Remembering Where We Came From

The motto of our President, Nathan Bullard, is the driving force accredited to our ability to build lasting relationships with companies and owner operators as one of the only manufacturers to sell direct to the end user.

“It’s not how many trailers we sell, it’s how many trailers we sell to each customer.”

Humble Beginnings

In October of 2012, two entrepreneurial brothers set out on an adventure to build a company that would support their families and the growing Wills Point, Texas community while building a brand that would positively affect the infrastructure materials of our great country.

The Brazos name originates out of necessity. The company needed a sign for licensing purposes to get trailer production going and the owners, Chris and Nathan, had an old sign from a bingo hall in Brazos County. So, it was settled Brazos Trailers would be the name. It has made a great conversation topic over the years but also gives the owners a chance to remember the good ol’ days.

Piece by Piece

Once the name and license to build was established, Nathan and Chris went to work. The first shop was constructed in the backyard, built with shipping containers and a roof. Dirt floor and all, Nathan and Chris worked night and day for 6 months until the first trailer was completed. Realizing that by cutting every part by hand with an oxygen/acetylene torch was not going to be the way of the future, the brothers had even more drive to get their first trailer finished and sold to invest in a better cutting process.

First Belly Dump in The Books, Let’s Give It A Name

After 6 months of long, hot days the brothers completed their very first Brazos Trailer. It was a 40’ 23-yard belly dump and a model name was needed for recognition. Coming from a long line of gamblers and risk takers, Chris and Nathan saw fit to go with “The Pit Boss”, which also would be giving credit to the company’s soon to be hard working customers in and out of the rock and sand pits. With this name came the famed cards and dice logo that quickly got attention.

Closing the Sale

This process had to start with a truck of course. After searching high and low for a cheap truck that looked decent, the brothers landed on a 1979 bright purple Kenworth with no A/C and 4 million miles. Chris and Nathan set out on the maiden voyage to sell the very first Brazos Pit Boss Belly Dump in the heat of the Texas summer. Chris left out with a tank of fuel and a freshly painted trailer making his rounds from dealer to dealer, truck stop to truck stop, all over Texas. He pulled into a truck stop in Houston after being denied throughout the entire state. He recalls laying his head on the hot steering wheel of that old truck in complete defeat and asking God to help. It was in the same breath that the phone rang and an individual from the Midland/Odessa area had seen the small one picture ad in a magazine. He wanted not just one belly dump, but two, so the race was on once again as Chris left Houston and headed straight to Midland to drop the first Brazos Pit Boss Belly Dump off to the new owner and Brazos Trailer’s first customer. He made the call home to his brother Nathan and the boys that it had sold and another one was needed. By the time he made it home the second trailer was complete and off he went again stopping and showing the trailer to dealers along the way.

Continuing the Push

The focus quickly shifted off trying to gain dealers and middlemen and was directed to becoming manufacturer direct and being able to provide the best price to the end user. Brazos Trailers began to sell more and more trailers to individuals and found the company outgrowing their dirt floor, makeshift shop. Construction time began as the company built their first 2 buildings, the first building to house their used plasma table and fab shop. The second building to house their 2-bay welding shop. What started with 2 brothers and a vision had grown into 6 or 8 employees and an increasing customer base with 2 buildings full of sold trailers.

Expanding the Product Line

After 2 years of successfully building belly dump trailers, the company decided to spread their wings and sneak into the end dump industry. Once again, the brothers found themselves looking for a model name. “Pit Viper” fit the bill as the long and lean Brazos End Dump made its way through the rock and sand pits of East Texas. It didn’t take long for the word to spread that the huge savings buying manufacturer direct on belly dumps could now be found with a new Brazos End Dump. Shortly after the half round end dump was available, the company launched the Brazos Super Scrapper, the largest model trailer made to date. Standing 13’6’’ tall and weighing close to 22,000 lbs., this was a great goal to hit as a company. Being in the rock and demolition business, the company was also able to add the scrap metal industry in the mix.

On the Horizon

After 4 years of day in and day out, building 6 trailers per week, Brazos Trailers had grown to full capacity with 20-25 employees and once again it was time to shift gears and see what more the company was capable of. Chris and Nathan knew they needed to continue advancing into other markets and saw a void in the RGN Lowboy area. This was going to be a challenge, but one the brothers were willing to take on. The planning began on a napkin over lunch, then discussions with the local Economic Development Committee on what would benefit the community and Brazos Trailers.

An agreement was made on a 12-acre piece of land in the heart of Wills Point Texas. The plan was to build a 30,000 square foot manufacturing facility complete with all new equipment, overhead cranes and state of the art engineering to ensure that all work was done in house and by as many local workers as possible. This goal was accomplished in January of 2016 when Brazos moved into the new facility and rapidly grew to over 70 employees producing 18 units per week.

Along with the completion of the new facility, the plans for a 50 Ton and 55 Ton RGN Lowboy were complete and ready for assembly. In just a short time Brazos was proud to offer both lowboys at the same great price savings as the previous models. Focused on building lasting relationships, the goal is to be able to offer Brazos Trailers customers a way to pull one brand and never have a middle man again.

Rebrand and Location Launch

In early 2018 the decision to rebrand the Brazos Trailers logo was made. Changing from the ever so popular cards and dice on the “Pit Boss” Belly Dump and the lime green snake head on the “Pit Viper” End Dump to the BrazosTrailers.com shield logo. This change came as the company moved into the workings of opening outside locations in other states and saw the need to generalize the logo theme to flow through all the new models. Shortly after the brand launch, Brazos Trailers acquired the properties in Commerce City, Colorado and Buckeye, Arizona.

Phase Two

As growth continues, the need for more space will as well. In February 2018 the company added an adjacent 10 acres and another 15,000 sq/ft fabricating shop that houses all of Brazos Trailer’s cut parts so that they are readily available for customers and production.

Brazos Trailers currently employs over 130 full time employees, operates under 110,000 sq/ft of shop and office space with 3 trucks delivering nationwide daily.

We have added 33,750 square feet of paint shop, sandblasting and warehouse space to increase production. Through all of that we have also acquired 5 additional acres. Brazos has continually grown even throughout all the obstacles 2021 brought. 

Continuing to Provide Quality and Service

2022 was an exciting year of exponential growth for the company in both trailer sales and trailer parts, as we automated our online trailer parts experience for our customers to streamline the purchasing and shipping process. 

As 2023 makes its debut, we look forward to more growth as we expand production capabilities while continuing to service both new and returning customers.  

From Brazos Trailers, we say thank you for allowing us to earn your business.