlaps with Trachte's regional manager-driven field sales approach.
• Behlen Building Systems: Behlen manufactures pre-engineered steel buildings for commercial, agricultural, and self-storage markets. Its focus on custom-engineered structures and North American dealer network positions it as a direct peer to Trachte's PEMB business.
• Varco Pruden Buildings: Varco Pruden is a major pre-engineered metal building manufacturer that competes directly with Trachte in self-storage and broader light-commercial construction. The company is referenced in Trachte's project award history, confirming direct competitive overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Trachtedotcom
• Facebookfacebook.com/trachte-building-systems-57531165777
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trachte-building-systems
• Instagraminstagram.com/trachtebuildingsystems
• TikToktiktok.com/@trachte.building

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trachte Building Systems