GE to open first Trailer Sales Showroom in Dallas, 6 others planned

DALLAS, Texas, October 23, 2007 - GE Equipment Services has announced plans to open in Dallas the first of seven regional showrooms over the next 12 months. Showrooms will sell used 48-foot and 53-foot truck trailers to the retail and wholesale market. The initial site is planned for Irving, and will feature more than 300 dry van, refrigerated and flatbed trailers, with nearby access to more than 1,000 additional units from local branches of GE's Trailer Fleet Services unit.

"We're creating a comfortable and helpful environment for customers to review our inventory and find what they need," explained Trailer Fleet Services CEO Joe Artuso. "That convenience, combined with a wide selection and our 50 years of trailer expertise, should be a simple and welcome alternative to the hassle that trailer purchasers experience elsewhere."

Depending on their condition, used trailers are ideal for long-haul nationwide use, for regional point-to-point distribution, or for portable storage at warehouses, small retailers, farms, ranches, and construction companies. GE said it will offer attractive pricing for nearly new units, and older storage trailers will be available for less than $1,000. Both air-ride and spring-ride suspensions are available, as well as roll-door or swing-door assets.

GE is the largest remarketer of trailers in North America, and has sold more than 25,000 used trailers annually in the course of operating its North American leasing business. These include units taken in trade from customers and routine "refreshing" of its own fleet of 130,000 assets. The company decided to formalize its extensive experience into the new regional showroom approach.

The site planned for Irving, conveniently located near the DFW & Love Field airports, will have a "back lot site" supporting it from the Trailer Fleet Services branch in Dallas at 10341 Miller Road. The new site will serve Dallas, Fort Worth, northern Mexico and the entire Southwest region. Other confirmed sites will be opened in Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

GE has invested in technology to help its customers through the purchase process, Artuso explained. The company's Trailer Sales inventory is refreshed nightly and available to review online, even before a customer arrives at the showroom. Users may narrow the search by branch location and specify up to 5 different trailer categories, including vans and flatbeds. In addition, users may further refine their search by up to 11 other specifications, including length, suspension and construction. Once the results are displayed, users can view summary or detailed specifications and may submit an email or call for further assistance.

To use the online service, users can go to www.trailerservices.com, check in the left-hand column under "Online Services," and choose "Buy Used Equipment." No site registration or password is necessary. Repeat buyers can also register for a "Deal of the Week" electronic newsletter to get advance notice of assets coming into the re-sale arena. Once at the showroom, selections can be made electronically inside, and then conduct a visual inspection in the adjacent yard.

"Whether a customer is interested in one unit or one thousand units, we're confident they can quickly find what they need from the 20,000+ units in our total inventory at any one time," Artuso explained.

Once customers identify the desired assets, GE offers competitive on-site financing and assistance with drayage and temporary licensing services. Trailers are offered on an "as is" basis. No trade-ins are accepted. The vintage ranges from nearly new to more than 10 years old, and all leading manufacturers are represented in the stock. Terms are money order, credit card, or checks from a U.S. banking institution. For more information, visit www.trailerservices.com, or call 1-800-333-2030.

 

About Trailer Fleet Services from GE

GE's Trailer Fleet Services business is based in Wayne, Pa., and is a single-source provider for all aspects of trailer fleet management. Now celebrating its 50th year, it has been a recognized leader in over-the-road total fleet management solutions, which today includes everything from leasing, renting, financial services, insurance, maintenance, remarketing and asset tracking. GE's Trailer Fleet Services business has 130,000 over-the-road trailer assets, and operates a North American network of 90 branch locations, staffed by a sales and operations team of 900 employees. A unit of GE Equipment Services, its website is www.trailerservices.com.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Patrick Brennan, Media Relations Manager, 484-254-0127 or patrick.brennan@ge.com