Aspen History

In the Beginning
The Aspen story began in 1979 in British Columbia’s lower mainland; Murray Johnston, then a young professional engineer, was approached for his ideas and design talent to start a new partnership. Soon, Aspen Metal Products Co. Ltd., as it was then called, started gaining notoriety in the transportation industry for innovative design and outstanding quality. First came a crane way to lift the skyboxes in Vancouver’s coliseum; next a 500 Ton Lift Gantry, followed by the fully shimmable pin joint which Aspen still uses today.

The 1980's
In the late 1980s Aspen’s focus shifted to trailers and transportation equipment, and Aspen’s current president become its sole owner. During that innovative period Aspen designed a non-ground bearing hydraulic gooseneck, a rail beam trailer, a high beam trailer frame, and made the transition to AutoCAD from paper design drawings. In the early 1990s Aspen opened a second manufacturing plant in Alberta and saw the Aspen trademark registered in North America.

The 1990's
In the 1990s Aspen’s focus on over size and over weight transporters produced the US Army M1A1 tank trailers for desert duty during the Gulf War, the California Big 9 Axle Rear Steer Transporter, the Double Lane Loading Transporter, 24 Wheel Air Ride Heavy Haul Trailers, and the 6 Axle Steering Dolly.

2000 and Beyond
Since the year 2000, Aspen’s innovation has produced the hydraulic gooseneck mining trailer, the modular 19-axle transporter, and the hydraulic platform trailer featuring Aspen’s unified hydraulic suspension system. With customer help, Aspen redesigned many of its components to work seamlessly within an Aspen fleet, and included features that had long been on the wish list of many operators. Today Aspen rides the leading edge of heavy haul design and is widely recognized as one of the industry’s most innovative manufacturers.