NATDA Trailer Show: Progress and Perfection

Written by Dana Tabota, of NATDA

After 50+ years of combined experience in the manufacturing industry, the Black Rhino  team was ready to take the trailer design & build into their own hands. Hence, Black Rhino Manufacturing was born; named for the robustness, toughness and aggression it brings to the market.

Originally, Black Rhino’s introduction into trailer design started simply enough; build a better trailer for the market. Fortunately, the launch went very well and in 2020 Black Rhino Manufacturing was established.

“We have extensive Manufacturing experience; and it has lent itself well to kick-start a manufacturing operation. .” added Black Rhino team member, Scott.

Their priority was to focus Black Rhino’s efforts on unique offerings, which led them to the aluminum market. Many of their customers had expressed interest in aluminum options instead of steel due to its lightweight and corrosion resistance. Despite the company’s use of the premium materials, their initial offerings were simple. However, the company itself and its business quickly expanded. 

“We started with single axle designs. Once we perfected those, we started to open additional product lines,” Scott shared. “Now, we’re into tandem axles and we’ll soon be launching a car hauler series. In our business, we want to perfect our current products before moving forward to the next ones. 

After the introduction of the single axle, Black Rhino’s tandem axle series quickly gained popularity as a robust, versatile product. Today, it’s a popular product and makes up 30% to 40% of our business. 

The company’s entire product line is robust, with luxury details like tubular North American aluminum, radial tires, Prowood decking, and LED lights. Currently, the manufacturer makes products from 5’x8’ up to 7’x20’, its largest being the tandem axle. The next product Black Rhino plans to release will be a car hauler series in the Spring of 2021. Surprisingly, the startup has not faced many supply issues, even after opening their business in 2020.

“There are a lot of good manufacturers out there and we recognize that, but we pride ourselves on robust designs,” Neil said. “As far as our staff and our business, we are very aggressive in the way we manage and market the business. We’ve recruited some of the best welders and technicians in the area, and we often receive compliments on our welding and overall quality.”

Similarly to the company culture, the staff at Black Rhino Manufacturing takes their jobs and the quality of the products very seriously. Quality is a high priority and each team member takes personal responsibility for it. “This allows us to ensure that the quality of the product remains very high. We take a lot of pride in our work. Every time we receive a compliment from a customer, we share it with the team.”

Black Rhino’s team works closely with dealers on territories to ensure dealer’s markets are not too close, whether in a rural or metropolitan area. Upon opening, the company focussed its efforts on the Northeast United States due to a pre-established dealer network connection. It’s now added a large base to the midwest, but the team has further plans to expand into the Southeast. The company also implements and monitors a MAP policy for its dealers.

“We partner with our dealers. It’s a relationship,” explained Neil. “We are confident dealers maintain our recommendations as they advertise our products because we partner with dealers that have strong integrity.”

One place the company intends to discover new partners is this year's NATDA Trailer Show in Nashville, Tennessee. While there, the Black Rhino team plans to showcase several Black Rhino products, in an effort to introduce their company to the industry.

“It’s a great opportunity to meet new partners in an area we haven’t had contact with yet. We’re looking forward to getting out there, talking with folks, showcasing our products, and letting them meet the Black Rhino Manufacturing team.”

With robust offering and premium materials, the Black Rhino team continues to work together to build a better trailer. At Black Rhino manufacturing, the motto is ‘Progress and Perfection.’