Locke started his journey as a boat trailer builder , establishing Amera Trail Trailers in 1986 . “ I was a one-person shop that I started on my own . It was a tough start , but we eventually got accounts . Our first account was a company called ‘ Wash-On- Wheels .’ It was a high-pressure sprayer company , so it wasn ’ t even marine related at all ,” he recalls . “ Once I became established doing that , dealers became interested .”
In 1993 , Amera Trail moved its manufacturing facilities to the two-acre property that the company currently occupies today . The location was not only large enough to house their manufacturing and industrial powder business , Unique Coatings & Fabrication , but it also offered room to grow . Locke immediately envisioned the possibilities , “ I thought it would be ideal to fill the lot with our stock of manufactured trailers , but also offer repair and maintenance services for closed trailers , utility trailers , and equipment trailers . I felt like there was a need for that on the retail side , so we created a little office and a parts store .”
This inspiration led Locke down the road to starting a dealership . “ We were getting repair jobs from three or four different counties , because I would do extensive repair work . It wasn ’ t just fixing a light or replacing a jack . We were doing complete rebuilds of almost any type of trailer . As it grew , it became full circle : trailer parts , trailer repair , and retail trailer sales . It really grew into what AT Trailer Center has become today .”
AT Trailer Center is just one part of an overall vertical strategy that stems from Amera Trail . “ We want to manufacture trailers that we sell at our retail centers , whether they are boat trailers or dump trailers or utility trailers , equipment trailers ,” says Locke . “ Then , AT Trailer Centers will also house repair centers and parts stores .”
“ The more retail centers you have , the more successful opportunities you have , and that ’ s our goal .” Notes Locke . “ We want to have 20 of our own retail centers , which is why we brought on Duane . His background in retail and automobile was a perfect match for growing the retail business . He has the knowledge of how to do it , and he ’ s an incredible manager .”
Mertz adds , “ As we expand , we can interchange inventory and won ’ t need to stock so much inventory at one location . It ’ s going to make us more efficient , more profitable .”
Part of the expansion strategy is acquisition . AT Trailer Center acquired its second location on the Gulf Coast . “ When the opportunity came to purchase Roy ’ s Trailer Country in Punta Gorda back in October , we took it .” Locke explains , “ It was a
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