TowHaul

What TowHaul does

TowHaul Corporation, founded by Frank Smith in 1977 and formally incorporated in 1994, designs and manufactures custom off-highway lowboy trailers, multi-purpose gooseneck units, rear-loading lowboys, and dragline bucket transporters exclusively for surface mining operations. All equipment is custom-engineered at the company's Belgrade, Montana facility to match each customer's specific mine site conditions and existing haul-truck fleet (e.g., CAT 793/797-class), with proprietary technology including a patented Brake Cooling System, the TowHaul Control System (TCS) in-cab operator interface, and the newer Plus One hydraulic control architecture. TowHaul is a privately held subsidiary of Federal Signal Corporation (NYSE: FSS), employing 51–100 people and generating revenue that is not separately disclosed by the parent.

TowHaul monetizes primarily through one-time capital equipment sales priced via custom quotes (90-day validity, EXW/FCA terms, USD only), with a captive aftermarket stream for TowHaul Genuine Parts (sold factory-direct only, not through dealers) and authorized service support including the TowHaul Authorized Service Technician program. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales with a global dealer network; named enterprise customers include Robinson Mine (Nevada), Drummond LTD (Colombia), an unnamed Canadian mining company, and exclusive Peruvian distributor Komatsu Mitsui Maquinarias Peru S.A. The company's 45+ year design heritage, custom-fit approach, and integration with major OEM haul-truck fleets form the basis of its competitive position in a narrow but durable mining equipment niche.

Name

TowHaul

Legal name

TowHaul Corporation

Website

https://towhaul.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

TowHaul is a Montana-based, Federal Signal-owned manufacturer of custom off-highway lowboy trailers, goosenecks, and specialized transporters built exclusively for surface mining customers. It serves global enterprise miners via direct field sales and a dealer network, monetizing through one-time equipment sales plus a captive parts-and-service aftermarket.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Heavy Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Mining Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333131), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Mining Machinery & Equip (No Oil & Gas Field Mach & Equip) (3532)

akta.pro primary industry

Surface Mining Equipment (Excavators, Shovels, Draglines, Dozers) (IMAKANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mining & Quarry Haulage Vehicle Manufacturing (Dump Trucks/Haulers) (IMACAFAC), Lifting Attachments & Material Handling Accessories (Fork Attachments, Slings, Rigging) (IMAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Off-highway mining trailers
• Surface mining equipment
• Lowboy trailer manufacturing
• Haul truck recovery systems
• Mining heavy haul transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Belgrade

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, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Custom-manufactured off-highway lowboy trailers, gooseneck trailers, rear-loading lowboys, and dragline bucket transporters sold as one-time capital purchases to mining operations.
2. Parts Sales: TowHaul Genuine Parts sold to existing customers for maintenance and replacement. Parts are only available from the TowHaul factory, not through local dealers.
3. Service and Support: Technical support services including TowHaul Authorized Service Technician (AST) supervision during installation, operator training, and ongoing maintenance support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TowHaul custom-manufactures off-highway surface mining equipment, including lowboy trailers, multi-purpose goosenecks for haul truck recovery, rear-loading lowboys, and dragline bucket transporters, all built to individual customer specifications. The company also sells genuine replacement parts directly from its Belgrade, Montana factory and provides on-site technical service and operator training.

Product overview

TowHaul is a manufacturer of off-highway surface mining equipment, specializing in custom lowboy trailers and tow/recovery solutions. The core product portfolio includes Lowboy Trailers (in standard and rear-loading configurations), Multi-Purpose Gooseneck units for haul truck recovery, and Dragline Bucket Transporters. These mechanical products are complemented by proprietary control systems—specifically the TowHaul Control System (TCS), which provides in-cab operator interface and monitoring, and the Plus One hydraulic control system for newer equipment. The company does not build over-the-road trailers and focuses exclusively on off-highway surface mining applications, with all equipment custom-manufactured at their Belgrade, Montana facility to meet individual customer requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lowboy Trailers Heavy-duty off-highway lowboy trailers designed for surface mining conditions, custom manufactured to meet individual customer equipment transport requirements for surface mining operations.
• Multi-Purpose Gooseneck Versatile gooseneck unit capable of haul truck recovery operations, enabling safe and efficient towing of disabled mining vehicles for surface mining operators.
• Rear-Loading Lowboy Lowboy trailer configuration with rear-loading capability for transporting large mobile mining equipment at surface mining sites.
• Dragline Bucket Transporter Specialized transporter designed for moving dragline buckets within surface mining operations.
• TowHaul Genuine Parts Factory-direct replacement parts for TowHaul equipment, available exclusively from the Belgrade, Montana factory (not from local dealers), supporting maintenance and repair of existing TowHaul fleets at mining operations.
• TowHaul Service and Support Technical support services including TowHaul Authorized Service Technician (AST) supervision during equipment installation, operator training, and ongoing maintenance support for mining customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Disabled 797 haul truck recovery reduced from 5 days to 2 hours
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ground Force WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGround Force Worldwide is part of the same corporate family as TowHaul. The companies frequently exhibit together at trade shows and events, presenting combined solutions for the mining industry. Both companies are subsidiaries of Federal Signal Corporation.
• Komatsu Mitsui Maquinarias Perú S.A.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive dealer representation in Peru for TowHaul products. The partnership has been long-standing and key to market penetration in South America, providing customer sales and aftermarket support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Caterpillar: Largest OEM of haul trucks and surface mining equipment globally; the installed base of Caterpillar 793/797 trucks is what TowHaul's recovery and transport equipment is engineered around. Relevant as incumbent OEM that could vertically integrate TowHaul's capabilities.
• Astec Industries: Diversified manufacturer of equipment for infrastructure, including mining and aggregate processing equipment. Comparable as a specialist industrial peer serving mining and heavy-industry end markets with engineered equipment.
• Liebherr: Mining excavator and haul truck manufacturer competing across the same surface mining customer base that TowHaul serves. Comparable as both an incumbent OEM and a potential developer of proprietary recovery equipment.
• Komatsu: Major mining equipment OEM and TowHaul's exclusive dealer partner in Peru via Komatsu Mitsui Maquinarias Perú. Comparable as both a haul-truck manufacturer and a channel voice that could shift TowHaul's distribution economics.
• Volvo Construction Equipment: Construction and mining equipment OEM including rigid haul trucks, operating in the same surface mining fleet ecosystem that TowHaul's recovery and transport equipment supports.
• Hitachi Construction Machinery: Global manufacturer of mining excavators and rigid dump trucks, serving the same surface mining customer base with overlapping equipment fleets.
• Terex Corporation: Diversified heavy equipment manufacturer with surface mining equipment exposure (e.g., Terex Trucks haul trucks). Comparable as a broad incumbent serving mining customers with overlapping fleets.
• Sandvik: Mining and rock processing equipment manufacturer with significant surface mining exposure. Comparable as a broad incumbent supplier of mission-critical equipment to mining operators.

Emerging players

• Manitou Group: Manufacturer of material handling and lifting equipment (telehandlers, forklifts) with adjacent industrial reach into heavy-load applications. Comparable as a specialty industrial equipment manufacturer expanding into heavier and more ruggedized use cases.

Direct peers

• Ground Force Worldwide: Sister company under Federal Signal Corporation that custom-designs specialized heavy equipment for the mining industry and exhibits jointly with TowHaul at trade shows. Most direct comparable given shared ownership, shared customer base, and overlapping product engineering for mining applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/towhaul
• Xx.com/towhaul
• Facebookfacebook.com/116035298455749

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 TowHaul