Tank trailer maker Polar Corp. has expanded its production capabilities and added employees to reduce production lead times.
The company will also continue to expand after-sale support for customers.

A second production shift has been added at Polar's Opole, Minn., factory and a third production shift at its Holdingford, Minn., and Springfield, Mo., plants. The company has hired 500 employees in the past nine months to respond to increasing demand.

Polar has also added new production equipment, including a new tube bender, laser cutter, and plasma cutter at Polar's Opole, Minn., plant. The manufacturing capabilities of each plant were expanded, allowing production of a wider variety of trailer models and configurations.

Sales and aftermarket support have also been expanded. The company increased the number of Polar Service Center locations from 20 to 29 in 2010 and plans to add 15 to 25 locations within the next 24 months. In April 2011, the company is opening Polar Service Centers in Louisville, Ky., Cincinnati, and Phoenix.

Additionally, Polar's acquisition of Jarco, a manufacturer of propane delivery trucks and truck-mounted tanks for refined-fuel, allows the company to up-fit propane bobtails through the Polar Service Center network.