For more than 25 years the team at Jackson Enterprises has developed new engineering solutions for the rural transport market, when building new trailers or refurbishing older units.
Company owner and director Trevor Jackson says it took nearly a decade to prove the benefits of an aluminium chassis to the road transport market, inspite of the fact that it offers a better tare weight, and does not create issues with metal fatigue or rust.
“It took some years for us to find the limitations of using aluminium in transport trailer building, so it has been a journey of learning,” says Jackson. “But in applications where moisture is a factor, such as reefer trailers and hard siders, aluminium just shines.”
There are now more than 300 aluminium Jackson Enterprise-built trailers on the road. The company specialises in manufacturing curtain siders, stock decks, bulk tippers, flat decks, drop siders, and transporters from its modern premises in Pahiatua, near Palmerston North.
Jackson Enterprises was founded with a crew of three in a rental shed in September 1990, and today there are 46 staff on site at Queen St, Pahiatua, including two design engineers.
The company started life as a transport and repair service using Jacksons’ skills as a diesel mechanic, but the engineering side of the business took flight more than 20 years ago when it was commissioned to build a truck body for Eketahuna-based Stringfellow Contracting. This was followed by an ute body for Tararua Heliwork.
In June 2002, Jackson Enterprises which is a member of the NZ Truck Trailer Manufacturers Federation, celebrated the completion of its 100th trailer.
While the company is well-known and regarded for its stock trailers, where it has invested considerable time and technology, it also continues to focus on different markets such as drop siders and car transporters.
“As far as road transport is concerned, the farming sector is moving forward, and this is reflected by the fact we have never built so many drop sider units as in the last six months,” says Jackson.
Jackson says the drop sider units are becoming more popular with rural transport operators because of their flexibility, allowing better backload capability.
“We’ve also had great success with the design of the new car transporters, and the continuing development to meet customer demands,” he says.
All new builds are HPMV compliant, and Jackson says customers are always wanting to stretch the envelope to get as much capacity from their investment as they possibly can.
“For example, if it’s good for 10-tonne, it’s got to be good for 15, and if it’s good for 50-tonne, it’s got to be good for 60; we’re mindful to have that Kiwi attitude, but sometimes you have to point out what is achievable and what is not,” he says.
That said, the company has a constant focus on improving designs and technologies targeted at increasing payload opportunities, combined with a rural ‘can do’ attitude that has resulted in a strong base of customers who are loyal to the brand.
