The second factor was the relatively low cost of delivered ready-mix. Ready-mix companies were quite happy to deliver a cubic yard or two at a reasonable price. Mixer trucks were smaller- usually averaging only nine cubic yards-and relatively inexpensive, fuel was not even a factor, labor was not high, and environmental and safety compliance expenses were small. The trailered concrete operators simply couldn't offer users enough of an advantage.

Over the ensuing years, all of that has changed. Ready-mix trucks are in the US$175,000 range, fuel is astronomical, environmental compliance is costly. As a result, the ready-mix companies have raised the price of "short-loads" to very high levels. This is not a matter of greed, but simply recovery of their very high costs. That’s where the trailered concrete business comes in!

In the 1980's, Mr. Fred Carron and his U-CART company designed the first concrete mixing trailer. Mr. Carron understood that continuous mixing, and ease and precision of discharge would revolutionize the trailered concrete industry. Business issues would eventually cause Mr. Carron’s company to be unsuccessful, but his basic trailer design is the same one used today by Trailer-Haul, Cart-Away and Ernest Industries. Few innovations have been made to Fred Carron’s original design...in fact, the design of all three machines is derived from the original U-Cart drawings, now nearly 20 years old.

The quality of the concrete itself, in trailered concrete operations, has improved to the level of even the best of ready-mix operations.  Modern small batch plants are simple, reliable, and cost effective.

Growth in the trailered concrete business has exploded over the past 10 or so years, with successful operations in every part of the United States, much of Canada, and overseas. Contractors and government agencies love the convenience of trailered concrete, and avoiding costly wasted labor while waiting for a ready-mix truck. Ready-mix operators are huge supporters of the trailered concrete industry, and will often refer their short-load customers to the nearest trailered concrete operation. They avoid disappointing a good customer with high prices , who happens to only need two or three yards for a particular job. Consistently high quality concrete, conveniently and economically available from their trailered concrete supplier, has won over thousands of contractors, everywhere.

Concrete mixing trailers generally are found in three types of operations- Contractor Rental Stores, free-standing trailered concrete operations, and government agencies. Contractors themselves are buying mixing trailers in record numbers, and may soon qualify as a fourth category. In virtually any demographic, a trailered concrete operation makes sense where a contractor’s rental store makes sense. In other words, if you are running a successful contractor’s rental store, you almost by definition have the traffic to support a prosperous trailered concrete business. We have seen rental stores with as few as one mixing trailer, to over twenty.

Free-standing trailered concrete operations are found in small to medium markets where there is no nearby ready-mix operator, to very large markets that support many ready-mix operators and numerous trailered concrete operators. These companies usually offer add-on sales items such as screeds, shovels, trowels, floats, and many other items needed by those using concrete. Often, the free-standing operators will own molds to make concrete parking stop-curbs, stepping stones, or other concrete products when their mixers are between customer loads.

Prices and costs are quite volatile, of course, and it would be silly to try to predict these factors at any particular location. But generally speaking, in most areas of the United States, material costs are about US$50 per cubic yard, and selling prices range from about US$90 to US$135 per cubic yard. The bottom line is that this can be a seriously profitable business. Caution: While it’s helpful to have all of the information from the manufacturers, it is only prudent to evaluate your market and location yourself. We suggest that people planning on entering this very high-growth industry discuss the opportunities with contractors, ready-mix operators, and your local public works officials. In many parts of the country, zoning can be a difficult issue, so before you choose a location, check with your planning officials. It is in everybody’s best interest for your trailered concrete business to be successful, and all of the equipment manufacturers will do their best in giving you useful data to make your decision on location and equipment easier. In the end though, it’s still up to you.

We build the Titan TBL240 Belt-Loader loading system, which is suitable for loading the Titan 125F Heavy-Duty Concrete Mixing Trailer.  We have no current plans to build batch plants.  As is evident throughout this website, the Titan 125F is in a class all by itself, and represents by far the best value of any concrete mixing trailer anywhere in the world. Don’t let the competitor’s hype fool you. It’s YOUR money...carefully study the specifications and comparisons, and then purchase the best machine.

Call us at 1-877-693-9372 when you are ready, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Or, if you are ready now, click on the HOW TO BUY link below. We’ll call you right-away, and help you get the ball rolling.