Knapen Trailers
Knapen Trailers B.V. is a Dutch specialty manufacturer of moving floor trailers serving European transport, waste, agriculture, and general-cargo operators through four core platforms (NEXT, HDX, EXSIDE, EXTREME) and a 25-country certified dealer network, wholly owned by Krone Commercial Vehicle Group since 2019.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersDeurne, Netherlands
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Knapen Trailers does
Knapen Trailers B.V. is a specialist Dutch manufacturer of moving floor trailers, founded in 1984 by Piet Knapen in Deurne, Netherlands and wholly owned by Krone Commercial Vehicle Group since June 24, 2019. Its product range addresses bulk and general cargo transport through four core platforms (NEXT, HDX, EXSIDE, EXTREME), supplemented by the 2023 KX agricultural variant co-developed with KRONE and proprietary subsystems such as the self-supporting chassis, the hydraulically powered moving floor, the 9-tonne Knapen HD AXLE (developed with Gigant), and the PowerSheet automated tarpaulin system. Core technology spans robotic welding on a solar-powered production line, with manufacturing and assembly concentrated at the Theo van Doesburgstraat facility in Deurne.
The company's go-to-market is built on a certified European dealer and service partner network spanning 25+ countries (Germany, Austria, UK, Nordics, Baltics, Iberia, Benelux, CEE, plus Israel), supported by an internal after-sales team, a dedicated Knapen Parts e-commerce storefront for spare parts, and a compliance function covering warranty, software updates (SUMS), and Code 95 driver training. Revenue streams combine custom-built trailer hardware sales (quote-based per unit), spare-parts e-commerce, and after-sales service contracts, with primary customer segments in transport and logistics, waste and recycling, agriculture, and wood/forestry operators. Knapen holds the position of European market leader in its category, anchored by category-defining inventions (first European moving floor trailer in 1984, self-supporting chassis in 1988, EXSIDE concept in 2020) and the 2021 Trailer Innovation Award for the EXSIDE design.
Ownership, structure, and scale: privately held under Krone Commercial Vehicle Group with the group containing multiple wholly-owned BVs (Knapen Trailers B.V., Knapen Trailers International B.V., Knapen Service B.V., Trailned B.V., and Stapelstenen B.V.); a headcount band of 251-500 employees; financial figures including revenue are not publicly disclosed. Operations remain independent within the Krone family, leveraging Gigant's axle engineering and Krone's commercial vehicle scale while preserving the Knapen brand identity across European markets.
Knapen Trailers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Knapen Trailers
- Legal name
- Knapen Trailers B.V.
- Website
- https://knapen-trailers.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Knapen Trailers B.V. is a Dutch specialty manufacturer of moving floor trailers serving European transport, waste, agriculture, and general-cargo operators through four core platforms (NEXT, HDX, EXSIDE, EXTREME) and a 25-country certified dealer network, wholly owned by Krone Commercial Vehicle Group since 2019.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Knapen Trailers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Moving Floor Trailers
- NAICS
- Truck Trailer Manufacturing (336212)
- SIC
- Truck Trailers (3715)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Semi-Trailer Manufacturing (Dry Van/Reefer/Tanker/Lowboy) (IMACAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Truck Trailer Manufacturing (Dry Van/Reefer/Flatbed/Tanker) (IMACABAH)
Keywords
Where Knapen Trailers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Deurne
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Knapen Trailers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Trailer Sales: Knapen Trailers designs and manufactures custom moving floor trailers sold to transport companies, waste management firms, agricultural businesses, and logistics operators across Europe. Trailers are produced to order without technical risks. Four main product lines: NEXT (standard all-rounder since 1984), HDX (heavy duty for rough terrain), EXSIDE (fully openable side doors with 12.9m opening), and EXTREME (for scrap and heavy waste).
- Spare Parts Sales: Spare parts are sold through the Knapen Parts web store (www.knapen-parts.com). Certified service partners hold most standard parts in stock for quick turnaround. Parts include original replacement components for all trailer models.
- After-Sales Service and Support: After-sales support including warranty services, technical training (Code 95 driver training, technical training for dealers and service partners), software updates, and technical documentation. Available 24/7 for breakdowns and emergencies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom-built trailers priced on a per-unit basis through dealer quotes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Knapen Trailers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Knapen Trailers designs, manufactures and services custom-built moving floor trailers for the European commercial transport market. Its four core product lines — NEXT (general all-rounder), HDX (heavy duty for rough terrain), EXSIDE (fully openable side doors) and EXTREME (scrap and waste) — are produced to order at its solar-powered, robotically welded factory in Deurne, Netherlands, and supported through a certified dealer and service partner network with an online spare parts store.
Product overview
Knapen Trailers is a specialist manufacturer of moving floor trailers, offering four distinct product lines: NEXT (the all-rounder for general cargo and bulk transport), HDX (Heavy Duty version for rough terrain and off-road use), EXSIDE (innovative side-door model with 12.9m opening, winner of the 2021 Trailer Innovation Award), and EXTREME (ultra-robust model for scrap and waste transport). All trailers feature the proprietary moving floor system and self-supporting chassis construction invented by Knapen. The company also produces the KX agricultural variant in collaboration with KRONE. Core technologies include the hydraulically-powered moving floor system and the HD AXLE component developed with Gigant. All trailers are robotically welded using solar energy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NEXT: Standard moving floor trailer model with rugged functional design, robotic welding, and proven quality since 1984
- HDX
- EXSIDE
- EXTREME
- PowerSheet
Products and services
- NEXT Moving Floor Trailer The all-rounder moving floor trailer with rugged functional design, offered since 1984 and relaunched as the NEXT in 2016. Features fully robotically welded construction, self-supporting chassis design, and the lightest weight in its class. Sold to transport and logistics operators across Europe through certified dealers.
- HDX Heavy Duty Moving Floor Trailer Heavy Duty moving floor trailer for rough terrain and off-road use, with extensive reinforcements throughout the chassis and body. Available with steel or aluminium chassis and marketed as the lightest Heavy Duty moving floor trailer on the market. Targets construction, demolition and agricultural operators working in difficult conditions.
- EXSIDE Moving Floor Trailer Moving floor trailer with fully openable side doors offering a unique 12.9-metre loading width. The mid post between side door openings slides completely to the side to create an uninterrupted opening, and a liftable upper beam adds 30 cm of working height. Winner of the 2021 Trailer Innovation Award. Designed for general cargo, palletised loads and forestry products.
- EXTREME Moving Floor Trailer The ultimate safe alternative to large-volume scrap tipper trailers, made from exceptionally wear-resistant steel. Designed for transporting heavily abrasive materials including scrap metal, rubble, bulky waste, end-of-life vehicles and construction debris. Features fully self-supporting construction and is approximately 500 kg lighter than competing scrap tipper trailers. Targets waste management and recycling operators.
- Knapen KX Moving Floor Trailer Moving floor trailer series launched in 2023 in collaboration with KRONE, equipped as standard with specific agricultural options ideal for versatile field use and universal agricultural applications such as maize, straw, grain, sugar beet and compost transport.
- Knapen After-Sales Service and Support After-sales service offering including warranty processing, technical training (Code 95 driver training plus dealer and service partner training), software updates, technical documentation, and 24/7 emergency breakdown support delivered through an internal after-sales team and a certified European service partner network.
- Knapen Parts Spare Parts Store Online spare parts store selling original replacement parts for Knapen moving floor trailers. Available 24/7 to fleet operators and certified service partners across Europe for fast parts turnaround.
Quantifiable outcome
- Self-supporting chassis increased volume from 80 m³ to nearly 90 m³ and reduced own weight to 7,980 kg (1988)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Knapen Trailers
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Knapen Trailers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature7 records
Knapen Trailers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- GigantcoreKnapen developed the Knapen 9T HD AXLE in cooperation with Gigant, a partner within the Krone family. With over 60 years of experience in designing and manufacturing axles and specialization in HD axles for heavy-duty applications, Gigant was the ideal partner to create the Knapen HD AXLE. The axle uses proven Gigant technology including SKF bearings, Haldex disc brakes, and Jurid brake pads, adapted specifically for Knapen moving floor trailers.
- Trailerpartner AScoreTrailerpartner AS is the Norwegian dealer for Knapen Trailers. They collaborated with Knapen to build a unique EXSIDE Long-HGV combination for a Norwegian transport company, featuring a 25.25m vehicle combination with over 147 m³ loading volume.
- Krone Commercial Vehicle GroupcoreOn June 24, 2019, Krone Commercial Vehicle Group acquired 100% of the shares of Knapen Group. As the European market leader in moving floor trailers, Knapen became part of one of Europe's largest and leading trailer manufacturers and a global agricultural machinery company. Knapen operates totally independently under the Krone umbrella while benefiting from group resources for future expansion opportunities in both sectors.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Knapen Trailers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Cargo Floor: Dutch designer and manufacturer of hydraulic moving floor drive systems used across the trailer industry, including Knapen. Adjacent as a critical technology supplier (and therefore enabler / competitor-in-spirit) for the European moving floor trailer category.
Broad incumbents
- Humbaur: German trailer manufacturer producing utility, tipping, and platform trailers plus car/horse transporters. Comparable on European dealer channel, premium German manufacturing positioning, and vocational trailer customization approach.
- Kögel Trailer: German semi-trailer manufacturer producing dry van, reefer, platform, and tipper trailers. Comparable on European fleet relationships, vocational trailer specialization, and dealer-driven sales model.
- Wielton Group: European trailer group producing tippers, curtainsiders, container chassis and semi-trailers across multiple plants including Langendorf and Tisvol. Comparable through its broad European footprint and dealer network, similar to Krone/Knapen's route-to-market model.
- Schmitz Cargobull: Europe's largest trailer manufacturer with a broad semi-trailer portfolio (dry van, reefer, tipper, container chassis). Highly comparable to Knapen's NEXT platform and a benchmark for European fleet-dealer economics and aftermarket monetization.
- Lamberet (Lamberet Vehicles Industriels): French refrigerated and specialty trailer manufacturer. Comparable through its specialty-trailer focus, European dealer network, and customization-heavy build-to-order production model akin to Knapen's four product lines.
Regional players
- Tırsan Treyler: Largest trailer manufacturer in Turkey with growing European footprint. Comparable on product breadth across tipper, curtainsider, and platform trailers serving waste, agricultural, and general cargo fleets similar to Knapen's segments.
Direct peers
- Krone Commercial Vehicle Group: Parent company and Europe's largest trailer manufacturer with overlapping dry van, reefer, and container chassis product lines. Direct comparison because Krone itself produces moving floor and tipping trailers in adjacent categories, plus it owns Knapen and sets the strategic roadmap for the group.
- Fliegl Fahrzeugbau: German manufacturer of tippers, dump trailers, and moving floor trailers. The most direct competitive peer, producing moving floor / walking floor trailers in similar agricultural and waste use cases to Knapen's NEXT and EXTREME.
- Talson Fahrzeugbau: German/Dutch manufacturer specializing in curtainsider and box semi-trailers. Comparable geographic concentration in DACH and Benelux regions, similarly serving European transport, paper-roll, and general cargo fleets overlapping with EXSIDE and NEXT buyers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Knapen Trailers social profiles
Digital presenceKnapen Trailers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Knapen Trailers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Knapen Trailers subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Knapen Trailers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Knapen Trailers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Knapen Trailers
What does Knapen Trailers do?
Knapen Trailers designs, manufactures and services custom-built moving floor trailers for the European commercial transport market. Its four core product lines — NEXT (general all-rounder), HDX (heavy duty for rough terrain), EXSIDE (fully openable side doors) and EXTREME (scrap and waste) — are produced to order at its solar-powered, robotically welded factory in Deurne, Netherlands, and supported through a certified dealer and service partner network with an online spare parts store.
Is Knapen Trailers a public or private company?
Knapen Trailers is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Knapen Trailers founded?
Knapen Trailers was founded in 1984. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Knapen Trailers based?
Knapen Trailers is headquartered in Deurne, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Knapen Trailers make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Trailer Sales are the primary driver. The others are spare Parts Sales and after-Sales Service and Support.
Who are Knapen Trailers's main competitors?
Cargo Floor is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Humbaur, Kögel Trailer, Wielton Group, Schmitz Cargobull and Lamberet (Lamberet Vehicles Industriels). Tırsan Treyler is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Krone Commercial Vehicle Group, Fliegl Fahrzeugbau and Talson Fahrzeugbau.
Does Knapen Trailers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Knapen Trailers.
What industry is Knapen Trailers in?
Knapen Trailers's product category is Commercial Moving Floor Trailers. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAGAB, Semi-Trailer Manufacturing (Dry Van/Reefer/Tanker/Lowboy), with a secondary code of IMACABAH, Truck Trailer Manufacturing (Dry Van/Reefer/Flatbed/Tanker). Its NAICS code is 336212 and its SIC code is 3715.