The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) has been dedicated to improving trailer safety and performance for more than 20 years. The Association represents manufacturers that produce light- and medium-duty trailers which are towed behind vehicles. Trailers manufactured by NATM member companies transport a diverse range of items – livestock, ATVs, boats, snowmobiles, landscaping equipment, etc., and also serve as portable power generators, traffic control systems, and law enforcement command centers. NATM provides a voice for trailer manufacturers when issues of trailer safety and regulation are considered by Congress and relevant government agencies. Our goals are to encourage member compliance with all mandatory federal regulations and safety standards and promote adherence to voluntary industry safety standards and best practices by which our industry is measured.

The 437 U.S. manufacturing companies that are members of NATM operate facilities in 45 states as well as the District of Columbia. Those manufacturing facilities, along with the suppliers of products and services to the trailer manufacturing industry, collectively employ over 210,000 American workers. NATM’s headquarters is located in Topeka, Kansas.

NATM represents a strong and growing component of the U.S. manufacturing base, an employment sector which in many industries has significantly declined in recent years. Most NATM members are small businesses. Every day, tens of thousands of trailers manufactured by NATM’s members travel on highways and secondary roads across America. NATM is committed to ensuring they do so in the safest possible manner.

NATM actively promotes safety and quality in the trailer manufacturing industry and has worked since its inception to improve the trailer industry by ensuring compliance with federal safety regulations and industry standards. NATM also has a voluntary Compliance Verification Program to verify through production-site consultations that members have in place to build trailers to meet or exceed those standards and federal regulations covering certification labels, tires & wheels, brakes, lighting, reflectors & conspicuity, underride protection, Early Warning Reporting, tire placarding information, and cargo securement. In addition, the consultation examines whether the trailer manufacturing process in place can meet industry accepted manufacturing standards and practices covering safety chains, couplers, electrical components, warning labels and consumer information. Starting January 1, 2012, participation in the Compliance Verification Program will no longer be voluntary, but will become a requirement of membership for trailer manufacturers..

The Vision of NATM is to be “THE PREMIER” Association for the Light and Medium Duty Trailer Manufacturing Industry.