Jim joined SmithCo in 1998. Since then, Jim had been working specifically with side dumps, but has been involved in the trailer industry his entire career, first starting as a welder. Throughout the years He has held many positions, including welder/leadman, in which He manufactured trailers and supervised coworkers, as well as production foreman, in which He supervised all production on his shift. At SmithCo, Jim worked as an engineer manager for 20 years, eventually making the move to a sales engineer/product development role.

In  his most recent role, He supported our sales department to make sure we offered our customers the best product to meet their individual needs. In some cases, this meant developing drawings for a new trailer design if one of our standard models didn’t quite fit their requirements. Each state and country have different regulations to contend with, and we design appropriately to maximize gross weight for the trailer.

Creating Trailer Design Solutions

The design of an all-new trailer can take weeks or months to develop depending on the complexity of the customer’s wants or needs. Conversely, adding a new feature to a standard trailer can generally be done in a shorter timeline, sometimes in as little as a few hours.

The newest side dump trailer designs are highly influenced by the laws regulating the design of trailers in the USA and Canada. These laws are complicated and seem to be ever-changing, which is why SmithCo employees become experts in dealing with these details. Lift axles, disc brakes, self-steering axles, and custom trailer lengths are some of the popular options we are being asked to incorporate into designs, often to meet these regulations.

Another challenge is designing trailers for specific environments such as arctic and hot desert regions. They each have their own specific design criteria to take into consideration. At SmithCo, if we don’t already know how to solve a problem, we won’t stop until we find a solution. If you’re interested in seeing how we could design a trailer that fits your needs, please reach out here.

Being Part of the SmithCo Family

When asked about his SmithCo family, Jim stated, "The most rewarding part of my job is seeing a new idea or job-specific trailer become a finished product that performs exceptionally for the customer. Customer care is part of our business philosophy. Instead of selling a product to a customer and forgetting about them, we will always try to take care of them and provide the best customer service. If they have any issues with our products, even after the warranty period has ended, we will work with them to make things right.

The customer becomes part of the SmithCo family when they buy one of our trailers, and that extends to our entire company. What I like best about SmithCo is the feeling that I’m part of a family, and not just an employee. They bend over backwards for you to try and help you succeed. The friendly atmosphere here was one of the reasons I became interested in joining SmithCo over two decades ago. When I’m not at work, I enjoy hanging out with my wife, watching movies, riding my motorcycle, and playing with the grandkids. I’m also kind of a science fiction buff. My favorite movie of all time is Blade Runner, starring Harrison Ford."

Remembering Jim Verros

Sadly, Jim unexpectedly passed away in October 2021.  It was a huge blow to all who knew him.  Jim is remembered fondly and with admiration for the big impact he had on SmithCo and those he worked with.  Just like the company he worked for, Jim was always willing to step in and help make a difference.  Everyone who knew Jim misses him greatly, and we remember and thank him for the contribution he made during his time at SmithCo.  In remembrance, SmithCo has established the Jim Verros Memorial Scholarship.  This scholarship is presented to a graduating student of Le Mars high school who is entering the filed of study in Engineering, Business, Accounting, Drafting, Marketing or Computer Technology.  SmithCo established this scholarship to honor the memory of Jim and as a way of keeping the impact that Jim had on people ongoing.