Fairfax

What Fairfax does

Fairfax Industries designs and manufactures custom fibreglass truck and trailer bodies in New Zealand, serving refrigerated transport operators, general freight haulers, urban delivery fleets, and fleet maintenance customers. Founded in 1971 and headquartered at a shared Action Manufacturing facility in Hamilton (with a long-standing Auckland branch in Takanini), the company produces six core product lines: refrigerated semi-trailers, B-trains and multi-axle trailers, epoxy-bonded panel truck bodies, furniture trailers, metro delivery bodies, and a nationwide repairs and modification service. Fairfax also sells through three sub-brands — Signature Series, Premiere Series, and Evo Series — and launched the ZE (Zero Emissions) all-electric refrigerated trailer system in 2024.

The company's core technology is a proprietary Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer (VART) moulding process that produces a complete one-piece monocoque composite body shell with no joints, bolts or rivets, yielding leak-proof, rust-proof construction with documented service life exceeding 25 years. Optional FACT (Fairfax Advanced Composite Technology) floors eliminate steel framing to reduce weight and improve thermal insulation. The ZE system integrates Carrier eCool electric refrigeration and SAF-Holland electric axle technology supplied via Transcold, making it New Zealand's first fully autonomous, all-electric, engineless refrigerated trailer.

Fairfax operates a direct enterprise field sales model — customers contact named senior staff (Customer Experience Manager, Operations Manager, CEO) for custom specifications — with each build quoted individually and a typical 8-10 week lead time from order. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company exhibits at Fieldays as a primary marketing channel and distributes a monthly Action Group newsletter. It is privately held under parent Action Manufacturing Group (acquired 2018), which also owns Freighter (ex-MaxiTRANS NZ), and serves a New Zealand-only customer base that includes Linfox, Tegel, Foodstuffs (FSNI), Big Chill Distribution, Northland Carriers, CoolTranz, and other enterprise and mid-market transport operators.

Name

Fairfax

Legal name

Fairfax Industries

Website

https://fairfaxindustries.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Fairfax Industries is a New Zealand manufacturer of custom fibreglass truck and trailer bodies, serving refrigerated transport, general freight, urban delivery, and fleet repair customers via its proprietary VART one-piece monocoque composite process. Privately held under parent Action Manufacturing Group since 2018, the company sells enterprise-direct across New Zealand through Signature, Premiere, Evo, and ZE product lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Vehicle Body Manufacturing

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing (33621), Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (336)

SIC

Truck Trailers (3715), Truck & Bus Bodies (3713)

akta.pro primary industry

Truck Trailer Manufacturing (Dry Van/Reefer/Flatbed/Tanker) (IMACABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Truck Body & Upfitting Manufacturing (Box Bodies/Service Bodies/Cranes/Liftgates) (IMACABAI), Truck Body & Upfit Manufacturing (Box/Dump/Service/Refuse) (IMACAGAC)

Keywords

• Fibreglass truck body manufacturing
• Refrigerated trailer manufacturing
• Commercial vehicle body design
• Composite transport equipment
• Truck body repair services

Headquarters

HQ city

Takanini

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Truck and Trailer Body Manufacturing: Fairfax designs and manufactures custom fibreglass truck and trailer bodies for the New Zealand transport industry. Customers specify axle configurations, refrigeration units, length, and other specifications. Builds are typically 8-10 weeks from order confirmation. The company also offers a full repairs and modification service from minor jobs to full refurbishments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fairfax Industries designs and manufactures fibreglass truck and trailer bodies in New Zealand using a proprietary Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer (VART) one-piece moulding process, with production facilities in Auckland (Takanini) and Hamilton (Te Rapa). Its product range includes refrigerated semi-trailers, B-trains and trailers, bonded truck bodies, furniture trailers, and metro delivery bodies, supplied under the Signature, Premiere, Evo, and Zero Emissions sub-brand series. The company also provides trailer and truck body repair services.

Product overview

Fairfax Industries is a New Zealand-based manufacturer of fibreglass truck and trailer bodies, operating since 1971 and acquired by Action Manufacturing Group in 2018. The company produces a portfolio of six core product lines: Refrigerated Semi-Trailers (frameless one-piece moulded composite bodies rated to -28°C), B-Trains and Trailers (multi-axle refrigerated configurations for high-productivity permits), Bonded Truck Bodies (European epoxy-bonded panel bodies in sizes 2.4m–9.5m), Furniture Trailers (15.1m monocoque units with 110m³ capacity), Metro Deliveries (3.5m refrigerated urban delivery bodies using Omnipanel), and Trailer & Truck Body Repairs (nationwide service). The product range spans three sub-brands — Signature Series (premium Omni-Panel builds), Premiere Series (high-spec with Carrier refrigeration), and Evo Series — plus the groundbreaking ZE (Zero Emissions) all-electric refrigerated trailer combining SAF-Holland electric axle and Carrier eCool technology. All products are designed and manufactured in New Zealand using VART (Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer) composite construction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fairfax Signature Series: Refrigerated linehaul trailers built with thermally efficient panels and enhanced stability featuring New Zealand-manufactured chassis
• Fairfax Premiere Series
• Fairfax Zero Emissions (ZE)

Products and services

• Refrigerated Semi-Trailers Fibreglass refrigerated semi-trailer bodies designed for chilled and frozen road transport, built using Fairfax's VART one-piece moulding process for improved thermal efficiency, hygiene, and durability. Targeted at cold-chain and food distribution fleet operators.
• B-Trains and Trailers Fibreglass B-train and trailer body combinations for high-payload general freight road transport, produced using Fairfax's VART one-piece monocoque construction and FACT composite technology. Targeted at general freight fleet operators.
• Bonded Truck Bodies Composite truck bodies built using Fairfax's epoxy bonded panel construction for non-refrigerated commercial vehicle applications. Targeted at general freight and dry-cargo fleet operators.
• Furniture Trailers Enclosed composite furniture trailer bodies designed for the secure road transport of household and commercial furniture. Targeted at furniture removal companies.
• Metro Deliveries Compact composite truck and trailer bodies designed for urban metro delivery operations, optimised for manoeuvrability and last-mile distribution. Targeted at urban delivery operators.
• Trailer and Truck Body Repairs Repair and refurbishment services for trailers and truck bodies, delivered through Fairfax's in-house service facilities. Targeted at existing and prospective commercial vehicle body owners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trailers remain in daily service for over 25 years, demonstrating exceptional longevity and lowest total cost of ownership
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Action Manufacturing GroupcoreOthersAction Manufacturing acquired Fairfax in 2018. Fairfax moved its manufacturing to join Action at a shared facility in Hamilton (32 Kaimiro Street, Te Rapa) in 2020 after over 40 years in Auckland. The two companies share knowledge, resources, and capabilities. Action Manufacturing Group now incorporates Fairfax Industries alongside Freighter, Recreational and Specialised Vehicles. CEO Chris Devoy leads Action and oversees Fairfax.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chereau: French manufacturer of premium refrigerated trailers and truck bodies, including composite-construction variants. Chereau competes head-to-head with Fairfax in the high-end refrigerated transport segment, particularly for customers seeking lightweight, thermally efficient builds.
• Freighter (MaxiTRANS New Zealand): Freighter is the rebranded MaxiTRANS New Zealand operation, acquired by Action Manufacturing in 2022 and housed in the same Hamilton facility as Fairfax. It directly competes in the same NZ refrigerated trailer and truck body market, targeting overlapping transport operator customers.

Broad incumbents

• Great Dane Trailers: US-headquartered manufacturer of dry and refrigerated van trailers. Great Dane is a broad incumbent in the same product category as Fairfax, with a comparable focus on refrigerated linehaul although it does not serve the NZ market directly.
• Krone: Major European manufacturer of commercial trailers, including a strong refrigerated and dry freight line. Krone's Cool Liner and Dry Liner product families overlap with Fairfax's refrigerated and general freight offerings in the broader premium-trailer category.
• Schmitz Cargobull: Europe's largest trailer manufacturer offering refrigerated semi-trailers, dry freight, and tankers. Schmitz competes with Fairfax indirectly when NZ fleets consider imported European refrigerated products, and sets the benchmark for premium European build quality in the reefer category.
• Utility Trailer Manufacturing: Large US manufacturer of refrigerated and dry van semi-trailers. Utility competes with Fairfax at the product category level (refrigerated semi-trailers) and represents the kind of high-volume incumbent Fairfax would face if it pursued export expansion.
• Wabash National: US-listed transportation equipment manufacturer with a strong refrigerated and dry van trailer portfolio plus broader truck body operations. Comparable to Fairfax in its specialization in commercial vehicle body engineering and refrigerated transport focus.

Others

• Carrier Transicold: Global supplier of transport refrigeration units, including the eCool system used in Fairfax's ZE electric trailer. Carrier is a critical technology partner and ecosystem enabler for Fairfax, and competes indirectly by bundling refrigerated units with body solutions in adjacent product packages.
• Trane Technologies (Thermo King): Major supplier of transport refrigeration (Thermo King brand) used across refrigerated trailers and truck bodies. Thermo King is an ecosystem participant whose electric refrigeration roadmap will shape the competitive environment for Fairfax's ZE platform.

Emerging players

• CIMC Vehicles: China-based global trailer and truck body manufacturer with a growing international footprint. CIMC represents an emerging low-cost competitor whose global expansion could pressure premium composite body manufacturers like Fairfax, particularly if it targets the Australasian market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Fairfax