Dealership rises from rubble

RICHLAND — Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company and Tautliner announce the reopening of Southern States Utility Trailer in Richland.

In April 2008, tornadoes and thunderstorms swept through Central Mississippi, damaging the entire Southern States facility.

“We have provided the South with trailers, parts and service for more than 26 years. After assessing the structural damages, the contractors and I decided it would be best to demolish the entire facility and rebuild with significant improvements,” said Percy Thornton, Southern States president. “Our new facility includes office space totaling more than 15,000 square feet, a 5,000-square-foot parts showroom and a 12,000-square-foot parts warehouse that contains over 800 pallet positions. As a tremendous benefit to Southern States Utility and our customers, the new parts warehouse is now large enough to hold the dealership’s entire inventory.”

Southern States’ new, 30,000-square-foot shop includes a customer lounge, 10 trailer service bays, a quick-repair bay, a service office, six new refrigeration bays and a concrete parking lot accommodating up to 300 trailers. The entire area is enclosed with a high security fence and automated gate for maximum security.