GE subsidiary in the market for used containers

June 2, 2005
Mexico's Trailer Fleet Services, a subsidiary of General Electric Co., will invest $25 million this year to implement a "sale and leaseback" program to

Trailer Fleet Services, a subsidiary of

General Electric Co., will invest $25 million this year to implement a "sale and leaseback" program to buy, rent and rehabilitate containers used by trailers, reinforcing its participation in this market niche. In order to be bought, containers must be five years old or older and be in good shape, says Trailer Fleet Services manager, Juan Pablo Lopera.

This product will be new in the Mexican market and is aimed at offering three-to five-year leases of containers, which companies now have to buy at a very high price, ranging between $23,000 and $25,000 per container.

Leasing offers lessors the opportunity to save money in taxes, Lopera states. The company will offer the containers for a daily rental fee of about $12.

Trailer Fleet Services has operated in Mexico more than 10 years and currently owns 7,000 containers. Lopera says the plan is to increase that amount to about 30,000 over the next five years.