What Andover Trailers does

Andover Trailers Limited is a UK-based specialist manufacturer of custom-engineered trailers and truck plant bodies, established in 1985 and operating from its headquarters at 75 Columbus Way, Walworth Business Park, Andover, Hampshire, alongside two additional UK sites. The company produces step-frame trailers, sloping-deck trailers, hydraulic detachable-neck low loaders (28–150 tonne combination weight), forklift transporter trailers, and drawbar trailers, plus custom-built plant bodies compatible with all major European truck chassis (Volvo, Scania, Mercedes-Benz, Iveco, Renault, Isuzu, Fuso, MAN, DAF). Technical differentiation rests on precision engineering, low deck-height design (up to five inches below competitor standard), and the newly launched AndoverX range of lightweight trailers using modern materials to maximise payload; the firm also offers bespoke engineering for military, aerospace, and specialist cargo applications.

The business operates three revenue streams: one-time sales of bespoke trailers and plant bodies, a recurring rental subscription programme (short-term weekly, medium-term monthly, long-term multi-year, try-before-you-buy, and seasonal hire), and aftersales service and parts with 24/7 nationwide coverage via partners TIP Group and Service 24/7. The company serves nine primary verticals — construction and civil engineering, heavy plant and machinery transport, forklift and materials handling, haulage and general logistics, utilities and infrastructure, waste and recycling, agriculture and forestry, municipal and government fleets, and military/defence — with named enterprise customers including Allelys Heavy Haulage, Coyle Haulage (a 20-year fleet relationship), Lomond Plant Group, Shaun Burton Transport, and Mar-Train.

A team of more than 60 design engineers, fabricators, assembly technicians, and service coordinators produces over 200 bespoke units annually. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales (Head of Trailer Sales, Trailer Sales Manager, Plant Body Sales Manager) combined with direct rental engagement and a third-party marketplace listing on Commercial Motor. The company holds ISO 9001 quality management certification, Cyber Essentials accreditation, JOSCAR registration for aerospace/defence supply chains, and SMMT trade association membership, and is privately held with no parent company, funding rounds, or M&A activity disclosed.

Name

Andover Trailers

Legal name

Andover Trailers Limited

Website

https://andovertrailers.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Andover Trailers is a UK-based specialist manufacturer of custom-engineered trailers and plant bodies for haulage, construction, defence, and agricultural sectors, producing 200+ bespoke units per year across three UK sites with 60+ staff, plus rental and aftersales services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialist Commercial Trailers and Plant Bodies

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Truck Body & Upfit Manufacturing (Box/Dump/Service/Refuse) (IMACAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Heavy Haul / Lowboy Tractor Leasing & Rental (TLABABAL), Flatbed & Platform Trucks Leasing & Rental (TLABAEAC)

Keywords

• Specialist trailer manufacturing
• Heavy haulage trailers
• Plant body manufacturing
• Bespoke trailer engineering
• Trailer rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Andover

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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. Trailer Sales: Sale of custom-manufactured specialist trailers including step frames, sloping decks, low loaders, forklift trailers, and drawbars. One-time purchase model with customization options.
2. Plant Body Sales: Custom-built plant bodies for truck chassis from 7.5 to 32 tonnes, with or without cranes, compatible with all major European truck brands.
3. Trailer Rental: Flexible hire terms including short-term (weekly), medium-term (monthly), long-term (multi-month/year), seasonal, and try-before-you-buy options. VAT reclaim available for business use.
4. Service & Parts: Maintenance, repairs, and genuine OEM/compatible parts supply for trailers and plant bodies. 24/7 service support available.
5. Bespoke Engineering: Custom trailer design and manufacturing for unique transportation challenges including military, aerospace, and specialized cargo applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Andover Trailers designs, manufactures, and rents specialist commercial trailers and truck plant bodies from its UK facility. The product portfolio spans step frames, sloping decks, low loaders, forklift transporters, drawbars, the AndoverX lightweight range, and custom plant bodies built for all major European truck chassis. The company also offers bespoke engineering for unique transport challenges, flexible rental/hire programmes, and a full servicing and parts operation supporting the installed base.

Product overview

Andover Trailers is a specialist manufacturer of trailers and plant bodies established in 1985, operating a single unified product line centred on custom-engineered transport equipment. The core portfolio comprises five main trailer types: Step Frame Trailers, Sloping Deck Trailers, Low Loader Trailers, Forklift Transporter Trailers, and Drawbar Trailers, all available with extensive customisation options. A newer sub-brand called AndoverX launched in 2024 offers lightweight trailers for general haulage and recovery applications. Plant Bodies represent a parallel product line built for truck chassis compatibility with major European brands. The company also offers bespoke engineering services for unique transport challenges and maintains dedicated Rental, Servicing, and Parts divisions to support the full product lifecycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AndoverX: A new generation of lightweight and ultra-lightweight trailers engineered using modern materials and design principles to maximise payload without compromising strength, safety or durability. Includes flatbed and beavertail trailers for general haulage, recovery, and plant transport operations.

Products and services

• Step Frame Trailers Versatile step frame trailers designed for superior payload handling and exceptional load stability, with low deck heights and low profile necks. Available with 2–5 axles, gross trailer weights from 32t–90t, and payloads from 26t–74t for heavy and specialist transport operators.
• Sloping Deck Trailers Trailers designed for transporting equipment with low ground clearance, featuring reduced approach angles with precision engineering. Available in 2- and 3-axle versions with payloads up to 36 tonnes, intended for plant equipment operators.
• Low Loader Trailers Hydraulic detachable-neck low loaders engineered to move combination weights from 28 to 150 tonnes. Available in non-steered, friction-steered, or full power-steering versions with optional dollies, designed for heavy haulage operators.
• Forklift Transporter Trailers Specialist trailers for safe, reliable movement of forklifts and material handling equipment (MHE). Available as low step-frame trailers or ultra-low-floor wheelbox trailers with independent air suspension and full-width single-piece or power-toe ramps.
• Drawbar Trailers Drawbar trailers available in conventional turntable and centre-axle formats, ranging from 8 to 25 tonnes, suitable for plant transport and specialist applications.
• AndoverX Trailers New generation of lightweight and ultra-lightweight trailers engineered using modern materials to reduce unladen weight while maximising payload, strength, safety, and durability. Includes flatbed and beavertail variants for general haulage, recovery, and plant transport operations.
• Plant Bodies Custom-built truck plant bodies with deck heights up to five inches lower than standard, designed for truck chassis from 7.5 to 32 tonnes with or without cranes. Compatible with all major European truck brands including Volvo, Scania, Mercedes-Benz, Iveco, Renault, Isuzu, Fuso, MAN, and DAF.
• Military Projects Bespoke trailers engineered for military and defence applications including logistics support, specialist recovery and launch platforms, designed for demanding conditions both on-road and off-road for armed forces and defence sector transport providers.
• Bespoke Engineering Custom trailer design and manufacturing service for unique transportation challenges, including previously built trailers for transporting radar equipment, nuclear waste containers, boats, and railway locomotives.
• Trailer Rental Flexible trailer hire services offering short-term weekly hire, medium-term monthly rentals, long-term multi-month or multi-year agreements, try-before-you-buy options with part of rental offset against future purchase, and seasonal hire for peak demand periods. 100% VAT reclaim available for business use.
• Servicing & Maintenance Comprehensive trailer and plant body maintenance services including call-out maintenance, scheduled repairs, and nationwide UK coverage. Technicians trained to service tyres, brakes, lighting, suspension, electrics, and hydraulics on-site or at partner garages.
• Parts & Spares Supply of genuine OEM parts and compatible components for all Andover trailers and plant bodies, with fast delivery options available to support the installed fleet.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fuel efficiency improvement of approximately 1mpg daily compared to existing trailers, resulting in significant annual savings
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments9 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• TIP GroupsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTIP Group is listed as a trusted service partner providing round-the-clock support for Andover Trailer customers wherever they are.
• Service 24/7supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerService 24/7 is a trusted service partner providing 24/7 breakdown and assistance services for commercial vehicles and trailers.
• TSE (Trailer Solutions Europe)supportingTechnology or IntegrationTSE provides all-steel sliding-roof system for forklift trailers, renowned for strength and ability to travel safely while roof is retracted.
• Major European Truck ManufacturerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Volvo, Scania, Mercedes-Benz, Iveco, Renault, Isuzu, Fuso, MAN, DAF and other major brands ensuring plant bodies are perfectly compatible with latest vehicle models.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Broshuis: Netherlands-based specialist trailer manufacturer producing low loaders, drawbar trailers, and special transport equipment with strong custom-engineering capability, mirroring Andover's bespoke approach to plant/heavy haulage trailer markets.
• Wielton Group: Poland-headquartered trailer manufacturer with a broad European portfolio including tippers, curtainsiders, and specialist low loaders — overlaps with Andover in flatbed/specialist segment and competes across UK and European construction and general haulage markets.
• Faymonville: Luxembourg-based specialist semi-trailer manufacturer focusing on heavy-haulage, low loaders, modular and special transport — closely aligned with Andover's specialist engineering value proposition and target customer verticals.
• Nooteboom Trailers: Dutch specialist low-loader and heavy-haulage trailer manufacturer with comparable hydraulic detachable-neck technology and combination weight capability up to 150 tonnes — a direct competitor in low loaders and step-frame trailers serving the same European construction/heavy haulage customer base.
• Dennison Trailers: UK and Ireland-based trailer manufacturer producing skeletal, curtain sider, and specialist trailers — a domestic rival with overlapping product portfolio and shared UK construction/infrastructure customer base.
• Lawrence David: UK-based truck body and trailer manufacturer producing curtainsiders, box vans, and specialist bodies — competes directly with Andover in custom truck body manufacturing for fleet operators.
• Don-Bur: UK-based manufacturer of truck bodies and trailers for commercial vehicles — direct overlap with Andover's plant body business and a similar custom-engineering value proposition for fleet customers.
• SDC Trailers: Largest UK and Ireland-based semi-trailer manufacturer with broad product range including flatbeds and specialist trailers — competes with Andover in the UK general and specialist haulage trailer market with greater scale but lower specialisation.

Broad incumbents

• Schmitz Cargobull: Largest European trailer manufacturer offering semi-trailers (curtainsiders, reefers, box bodies) and a comprehensive service network — a dominant broad incumbent with limited specialist heavy-haulage overlap but clear presence in UK fleet markets.
• Krone: Major German trailer manufacturer with a broad European portfolio of semi-trailers, trailers, and commercial vehicle bodies — a much larger incumbent that overlaps with Andover in flatbed and specialist segments but does not focus on the heavy-haulage/low-loader niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/at_limited
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AndoverTrailers
• Facebookfacebook.com/andovertrailersltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/andover-trailers
• Instagraminstagram.com/andovertrailers
• TikToktiktok.com/@andovertrailers

Compliance4 records

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 Andover Trailers