What SOMI Trailers does

SOMI Trailers Ltd is a UK-based designer and manufacturer of specialised double-decked freight trailers, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire. The company’s core product exploits patented under-trailer storage, accessed through rear doors, to convert what would otherwise be dead space beneath the trailer floor into additional pallet capacity. At a 4-metre overall height, the standard SOMI trailer carries 34 UK pallets or 42 EU pallets — roughly 25-30% more than a conventional trailer of the same footprint — while remaining compliant with infrastructure height limits that constrain payload across the UK, EU, US, and parts of Asia. A refrigerated variant is in development under Regional Growth Fund grant support, and an 11-metre Urban variant for shorter city routes is at the design stage. ATP certification enables multi-temperature use and cross-border refrigerated operations in Europe.

SOMI’s technology is co-developed with manufacturing partner Paneltex and steel-engineering partner Tinsley Bridge Engineering, and is protected by a registered patent. The commercial proposition is a cost-per-pallet delivery model: customers are documented to save the equivalent of one in four journeys, equating to roughly GBP 56,000–112,000 per year for UK fleets running one or two daily routes, and EUR 52,500–105,000 for European fleets at the stated cost-per-pallet assumptions. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales focused on UK major supermarkets and blue-chip logistics operators; trials have been conducted with Morrisons and unnamed major UK supermarket chains, and the company exhibits at the UK Commercial Vehicle Show and the IAA European Commercial Vehicle Show.

The business is privately held and founder-led, with Managing Director Pauline Dawes recognised through the UK Women in Innovation Award (2016) and the JLR Innovation Award at the NAA Awards (2016). Recognition also includes 2nd place at the Trailer Innovation Awards 2015 and the IGD Supply Chain Excellence Award. No institutional venture or private equity investment has been disclosed; funding to date consists of the RGF grant for the refrigerated programme. Revenue and unit-shipment figures are not publicly disclosed, and the operating customer base remains narrow and trial-stage, making near-term revenue predictability dependent on conversion of supermarket pilots into fleet orders.

Name

SOMI Trailers

Legal name

SOMI Trailers Ltd

Website

https://somitrailers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

SOMI Trailers Ltd designs and manufactures patented double-decked freight trailers using under-trailer storage to carry 34 UK or 42 EU pallets within a 4-metre height, serving UK and European supermarkets, retailers, and logistics operators to cut transport costs by 25%.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Truck Trailers

NAICS

Truck Trailer Manufacturing (336212)

SIC

Truck Trailers (3715)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Semi-Trailer Manufacturing (Dry Van/Reefer/Tanker/Lowboy) (IMACAGAB)

Keywords

• Double deck trailers
• Commercial trailer manufacturing
• Freight transport equipment
• Pallet capacity optimization
• Logistics trailer design

Headquarters

HQ city

Scunthorpe

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Trailer sales: Direct sales of SOMI trailers to transport and logistics companies. Trailers are built for trials by major supermarkets and available upon request. Custom configurations include multi-temperature capability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SOMI Trailers designs and manufactures patented double-decked commercial truck trailers that utilize the space underneath the trailer floor — accessed through rear doors — to carry 8 extra UK pallets (34 total) or 10 extra EU pallets (42 total) while staying within standard 4m height restrictions. The trailers are sold directly to logistics companies, blue chip enterprises, and major supermarket chains, and can function as conventional flat trailers, be loaded with or without a forklift, and be configured for multi-temperature operation with ATP certification.

Product overview

SOMI Trailers offers a range of innovative double-decked trailers branded as SOMI (Same Outside More Inside), designed to maximize cargo capacity within 4-meter height restrictions. The core product line includes the standard SOMI trailer carrying 34 UK pallets or 42 EU pallets, the Urban variant (11m, 26 UK pallets) in design stage, and a refrigerated version under development. All trailers use patented technology developed in partnership with Paneltex and Tinsley Bridge Engineering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SOMI Standard Trailer (34 UK / 42 EU Pallet, 4m High) A 4m-high double-decked commercial trailer that carries 34 UK pallets or 42 EU pallets by utilising space underneath the trailer accessed through rear doors. Built in conjunction with Paneltex and Tinsley Bridge Engineering using patented technology, it is ATP certified, can be used as a conventional flat trailer, loaded with or without a forklift, and configured for multi-temperature operation. Sold to logistics operators, blue chip companies, and major supermarket chains.
• SOMI Urban 11m Trailer (26 UK Pallets) An 11m-long, 4m-high trailer variant designed for urban delivery operations, capable of carrying 26 UK pallets while adhering to the SOMI under-trailer storage concept. Targeted at urban freight and last-mile distribution use cases.
• SOMI Refrigerated Trailer Refrigerated (multi-temperature) version of the SOMI double-decked trailer, developed to extend the patented under-trailer storage design into temperature-controlled freight applications, complementing the company's ATP certification for foreign journeys.

Quantifiable outcome

• Save cost of 1 in 4 journeys (25% cost reduction)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PaneltexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaneltex is mentioned as a co-development partner for building SOMI trailers. Joint collaboration on the innovative double-decker trailer design.
• Tinsley Bridge EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTinsley Bridge Engineering is mentioned as a co-development partner, providing steel engineered parts for SOMI trailers. Located in Sheffield.
• MorrisonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducting trials of SOMI trailers for delivery operations. Early adopter customer providing operational feedback.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cartwright Group: Cartwright Group is a major UK manufacturer of commercial trailers, including specialized and high-capacity configurations. It is highly comparable because it sells purpose-built trailers to logistics and fleet customers through a similar hardware-led model.
• Montracon: Montracon manufactures and sells truck and semi-trailers to the UK and European transport market. Its fleet-focused product range and custom engineering capabilities closely overlap with SOMI's trailer proposition.
• SDC Trailers: SDC Trailers manufactures semi-trailers and related transport equipment for freight operators. It is a relevant direct peer because both companies compete on trailer capacity, specification and total logistics efficiency.
• Don-Bur Manufacturing: Don-Bur designs and manufactures truck bodies, trailers and load-handling solutions, including customized configurations for major fleets. Its UK customer base and focus on efficient commercial-vehicle architectures make it closely comparable to SOMI.
• Krone Trailer: Krone Trailer is a large European manufacturer of commercial vehicle trailers, including refrigerated, box and specialized transport variants. It competes on payload efficiency, durability and fleet-scale operating economics, matching SOMI's core buying criteria.
• Schmitz Cargobull: Schmitz Cargobull manufactures semi-trailers and refrigerated trailers for logistics customers across Europe. It is comparable through its direct sales to transport operators, focus on payload and temperature-control use cases, and emphasis on reducing total logistics cost.
• Kögel Trailer: Kögel develops and manufactures semi-trailers and specialized commercial-vehicle bodies for European fleets. Its customized trailer engineering and focus on payload, efficiency and operating cost make it a direct product-category peer.
• Wielton Group: Wielton Group manufactures semi-trailers, box trailers and specialized transport equipment for logistics operators. It is comparable through its international trailer portfolio, custom engineering and focus on maximizing usable cargo capacity.

Broad incumbents

• Lamberet: Lamberet specializes in refrigerated and insulated commercial-vehicle bodies and trailers. It is relevant because SOMI is developing a refrigerated version and targets the same temperature-controlled distribution customers and efficiency needs.
• Gray & Adams: Gray & Adams manufactures commercial vehicle bodies and trailers, with a strong focus on refrigerated and temperature-controlled transport. It overlaps with SOMI's enterprise fleet customers and its planned refrigerated trailer development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

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 SOMI Trailers