Every day, thousands of trailers emblazoned with the XPO logo travel America’s roadways. While their destinations vary, nearly all of these trailers began their lives in the same place: Searcy, Arkansas. 
 
For over 30 years, XPO has built its own trailers at an in-house manufacturing facility in Searcy. The factory’s team has produced nearly 90,000 trailers since production began, along with thousands of other freight transportation equipment, such as pallet decks, straight truck boxes and dollies. 
 
The trailer manufacturing operation in Searcy is a point of pride for the facility’s hundreds of employees – and a key differentiator for XPO and its customers. 
 
“We’re the only freight transportation company in the United States that produces its own trailers,” says Paul Reed, XPO’s senior director of manufacturing, who was one of the facility’s first employees when it opened in 1994. 
 
By maintaining control over the sourcing, design and production of its trailers, XPO can quickly adjust to meet shippers' needs, providing the capacity and service they rely on. And the company can produce trailers designed specifically for the needs of LTL shipping customers – all for significantly less than the cost of purchasing them from third-party manufacturers. 
 
Here’s an inside look at XPO’s one-of-a-kind trailer manufacturing operation. 

1. ‘Controlling Our Own Destiny’ 

XPO’s decision to open a factory in Searcy was no accident. 45 miles outside of Little Rock, the small city has an outsized impact as a manufacturing hub thanks to its central location, transportation networks and proximity to major cities like Memphis and St. Louis. 
 
“Searcy is centrally located in both Arkansas and the United States,” says Chris Carter, XPO’s vice president of maintenance and manufacturing. “That makes it easier to source raw materials and ship finished trailers to our service centers across the country.” 

XPO produces thousands of trailers each year at its manufacturing plant in Searcy, Arkansas.

Once raw materials arrive at the facility – from axles and wheels to side panels and fasteners – it takes the manufacturing team just a day and a half, on average, to finish assembling each trailer. 
 
And with six production lines across 200,000 square feet of manufacturing space, XPO can churn out trailers with speed and scale. The team produced nearly 5,000 trailers in 2024, ranging in size from 28 to 53 feet, up nearly 60% from pre-Covid levels. 
 
XPO’s in-house manufacturing operation was a game changer during the pandemic. While other freight transportation companies faced long backlogs to purchase trailers due to record demand and snarled supply chains, XPO quickly ramped up production to meet customer needs. 
 
“We’re able to control our own destiny,” says Chris. “While it took other companies years to meet their needs for new and replacement trailers, we were able to adjust in near real time to stay ahead of demand.” 
 
Between 2021 and 2022, the Searcy plant more than doubled production, supported by the addition of two new production lines. It increased production again in 2023 to more than 6,400 trailers – a company record.  

2. Cutting-edge Production  

In-house manufacturing provides a competitive advantage in both quantity and quality. 
 
XPO uses top-of-the-line materials, including composite wall panels with steel and polycore for added durability and strength. Inside, the trailers feature XPO’s proprietary SafeStack system, which splits the trailer into two decks, preventing freight from shifting in transit. 
 
“Our customers trust us to deliver their freight on time and damage-free. Building high-quality trailers helps us provide reliable, world-class service,” Chris says. 

Over 200 welders, production technicians and managers work at XPO’s facility in Searcy. 
 

The manufacturing team also uses cutting-edge technology, such as custom hydraulic presses, to enhance precision and consistency on the assembly line. 
 
Innovation extends to the end of the trailers’ lives as well. The Searcy factory is one of the nation’s most active centers for recycling used trailers, recycling 86% of trailer materials for other uses to reduce waste in landfills.

3. Driving Innovation 

None of these achievements would be possible without the skilled workers on XPO’s production lines. The Searcy facility employs over 200 welders, production technicians and managers, making XPO one of the largest employers in the city. 
 
Career development is critical at the facility. Employees receive comprehensive training in specialties like welding and production technology and gain access to career advancement opportunities within the company. 
 
No one knows this better than Paul Reed. He began his career as a welder at the newly opened facility in Searcy; today, he leads the team there. 
 
The deep experience that Reed and other employees bring helps drive continuous improvement in the design and manufacturing of XPO’s trailers. 
 
Each year, XPO organizes an event called Spec Review, where leaders and frontline employees gather in Searcy to provide feedback on the company’s equipment and discuss opportunities for improvement.  
 
“Our best ideas come from our front line,” including drivers, technicians and manufacturing personnel, says Chris. “Who better to articulate what we need to be solving for then the people using this equipment every day?” 

Leaders from XPO inspect trailers during the company’s annual Spec Review. 

The company has implemented numerous changes to the design of its trailers based on the annual Spec Reviews, from adding a handle on the trailer’s exterior to assist drivers to new fasteners for improved durability.  
 
“When people see XPO trailers on the road, I want them to know that it’s a great piece of equipment built by great people,” says Paul. 

To learn more about what makes LTL shipping with XPO different or to request a quote, contact us.