Triton Trailers The King of Tow

March 31st, 2017

This article originally appeared in ATV World Magazine.
Volume 13, Issue 6 2017

When John Reiser and Bob Peisch built their first boat lift in John’s garage in 1975, little did they know more than 40-years later their small start-up company would become one of the most recognizable and respected names in aluminum trailers. The fabrication skills of John, Bob, and soon many of their employees became evident as the company grew quickly and manufactured farm gates, wood-burning furnaces and even store front canopies. Eventually it was trailers that became the signature product for the company that became known as Triton. With rapid growth the company moved beyond the garage first to Allenton, Wisconsin and then to a 190,000 square-foot facility in Hartford, Wisconsin. Eventually John retired and the company forged forward under the guidance of his daughter and son-in-law. In early 2013, Triton was purchased by Jacsten Holdings and today is now under the leadership of Jack Cordan. Today Triton trailers and associated products are available in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and select international markets. Obviously the Triton crew rarely rests, but we managed to steal away just enough of their time to glean the 411 intel for this issue.

What is the origin of the Triton name?

Company founders John and Bob wanted a name that was easy to say, easy to spell, and sounded big. They both wrote a name down on a slip of paper and exchanged them. Ironically both of them had written triton! Previously both of them had fished on a boat named “Triton” and felt it was fitting. Triton means King of the Sea.

Tell us about some of your best-selling trailers or products for off-road enthusiasts?

Our AUT1072 and AUT1272 trailers have been very popular models for off-road enthusiasts. Both are high-end all-aluminum deck trailers designed to transport today’s latest off-road vehicles. Both feature a low deck height for easy loading and unloading as well as ease of towing. The low center of gravity design results in a trailer that offers greater wind resistance. Our ATV128-TR model has also been popular with off-roaders. The trailer features twin ramps and is able to accommodate different wheelbases making it extremely versatile and able to grow with an owners chaining fleet of vehicles. We also have some new up and comers like our AUX, TILT and ATV90 line mentioned later.

There’s a lot of trailer manufacturers, what makes Triton different and better?

More than anything it is our experience. We’ve been manufacturing trailers for more than 40-years and over that time we have gained a wealth of knowledge on how to build trailers that perform and are incredibly durable. Recently, we’ve taken that to the next level and are in the final stages of ISO 9001:2015 certification! Equally important is our extensive dealer and distributor network. They are second to none and put customer satisfaction above all else.

How do you test your trailers and products to ensure long lasting quality?

For starters our trailers are designed using a combination of the knowledge we have gained from over 40-years of experience and blended with modern engineering techniques like modeling all of our trailers in 3D and using finite element analysis to optimize the design. We also build prototypes and do in house testing to determine the load limits and assure we have proper safety factors integrated into the design. We then cycle the products in use to get pre-production miles on the trailers. When we do the first production runs we then validate that the production trailer matches the pre-production. The majority of Triton employees are enthusiasts that use the trailers. We use and abuse the trailers in real world conditions.

What’s the best way to purchase Triton?

Through an authorized Triton Dealer located throughout the United States and Canada. We have more than 800 dealers in North America and you can find one near you by visiting our website at tritontrailers.com and clicking on the “find a dealer” link. We have an extensive network of over 800 dealers throughout North America.

Do you offer any type of warranty or guarantee?

We offer an industry leading limited 5-year warranty when your trailer is registered on our website. Some of our models have marine grade plywood which also has a limited lifetime warranty.

What new Triton product/trailer has you most excited and why?

Our ATV90 series and our AUX beavertail models have us excited for the upcoming riding season. Obviously the off-road powersports segment has been immensely popular but until now trailers have been built to haul smaller ATV or a single side-by-side vehicle. Our new ATV90 and AUX beavertail models allow easy transporting of larger side-by-side vehicles in-line. We are also expanding our line of TILT trailers to include three different sized aluminum models.

Tell us something about the company that you wish more people knew.

I think more than anything is our employees are riders and they bring that experience and passion to work. Everyone has a say in what we do, from the janitor to the CEO. We’re riders and that allows us to understand our customers better.

What is something you are sure to find inside Triton headquarters employee fridge?

Freezer pops and popsicles.

Where is your or your employee’s favorite place to ride?

That’s a tough one but I’d say anywhere in the Wisconsin Northwoods is atop our list. From Vilas County to Hurly to Eagle River to Drummond…the riding in northern Wisconsin is simply fantastic.

What’s next for the company?

Things are crazy busy at Triton and while I can’t completely spill the beans I’ll simply say watch for more off-road innovation in our enclosed line of trailers. However, you can also expect us to continue building structurally strong, quality aluminum trailers.

In 10 words or less tell me why someone should buy Triton?

Triton stands up to the lifestyle demands of our customers.