SDC Trailers is Europe’s leading manufacturer of bespoke semi-trailers. We learn more about the company’s seamless journey from humble beginnings to an industry-leading player with President, Paul Bratton.
TRAILBLAZERS IN TRAILERS
The opening chapter in the incredible story of SDC Trailers (SDC) was kickstarted by its Founder, Seamus McCloy, a welder and fabricator.
Established in 1978, SDC began its initial operations from a tiny shed in Bellaghy, a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
From there, the business blossomed rapidly, culminating in 1982 with the opening of SDC’s first factory in Toomebridge.
A historical site for the company, the facility is now known as Plant 1 and remains the group’s main headquarters to this day.
Over the past four decades, SDC has grown impressively from a one-man operation to proudly becoming the UK and Ireland’s largest semi-trailer manufacturer.
In this time, the company has pioneered a number of industry-first semi-trailer solutions for the modern-day transport operator and understands the importance of maximising trailer performance in order to support its customers’ business operations.
Appointed President of SDC in 2020 after former CEO, Enda Cushnahan, took the decision to move on after 23 years with the company, Paul Bratton’s introduction to the industry came in the shape of a welding apprenticeship at college, which was considered a sought after and burgeoning trade at the time.
After transitioning to working on trailers, and briefly oil pipelines, he joined SDC almost 30 years ago, gradually climbing the ranks of the company to his current position.
“I’ve always enjoyed the discipline required to work in this industry, partly due to the amount of legislation we contend with, but also because of the kind of people you encounter who share a similar background to me in terms of approaching things from an engineering perspective and practical standpoint,” Bratton introduces.
“Our dedicated business areas offer the complete package from bespoke manufacturing to finance, spare parts, and servicing”
Paul Bratton, President, SDC Trailers
REJUVINATING THE INDUSTRY
The European trailer industry currently finds itself facing a significant downturn.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the pricing of trailers spiralled out of control because of the lack of access to raw materials,” Bratton recalls.
As such, the sector still finds itself recovering, as companies such as SDC look to rebuild their sales output to pre-COVID-19 figures. This is achieved by manufacturing a wide range of trailers for the transport and logistics industries including curtainsiders, box vans, skeletals, and platforms.
Across the continent, the transport landscape has also become more volatile and less predictable, requiring higher flexibility from industry players.
“However, despite this broad downturn, the Irish trailer market has remained relatively steady in terms of our business, and we own a large percentage of that sector, as our company originally started out there back in the late 1970s,” he confirms.
SDC’s main production site still remains the original facility in Toomebridge, Country Antrim, although much expanded. With this continued investment, SDC remains focused on the local community in Northern Ireland.
In addition, SDC was acquired in 2016 by the largest trailer manufacturer in the world, China International Marine Containers (CIMC), who has continued to invest heavily in the company and significantly increased its overall market share.
STATE-OF-THE-ART MANUFACTURING
SDC now boasts four modern and efficient manufacturing facilities based in Toomebridge, Antrim, Mansfield, and Southampton, which are amongst the most highly developed in Europe and home to the entire trailer manufacturing process.
This allows the company to maintain direct control over every element of the production process and create trailer solutions based on its customers’ specific transport requirements.
“At SDC, the core of our operations is driven by our philosophy to understand our customers’ businesses and their logistic requirements, tailoring a solution to meet their needs.
“Each trailer we produce is designed and manufactured to benefit our customers’ operations,” Bratton sets out.
Working closely with its myriad clients, the company remains committed to continuously providing innovative solutions for a vast variety of transport requirements.
In this way, SDC supplies trailers to a wide range of companies and has built relationships with the industry’s leading logistics operators, supermarket chains, and hire companies, including TIP Trailer Services, Hireco, Ryder, and Trailer Resources Ltd.
“Our dedicated business areas offer the complete package from bespoke manufacturing to finance, spare parts, and servicing,” he continues.
“When you invest in an SDC trailer, you are not only investing in the best technology, quality, and flexibility, you’re also investing in the knowledge, expertise, and understanding that comes from years of experience in the haulage industry.”
“At SDC, the core of our operations is driven by our philosophy to understand our customers’ businesses and their logistic requirements, tailoring a solution to meet their needs”
Paul Bratton, President, SDC Trailers
UNWAVERING SUPPORT
SDC’s impressive semi-trailer portfolio is backed by a comprehensive aftermarket service and a network of 18 trailer parts branches across the UK and Ireland, offering same-day and next-day delivery on over 16,000 truck and trailer parts and consumables.
Four new parts branches were opened in 2024, spanning Telford, Durham, Birmingham, and Southampton.
Initially established 23 years earlier as a new, game-changing subsidiary of the company, SDC Truck and Trailer Parts initially specialised purely in trailer spares.
However, recognising the market’s urgent need for competitively priced truck parts, the company expanded its focus, leveraging its existing connections with leading manufacturers.
This seismic shift prompted the establishment of regional depots across Ireland, strategically positioned to minimise vehicle downtime for customers.
“Our philosophy is to understand your business and logistics requirements, and then tailor a solution to meet those needs,” Bratton states.
“Looking ahead, SDC Truck and Trailer Parts is set to strengthen its position as a leader in the commercial vehicle aftermarket and a one-stop shop for our clients.”
INVESTMENT IN EXCELLENCE
SDC’s ongoing development of its Toomebridge manufacturing hub has been a crucial recent investment for the company.
A further point of pride, the facility reached the impressive production milestone of its 20,000th trailer in 2024 on the site’s semi-automated production line.
“The Toomebridge production facility has been pivotal in boosting SDC’s manufacturing capacity since its upgrade six years ago,” Bratton affirms.
“Recent developments in 2024 have further enhanced the site’s capabilities, including the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as state-of-the-art spray booths and a new shot blaster system,” he adds.
These impressive upgrades were part of a crucial £8.6 million investment and have helped reinforce SDC’s commitment to environmental sustainability, safety, and elite-level operational efficiency.
“We are incredibly proud to have built our 20,000th trailer on the new semi- automated line in Toomebridge. This milestone is a testament not only to our ongoing investment in advanced manufacturing technologies but also to the hard work and dedication of our team.”
In this way, the company has continuously pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved, and reaching this monumental milestone reflects SDC’s commitment to delivering high-quality products to its customers.
“Utilising the latest high-tech equipment will allow us to further improve our customer service levels from the initial trailer order right through to completion and delivery,” Bratton prides.
“When you invest in an SDC trailer, you are not only investing in the best technology, quality and flexibility, you’re also investing in the knowledge, expertise, and understanding that comes from years of experience in the haulage industry”
Paul Bratton, President, SDC Trailers
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS
SDC is resolutely committed to developing its business in a sustainable way and has made a number of significant investments in renewable technologies, to minimise its overall operational carbon footprint.
As part of this transition, the company has installed biomass boilers as a direct fuel replacement for oil or electricity at its office buildings in Toomebridge and Antrim.
These sustainable boilers are capable of burning both wood pellet and wood chip, offering a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
In addition, SDC has invested in the introduction of electric vehicle charging points across all sites. Both employees and visitors can now take advantage of this technology, encouraging its people to continue reducing their annual fuel consumption and associated carbon emissions.
Elsewhere, the company has installed an electric system of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels in two locations as a more environmentally-friendly direct electricity replacement, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to sustainability.
READY FOR ANYTHING
The outlook remains exceedingly bright for SDC, as the company continues its upwards trajectory following the turbulent years of the COVID-19 pandemic and chaotic effects that this difficult period had on the entire industry.
Manufacturing close to 5,000 trailers in 2024, SDC’s intentions are to improve on this in the years coming despite local and global challenges.
Bratton acknowledges that the key factor in reacting to any potential future challenges is speed of response.
“We must endeavour to adapt quickly to any adversity faced, which is where the strength of our supplier partnerships become crucial for reacting to hurdles encountered within the industry,” he states.
“Through our investment in innovation and upgrading our manufacturing facilities for the future, SDC is well positioned to meet the evolving needs of our customers and challenges of the modern manufacturing landscape.”
Whilst it remains hard to envisage what the sector may look like in the next few years, SDC is set to adapt and overcome any fresh challenges of a fluctuating transport landscape with its solid set of operational foundations.
Quality is undoubtedly at the centre of the company’s operations with an overarching mission to provide products and services that meet and exceed customer expectations, no matter what.
“Our long-standing commitment to quality has led to the success of the SDC brand, both in domestic and international markets, and we are confident that we will continue to go from strength to strength,” Bratton concludes proudly.
SDC TRAILERS PARTNERS
