Carry-On Trailer Corporation

• Growth in manufacturing facilities from one plant in 1996, (Virginia), to eight plants nationwide by late 2005.
• Currently over 1100 employees.
• Over 500,000 square feet of manufacturing space and shipping facilities covering 175 acres.
• Consistent growth greater then 30% per year since 1996.

COMPANY HISTORY

1996
Carry-On Trailer Corporation was established in January 1996. Within 60 days of its inception, Carry-On Trailer Corporation located a building in Virginia and hired a plant manager and five employees. On March 21st, Carry-On Trailer Corporation sent out the first shipment of two trailer models. First year sales exceeded all expectations.

1997
Business continued to expand and thrive throughout 1997. A larger selection of trailer models, increased volume, and additional customers allowed the company to open a second plant in Lavonia, Georgia. The Georgia Plant, now also the company’s Corporate Headquarters, started manufacturing with 55,000 sq. ft. of building space on 15 acres of land. With this addition in Georgia, the company’s manufacturing space increased more than threefold. Customer orders expanded in quantity and variety. The company responded by increasing to 49 employees in 12 months. Annual revenue for the second year of business rose by 75%.

1998
The introduction of new product lines in 1998 created increased demand for Carry-On Trailer Corporation products. The new line consisted of axle parts, large and specialty trailers, and hitch accessories. Sales from this third year of business increased by 55%.

1999
Carry-On Trailer, in 1999, continued to develop and enlarge its manufacturing capabilities. Property acquisition in Georgia increased the company’s total manufacturing space to 90,000 sq. ft. and the number of employees increased to more than 85. Sales increased by 46%.

2000
During 2000, Carry-On Trailer began production at two new sites. Carry-On Trailer built a 25,000 sq. ft. custom building, at the Callao site, that is expressly designed to manufacture trailers using optimally mechanization production methods. In April, the next plant was completed in Missouri Valley, Iowa, and with 50 employees, began producing trailers. This increased the Carry-On Trailer workforce to 176 people. The three plants combined to create an accumulated manufacturing area of 125,000 sq. ft. Revenues climbed by 37%.

2001
In response to the growing customer base, strategic plans for a new location and the development of our fourth manufacturing plant started to take shape in Mexia, Texas. Revenue grew by 26% and the number of employees exceeded 300 during 2001.

2002
In January 2002, Carry-On Trailer opened the Mexia, Texas plant, adding 28,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space. This addition created a total of more than 150,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing capacity and an employment role of 400 people working 2 shifts company wide. The expanding consumer base, and commitments received during 2002, allowed annual revenue to increase by 41%. These and earlier advancements enabled Carry-On Trailer to grow its Sales Staff and the Customer Service/Drivers workforce. These dedicated service group drivers partnered with our various retailers to freshen our product, add needed POP, and assist in improving and extending our growth and continued partnerships with our customers.

2003
While expanding our Utility Trailer and Parts business, Carry-On Trailer began building Enclosed Cargo Trailers. This was accomplished with numerous expansions at our existing locations and the development of another new site in Montross, Virginia. Ground was broken for the 130,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility. This plant would house both Utility and Cargo Trailer production under one roof. Secondly, ground was broken in Georgia for a 60,000 sq. ft. manufacturing plant that would house the newly developed Carry-On Cargo line of enclosed trailers. Lastly, the Mexia, Texas facility was integrated to incorporate the cargo trailer production alongside the utility trailer production.

2004
Completion of our Montross and Georgia plants now allowed for more growth and expansion of the cargo trailer business. Carry-On Trailer now has over 700,000 sq. ft. of production and manufacturing space. Our labor force exceeded 1,100 employees this year, which will enable us to expand our production beyond our greatest expectations. During 2004, Carry-On Trailer had one production day in which 1,000 trailers were constructed. In May of this year, the company also set a new record of shipments for one month, exceeding 20,000 trailers. Carry-On Trailer has also implemented newer manufacturing innovations and working to incorporate environmentally friendly systems that will reduce our impact on our local community air, water, and landscape quality.

Future
With the committed growth of our retail partnerships, we are further advancing our growth to include the West Coast of the United States. We have recently committed to the opening of another manufacturing facility in Winnemucca, Nevada, and will be breaking ground soon. In addition, we are exploring the possibility of expanding the facility in Missouri Valley, Iowa to include a Cargo Trailer facility, complementing our Utility Trailer line. We are converting our older Callao, facility to produce our manufactured parts line. All of these advancements have enabled Carry-On Trailer to continue its profitable growth. Our Company’s strong history has established a solid foundation for our future expansion and stability. Keeping our customers central who we are, we will continue to meet and exceed our customers expectations.