Great Dane Opens Statesboro, Ga., Manufacturing Plant

Little more than a year after breaking ground on its new refrigerated trailer manufacturing plant in Statesboro, Ga., the Great Dane facility opened for production this week.

Located at 177 Gateway Blvd., the 450,000-square-foot plant includes office space and a 3,000-square-foot, climate-controlled, noise-free customer preview center. This facility is dedicated to manufacturing the company's new Everest refrigerated trailers, the TL model reefer for truckload carriers and the CL model reefer built for multi-temp and foodservice operations, especially those in the Southeast.

Joining a network of seven other Great Dane manufacturing plants, the Statesboro facility incorporates technologies such as robotic welding, automated production processes, computer-controlled foaming operations and an optimized material handling system.

Numerous green initiatives include energy-efficient lighting and a building management system to automatically control lights, air quality and building temperature; programs to reduce water consumption; and the use of load monitors to ensure optimal energy consumption.

The plant will begin operating with one production line, with a second line and second shift to start up later in the year. At full capacity, the new facility will be able to produce more than 5,000 trailers annually.