J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers

What J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers does

J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers, founded in 1958 and headquartered in Somerset, Pennsylvania, is a custom manufacturer and upfitter of dump bodies, trailers, and complementary truck equipment serving construction, municipal/government, and utility fleet customers across the United States. The company operates two core divisions: J&J Truck Bodies, which designs and builds custom aluminum, steel, and stainless steel dump bodies (including the Material Hauler, Material Hauler EVO, Semi-Elliptical, and Smoothside Evolution Series lines) plus transfer and specialty trailers, and J&J Truck Equipment, which functions as a multi-brand upfitter and distributor installing service bodies, crane bodies, hooklifts, lube trucks, liftgates, winches, aerial lifts, and snow and ice equipment from OEMs including Knapheide, Palfinger, Auto Crane, BOSS, and AxionLift. Underlying technology centers on proprietary metallurgy (J&J Body Armor 450 Steel, double-wall extruded EVO panels), ergonomic hydraulic controls (Arctic Edge), and precision custom fabrication executed across nearly 275,000 sq ft of manufacturing space in three Somerset facilities plus a Cumberland, Maryland operations site.

The business model is hybrid and primarily project-driven: J&J sells custom-manufactured truck bodies and trailers on a quote basis (one-time purchase with multi-year fleet relationships), distributes and installs third-party truck equipment through dealer and direct channels, generates recurring aftermarket revenue through an online parts storefront (parts.jjbodies.com), and provides service, repair, and refurbishment via in-house welding and hydraulics teams. Go-to-market is sales-led, combining a six-person outside sales team covering defined national territories (including a dedicated municipal/government overlay) with an inside sales team, supported by an active trade show circuit (NTEA Work Truck Show, Mid-America Trucking Show, APWA Snow Conference, WasteExpo), content marketing, and an updated consolidated website launched in January 2022. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified (since 1997), ASME-certified for pressure vacuum tanks, NTEA verified, and Co-Stars snow and ice compliant (contract #025-056), enabling public-sector procurement.

J&J operates as a division of Somerset Welding and Steel, Inc., a subsidiary of the family-owned Riggs Industries, Inc. conglomerate. Customer evidence is distributed across named government accounts (PennDOT, DelDOT, Garrett County, National Grid) and SMB construction owner-operators (RPM Trucking, Shawn Baker Trucking), with testimonials emphasizing multi-decade product durability. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and there are no external funding rounds; the business is funded internally and reinvests in product development, distribution partnerships, and commercial infrastructure rather than external capital.

Name

J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers

Legal name

Somerset Welding and Steel, Inc.

Website

https://jjbodies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers is a Somerset, Pennsylvania-based custom manufacturer and upfitter of dump bodies, trailers, and truck equipment serving construction, municipal/government, and utility fleet customers across the United States since 1958.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Truck Bodies and Trailers

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Body Manufacturing (336211), Truck Trailer Manufacturing (336212), Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing (3362), Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing (33621)

SIC

Truck & Bus Bodies (3713), Truck Trailers (3715), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Truck Body & Upfitting Manufacturing (Box Bodies/Service Bodies/Cranes/Liftgates) (IMACABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vocational/Work Truck Manufacturing (Dump/Refuse/Mixer/Utility) (IMACABAF), Truck Trailer Manufacturing (Dry Van/Reefer/Flatbed/Tanker) (IMACABAH), Truck Body & Upfit Manufacturing (Box/Dump/Service/Refuse) (IMACAGAC)

Keywords

• Truck body manufacturing
• Dump body fabrication
• Trailer manufacturing
• Truck equipment upfitting
• Fleet vehicle customization

Headquarters

HQ city

Somerset

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Truck Body Manufacturing: J&J Truck Bodies designs and manufactures custom dump bodies (aluminum, steel, stainless steel) and trailers (transfer trailers, compaction, moving floor, tipper, steel lightweight, push out trailers) for commercial and municipal use. Customers include construction fleets, municipal/government fleets, and utility fleets. Products are custom-built to specification.
2. Truck Equipment Distribution and Upfitting: J&J Truck Equipment serves as a premier upfitter and distributor for major truck equipment brands (Knapheide, Palfinger, Auto Crane, etc.). Provides service body installation, crane body upfitting, aerial lifts, lubrication trucks, winch tractors, wetline kits, liftgates, and related equipment. Also offers refurbishment, repairs, and parts inventory.
3. Parts and Aftermarket Sales: Operates an online parts store (parts.jjbodies.com) and maintains extensive parts inventory for all brands of truck equipment. Parts departments staffed with dedicated personnel.
4. Service, Repair, and Refurbishment: Full-service welding, hydraulics, and fabrication capabilities. Extends the life of existing equipment through quality refurbishing and repair. Team of expert technicians with over 100 years of combined repair experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers manufactures custom dump bodies and trailers in aluminum, steel, and stainless steel for commercial, municipal, and utility fleet operators, and operates an upfitting and distribution arm (J&J Truck Equipment) that installs and services service bodies, crane bodies, liftgates, hooklifts, aerial lifts, snowplows, salt spreaders, and related truck accessories from partner brands such as Knapheide, Palfinger, Auto Crane, and BOSS. The company provides turnkey chassis installation, an online parts shop, and full-service welding, hydraulics, fabrication, refurbishment, and repair capabilities from approximately 275,000 sq ft of manufacturing space across three facilities in Somerset, Pennsylvania.

Product overview

J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers is a manufacturer and upfitter offering two divisions: J&J Truck Bodies (dump bodies and trailers) and J&J Truck Equipment (upfitter and distributor). The core product portfolio centers on dump bodies in aluminum, steel, and stainless steel across light, medium, and heavy-duty configurations, including the popular Aluminum Material Hauler, Material Hauler EVO, Smoothside Evolution Series, Semi-Elliptical, and LWC Smoothside lines. J&J Truck Equipment distributes and installs complementary truck equipment including service bodies, crane bodies, van bodies, flat beds, hooklifts/rolloffs/rollbacks, lube trucks, liftgates, wetlines, winches, and aerial lifts from partner brands such as Knapheide, Palfinger, Auto Crane, and Boss. A comprehensive truck accessories line includes snowplows, salt spreaders, tarps/liners, tool boxes, air compressors, and truck caps. The company also provides fleet solutions for construction, municipal, and utility applications along with custom fabrication services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aluminum Material Hauler Dump Bodies J&J's most popular dump body model, precision-engineered for coal and aggregate hauling. Lightweight, corrosion-resistant aluminum construction designed to withstand years of hard service and serve as the company's No. 1 selling commercial dump body for construction and aggregate fleets.
• Material Hauler EVO Dump Bodies Aluminum dump body solution for hauling aggregates such as asphalt, sand, stone, gravel, or coal, featuring reinforced interlocking double-wall extruded panels that provide insulation for hot materials like asphalt while absorbing impact on the interior wall.
• Medium Duty Aluminum Dump Bodies Medium duty aluminum dump bodies offering superior corrosion resistance, higher payload, and greater resale value. Suited for municipal and commercial applications including road maintenance, snow and ice control, and construction work.
• Light Duty Aluminum Dump Bodies Light duty aluminum dump bodies designed for contractors, landscapers, and municipal agencies needing a smaller dump truck that functions as a heavy-duty workhorse for road maintenance and construction applications.
• Smoothside Evolution Series Steel Dump Bodies J&J's lightest and strongest steel dump body, manufactured from proprietary J&J Body Armor 450 Steel. Features a 10% weight reduction and improved aerodynamics that optimize fuel efficiency, with streamlined manufacturing yielding shorter build times.
• Medium Duty Steel Dump Bodies Medium duty steel dump bodies suited for municipal and commercial applications including road maintenance, snow and ice control, and construction and landscaping.
• Light Duty Steel Dump Bodies Light duty steel dump bodies designed for contractors, landscapers, and municipal agencies needing a smaller dump truck for road maintenance and construction applications.
• Semi-Elliptical Steel Dump Bodies Steel dump bodies engineered to absorb impact and maximize volume, featuring the proven durability and abrasion resistance of J&J Body Armor for handling big rock or maximizing aggregate payloads.
• LWC Smoothside Steel Dump Bodies Lighter weight steel dump bodies with a sleek, smooth exterior look, featuring the impact and abrasion resistance of high hard steel for construction and aggregate hauling applications.
• Stainless Steel Dump Bodies Stainless steel dump bodies built to meet the demands of the toughest hauling jobs, delivering durability, low maintenance, corrosion and rust resistance, and stain resistance for harsh-environment hauling applications.
• Knapheide Service Bodies Distributed and installed service bodies from Knapheide in standard, compact, KUV/KC, and aluminum configurations, with external storage for tools and equipment and E-coat rust protection for fleet service applications.
• Crane Bodies Crane bodies with crane options up to 86,000 ft/lbs from Palfinger, Fassi, Auto Crane, and Tiger Cranes, in articulating, knuckle boom, or telescopic configurations mounted on bodies specifically designed to complement each crane for field service, construction, and utility work.
• Flat Beds Flatbed solutions including steel and aluminum flatbeds, gooseneck platforms, and custom flatbeds from Knapheide, TruckCraft, and Dakota Bodies for hauling, landscaping, construction, maintenance, utility, and municipal applications.
• Hooklifts, Rolloffs & Rollbacks Selection of rollbacks, hooklifts, and rolloffs from PALFINGER, Stellar, and Kilar for quick and efficient loading and unloading of containers, bodies, and equipment in refuse, recycling, and hauling operations.
• Lube Trucks Closed lube trucks with various tank capacities for oil, antifreeze, water, and waste oil recovery systems, plus highly customizable open lube trucks for mobile lubrication and field service operations.
• Liftgates Liftgates from Thieman, Tommy Gate, Anthony, and Waltco providing a safe and efficient method for loading and unloading, available for service bodies, van bodies, flatbeds, and pickup trucks.
• Wetline Kit Installation Wet line kit installation services for dump trucks including options for headache rack, walk ramps, fenders, stinger plates, and emergency lighting to add hydraulic-powered auxiliary equipment operation.
• Winches and Winch Tractors Heavy-duty winch mounting solutions including headache rack, work platform, air slide 5th wheel, and tail roller assembly, with modular design for custom configurations using Ramsey Winch components.
• Aerial Lifts Aerial lifts from AxionLift for electric utility, telecommunications, tree care, lights and signs, government, and contractor markets, meeting or exceeding ANSI standards for elevated work platforms.
• Van Bodies Van bodies from U.S. Truck Body available in aluminum and fiberglass reinforced plywood (FRP) constructions for enclosed cargo and service applications.
• Salt Spreaders Salt spreaders from BOSS, Buyers Products (SaltDogg line), and Swenson, including tailgate, pickup, and municipal-grade spreader configurations for road and highway de-icing operations.
• Snowplows Snowplows from BOSS, Henke, and Gledhill for trucks, loaders, graders, skid steers, and UTVs, including Power-V, municipal, straight edge, sport duty, and box plow configurations.
• Tarps & Liners Tarp systems and parts from Aero, Mountain, Pulltarps, Roll-Rite, Shur-Co, and Tarp America, plus liners from QuickSilver and DuraPro for load containment and material protection in dump body and trailer applications.
• Tool Boxes Durable, weather-resistant truck tool boxes from Weatherguard, Bawer, Buyers, TruckCraft, and ProTech, available in aluminum, steel, and stainless steel constructions for service body and pickup storage applications.
• Air Compressors Vehicle-mounted air compressors from Vanair and V-Mac, including PTO-driven and gasoline-powered rotary screw compressors for pneumatic tool operation on field service and utility vehicles.
• Truck Caps & Covers DiamondBack truck covers and LEER truck caps for pickup trucks, providing secure enclosed storage and bed protection.
• Custom Manufacturing and Fleet Solutions Comprehensive custom manufacturing and fleet solutions including construction fleet vehicles, municipal fleet vehicles, and utility fleet vehicles, supported by ISO-certified manufacturing, custom design, engineering, and turnkey chassis installation to deliver ready-to-deploy equipment.
• Parts, Repair, and Refurbishment Services Full-service welding, hydraulics, and fabrication capabilities with a team of expert technicians providing refurbishment, repair, and aftermarket parts for all brands of truck equipment. Online parts shop at parts.jjbodies.com plus staffed parts departments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products built in 1998 still looked like the day they were made after 20+ years of use, demonstrating exceptional durability and longevity.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KnapheidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J Truck Equipment is among the top Knapheide distributors in the U.S. for over a decade. Distributes Knapheide service bodies, crane bodies, flatbeds, gooseneck platforms, KUV/KC bodies, line bodies, and compact service bodies. Knapheide products feature E-coat electrocoating prime paint system for rust prevention.
• PalfingercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J distributes Palfinger hooklifts (including hydraulic and cable-style roll-off hoists), Palfinger crane bodies (PAL Pro Mechanics Truck bodies), and is a Palfinger distributor. Products range from 12,000 lb to 86,000 ft/lb capacity crane bodies. Palfinger E-Coat system used for rust prevention.
• Auto CranecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J distributes Auto Crane products including crane bodies for construction, mining, forestry, and equipment repair applications. Recognized as a leading Auto Crane distributor for over a decade.
• BOSS SnowplowcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J distributes BOSS Snowplow products including Power-V, municipal plows, straight edge, sport duty plows, box plows, and UTV snowplows. Also distributes BOSS tailgate spreaders and VBX spreaders.
• TruckCraftminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J distributes TruckCraft products including aluminum flatbeds for landscaping, construction, maintenance, utilities, and municipalities industries.
• AxionLiftminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J distributes AxionLift aerial lifts for electric utility, telecommunications, tree care, lights & signs, government and contractor markets. Products meet or exceed ANSI standards.
• SwensonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J distributes Swenson spreaders including S-Series under tailgate spreaders and E-Series hopper spreaders designed to work with standard dump body tailgates.
• Tommy GateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J distributes Tommy Gate liftgates as part of its comprehensive liftgate product line for service bodies, van bodies, flatbeds, and pickup trucks.
• BrandFX (EverLast Service Bodies)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J distributes BrandFX EverLast service bodies made from advanced composite construction delivering high-strength and lightweight build with up to 20 years of continual use. Brand named Life Cycle Value Leader.
• Vanair / V-MacminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJ&J distributes Vanair and V-Mac vehicle-mounted air compressors including PTO-driven and gasoline-powered rotary screw air compressors.
• Rigging Industries Inc. (Parent Company)coreOthersJ&J Truck Bodies is a division of Somerset Welding & Steel, Inc., which is a subsidiary of Riggs Industries, Inc. The company operates under the corporate umbrella of Riggs Industries, located in Somerset, PA.
• Somerset Welding & Steel, Inc.coreOthersJ&J Truck Bodies is a division of Somerset Welding & Steel. The parent company's fabrication capabilities enable J&J to offer tailor-made products including fabrication, manifold trailers, and mobile fracturing systems.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Morgan Truck Body: National manufacturer of truck bodies, refrigerated bodies, and trailers with deep municipal and commercial fleet exposure. Directly competes with J&J in dump bodies, service bodies, and vocational upfitting.
• Reading Truck Body: Major U.S. manufacturer of truck bodies, service bodies, dump bodies, and van bodies for vocational fleets. Closely overlaps with J&J's core dump body and truck equipment portfolio across construction, municipal, and utility customers.
• Maintainer Corporation: Iowa-based custom truck body and equipment manufacturer focused on service bodies, crane bodies, and lube trucks. Comparable to J&J Truck Equipment's upfitting business with similar utility and contractor customer segments.
• Heil Trailer (Heil Environmental / EnPro): Manufacturer of refuse, transfer, and specialty trailers; competes directly with J&J's transfer trailer, push-out, moving floor, and tipper trailer lines for municipal solid waste and aggregate hauling customers.
• Stahl/Force America: Manufacturer of service bodies, utility bodies, and truck equipment upfits with strong municipal and utility fleet presence. Directly comparable to J&J's truck equipment division across similar end markets.

Broad incumbents

• Knapheide: One of the largest North American manufacturers of truck bodies, service bodies, and utility vehicles. Directly comparable to J&J's product line, but operates at a much larger national scale; J&J is itself a top Knapheide distributor, making it both partner and downstream competitor in some segments.
• Auto Crane: Manufacturer of crane bodies and articulating/telescopic cranes for vocational fleets. J&J has been a leading Auto Crane distributor for over a decade; Auto Crane overlaps with J&J's crane body upfitting offering.
• Palfinger: Global manufacturer of hooklifts, cranes, and loader cranes, with a North American upfitting footprint. J&J is a Palfinger distributor and also fabricates bodies mounting Palfinger equipment, making Palfinger both a partner and an upstream competitor.

Emerging players

• BrandFX (EverLast Service Bodies): Manufacturer of composite, lightweight service bodies marketed under the 'Life Cycle Value Leader' positioning. Competes with Knapheide and other steel service bodies that J&J distributes and upfits, particularly for utility and contractor fleets.

Regional players

• Battle Axle / Battle Motors: Truck chassis and vocational vehicle manufacturer focused on refuse and work trucks; touches J&J's municipal and vocational fleet customers as a chassis supplier-adjacent competitor in certain segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/jjbodies
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/JJBodies
• Facebookfacebook.com/JJBodies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/132813/admin
• Instagraminstagram.com/jjtruckbodies/?hl=en

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers