From the first customer brief to a semi-trailer that handles potatoes, silage, and grain — and unloads in ~4 minutes. The Wilder Trailers team walked us through the full cycle: laser cutting, bending, tumbling, welding of body and chassis, paint with forced drying, and final assembly. At its core are high-strength S700MS steel, a reinforced body structure, and a dolly (converter) with an improved suspension for gentle work both in fields and on roads.
Where it started
- In 2024, major agribusiness Miratorg approached Wilder (together with partner Glavmastorg).
- The task: build a potato semi-trailer that solves real farm tasks, not just looks good on paper.
- Within six months of the brief, Wilder produced the first unit and ran initial tests.
“The hardest part was understanding exactly what the customer needs. We leaned on farm requests and real-world operation.”
Versatility was the requirement
Potato harvest lasts 2–3 months a year. The rest of the time, the trailer must earn its keep:
- Silage — tested continuous “heap” discharge of a solid mass.
- Grain — tested tightness and body strength with no spillage.
- Potatoes — field trials are planned for harvest season (we’ll return to film on site).
A shop-floor tour, step by step
- Materials & machining. Tubes and bar cut to size/angle; in-house suspension for running gear.
- Axles. In-house axle production is being launched (equipment en route).
- Laser over plasma. Two laser cutters deliver higher precision and throughput; plasma is kept as a reserve.
- Bending (3+3 m tandem). Enables bending parts up to 6 m long.
- Tumbling. “Washer-drum” deburring removes scale and sharp edges — critical for paint adhesion and coating life.
- Paint with forced drying to ≈60 °C.
- Separate welding lines for chassis and bodies; modular pre-assemblies (ladders, spare-wheel carriers, etc.).
Engineering choices that set Wilder apart
- Body material: planned only the subframe & longitudinals in S700MS, but ended up building the entire body in high-strength steel — a durability reserve “for years and decades.”
- Load path & structure:
- longitudinals widened in the most loaded center section;
- beefed-up cross-members, welding through gussets and riveted joints so the body can flex under load without fatigue cracks.
- Wide belt discharge — fast handling of grain and silage (≈4 minutes in grain tests).
- Reinforced “belly” (stiffeners in the floor) carries bulk loads without top tie-downs.
- Safety interlocks: unless the top hatch is opened and locks fully released, hydraulics won’t allow engaging the belt or raising the rear gate — protection against operator error.
- Converter dolly: instead of a pure balance beam, an improved (spring) suspension reduces dynamic loads on the semi-trailer and extends service life.
Where to see it live
- Zolotaya Niva (Ust-Labinsk) — on show the coming week, 27–31 (per company plans).
- Nizhny Novgorod / Potato Russia (field day) — the potato hauler is slated to attend.
On site you can discuss test results, ask questions, and examine the structure up close.
Warranty & service
- Warranty — 1 year.
- If a design fault emerges after 1.5–2 years and the client reports it, Wilder says they don’t hide behind the calendar — they take responsibility when it’s a genuine design issue.
Background & scale
- Production began with flatbed platforms (since 2007); trailers since 2012; semi-trailers around 2017.
- Founder Gennady started “in a garage”; today’s plant sits on the site of a former flour mill — grown “shop by shop.”
Key facts (at a glance)
- Universal semi-trailer for potatoes / silage / grain.
- Belt discharge: ≈4 minutes (grain test).
- Body entirely S700MS; reinforced cross-members; rivets + gussets.
- Converter dolly with improved suspension instead of a pure balance beam.
- Laser cutting, 6-m bending, tumbling, paint with drying.
- In-house axle production being launched.
- 1-year warranty + good-faith support on bona fide design cases.
Quotes
- “We listen to the customer and build for the task, not ‘how we feel’.”
- “Wide belt + floor structure mean fast unloading and stiffness without top tie-downs.”
- “Hydraulic interlocks keep a tired operator from breaking the gate with one wrong move.”
Bottom line
Wilder Trailers show a mature approach: field-driven engineering, a focus on strength and safety, and the versatility that keeps equipment working year-round. If we see these semi-trailers across Potato Tour farms next season, it will mean the company nailed growers’ real needs.
Preview / Teaser (for social)
Wilder: a universal high-strength steel potato hauler with rapid discharge. Silage, grain, and potatoes in one semi-trailer, safety interlocks, and a suspension that protects the asset. Full details in our report.
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