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Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Jonathan Burns Jonathan Burns New York, United States Last Updated: January 2024 NAICS OD6024 Spotlight Report

Revenue

$37.6bn

2024

$37.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

138k

Businesses

61,424

Wages

$X.Xbn

Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry analysis

The local refrigerated trucking industry engages frequently with several downstream markets. General retail and groceries make up the largest share of demand. During the period, the retail and grocery segment contributed the most to the demand by far. As the country holed up inside in 2020, consumer demand from the food services industry dropped, while consumer demand for groceries inversely rose. This jump in demand for groceries helped to stave off any further revenue declines related to COVID-19. 2021 led to a strong recovery as in person activities opened up again. Growth was limited; as inflation grew rapidly, the Federal Reserve responded in 2022 by raising interest rates across the economy. Rising interest rate caused internal operational roadblocks and faltering consumer demand through the end of the period. Despite these factors, revenue is expected to grow an annualized 1.6% to $37.6 billion, even with an expected 0.3% decrease in 2023, where profit is set to reach 6.8%.

Trends and Insights

  • Food service demand plummeted in 2020. Heightened demand for groceries from stores and ecommerce platforms helped stave off any further declines demand.
  • Grocery stores and food service markets make up the largest portion of downstream demand. Which makes consumer demand incredibly important, and indicative for revenue.
  • Becoming a local refrigerated trucker requires little capital, so many small companies are prominent in the industry. This makes it difficult for large operators to gain market share, keeping market share concentration low and internal competition relatively high.

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  • Reliable market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Competitive analysis, industry segmentation, financial benchmarks
  • Powerful SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and risk management frameworks
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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $37.6bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Booming ecommerce demand bolstered activity for local refrigerated trucking

  • Ecommerce plays a big role in downstream demand for the industry, as most large grocery stores and big box stores have and online ecommerce presence.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Automation on the horizon

  • Rapid advancements in automobile technology and tightening emissions standards are prompting new investments in more efficient, advanced infrastructure and trucks. With the potential introduction of self-driving trucks within the decade, operators will likely reduce workforce investments, leading to slower employment growth.

Biggest companies in the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Local services, Less-than-truckload services and Other. Local services is the largest segment of the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US.

Trends and Insights

Local services make-up the bulk of industry services

  • Local services consist of both generalized and specialized freight trucking, providing refrigerated trucking services for a multitude of downstream clients.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This industry provides local refrigerated trucking services. Products moved by this industry range from meat and poultry to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, among other goods that require a climate-controlled environment. Goods are typically transported from manufacturers to wholesalers and retailers throughout the country.

What's included in this industry?

Transporting temperature-sensitive foodTransporting temperature-sensitive productsProviding associated services

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

REEFERCOLD CHAININTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 484220 - Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Food service demand plummeted in 2020. Heightened demand for groceries from stores and ecommerce platforms helped stave off any further declines demand.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Factors that influence volatility in the industry
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Grocery stores and food service markets make up the largest portion of downstream demand. Which makes consumer demand incredibly important, and indicative for revenue.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Purchase this report to unlock analyst insights.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Becoming a local refrigerated trucker requires little capital, so many small companies are prominent in the industry. This makes it difficult for large operators to gain mark...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Local refrigerated truckers are regulated in a variety of ways. They include fuel emissions laws, food safety rules and driving regulations.

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Operators were able to pass a lot of the price hikes during the period onto customers. , as these costs were sudden and prolonged.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in United States is $37.6bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in 2024?

There are 61,424 businesses in the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.4 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in United States has been growing at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

What does the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US in United States include?

Transporting temperature-sensitive food and Transporting temperature-sensitive products are part of the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry.

How competitive is the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Local Refrigerated Trucking in the US industry in United States.

Related Industries

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Competitors

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International industries

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Methodology

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Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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