The trailer market | United States

1.1 Definition and general presentation of the market

Trailers can be defined as any kind of unpowered vehicles which are attached to and towed by powered vehicles . They have been used around the world since the invention of the wheel in the 4 ^th millennium BC for the transportation of goods, materials, animals and human beings The Curt Manufacturing website provides a further understanding of what trailers are.

As described by Evan Transportation , a first distinction must be made between the trailer and the semi-trailer, which are differentiated by the hitch mode. Trailers are attached to the towing vehicle via a towing hook, while semi-trailers are connected to the towing vehicle via a harness on which rests a large part of the weight of the semitrailer

Therefore, the towing vehicle for a trailer can be light vehicles such as cars, minivans, SUV's or pickup trucks, and can be used for non-commercial, personal utility duties. On the other hand, semis require to be towed by vehicles that are large and strong enough to support their full weight, such as trucks, and are privileged means of good transportation for commercial uses.

The aim of this study is to give a report on the current state of the American trailer market and will primarily focus on private uses.

The trailer industry is historically and culturally strongly linked to America , hence the developed network of manufacturers and dealers of all scales that can be found in the USA today.