Utility Trailer Manufacturing Celebrates 50 Years In Clearfield, Utah Facility
Poised to grow with the town in the next 50 years
In 1965, Utility purchased a U.S. Navy supply warehouse 28 miles north of Salt Lake City, in the small town of Clearfield. They converted it into a manufacturing plant to build dry vans, furniture vans and refrigerated vans. This original plant expanded in 1982 and was updated to build refrigerated vans exclusively.
Adjacent to this facility, Utility built a larger, more modern state-of-the-art manufacturing plant tooled specifically for the 3000R® refrigerated van in 1999, and production began soon after in January of 2000. In the original Freeport Center plant, a good manufacturing day meant building 31 trailers. The new facility can produce 64 reefers a day.
“Four significant improvements allowed us to increase production,” said Todd Smith, Clearfield Plant Manager. “We implemented a moving assembly line, introduced a mandrel foaming process, automated the manufacturing of aluminum side panels and installed a multi-head seam welding floor tractor. These capabilities improved safety, increased efficiency and established a standard of product quality that makes the 3000R the best selling reefer in history.”
Today, Clearfield’s population has grown to over 30,000 and it is recognized as one of America’s most livable cities. Utility Trailer is important to the community. It is one of Utah’s largest employers, and currently employs 1,160 people. A 50-year celebration was held this August. “We had a special steak luncheon for the employees to celebrate this milestone and handed out some gifts as part of the event,” Smith added. “The Clearfield community would like to thank the Bennett family for placing this facility here. Utility has been a great employer and multiple generations of families have worked and are working here”.
From Left: Dennis Wilson (EHS Manager), Ron Valentine (Quality Assurance Manager), Gary Foy (Materials Manager), Todd Smith (Plant Manager), Jay Bills (Plant Superintendent), Joe Maylin (Human Resources Manager), Mike Egbert (Plant Engineer).
