How Israel’s JanSteel has flourished in the Sunshine State
by Katelin Stecz
Every 24 hours, JanSteel USA’s production facilities in Medley and Opa-Locka crank out roughly 20 chassis. Operating the entire day in northwest Miami-Dade County, workers come in and out on shifts, all with the same mission: produce as many high-quality chassis as possible.
You might not know what a chassis is, but you’ve definitely seen them. Similar to a semi-trailer, a chassis is attached to a truck cab to transport shipping containers. They are an integral part of logistics and shipping industries all over the world, providing the final link from sea to land. JanSteel hopes to capitalize on Miami’s location as a major port to become the leading chassis manufacturer in the United States.
JanSteel started out in Israel in 2004, manufacturing trailers, sheet metal, and other trucking equipment. In 2020, the company opened up its U.S. division in Mami, specializing in the production of chassis. They began with one facility in Medley and then recently added another in Opa-Locka. JanSteel USA also has a warehouse near the port of Jacksonville.
Rotem Dayan, vice president of sales and marketing in the United States, says that Miami was the perfect location to open up JanSteel’s U.S. division for a number of reasons. PortMiami ensures a local demand for the product, and there are no other major chassis manufacturers in the southeastern corner of the United States that can produce at JanSteel’s level. According to Dayan, since JanSteel started operating in South Florida, it has produced 5,000 to 6,000 chassis each year.
Dayan also says that JanSteel opened in the U.S. at the perfect time. He cites the chassis shortage created by the pandemic, which gave the company an opportunity to thrive and kickstart its production.
Currently, JanSteel’s U.S. division only operates out of Florida, but Dayan says the company intends to expand. “We plan on going nationwide,” the VP says. “We already have a lot of big companies looking to place orders.” One of these companies is Walmart, which recently placed an order for 800 chassis.
For smaller businesses or customers who aren’t ready to purchase a chassis, they can lease them through JanSteel’s exclusive partner, K.R. Chassis Leasing & Rental. A few months ago, JanSteel partnered with K.R. to expand its brand. John Matheus, the director of sales and operations at K.R., says that his company’s partnership with JanSteel is symbiotic.
“Now, JanSteel still has an option for someone when they don’t want to buy but still want a lease option. They just send them over to us. Our entire fleet is JanSteel. We don’t deal with any other brand,” says Matheus. “It’s a win-win for everybody. JanSteel gets their chassis out to us, and then we get their chassis out to more customers.”
Despite JanSteel’s U.S. division being relatively new in Miami, it shows big promise for the Israeli company. In 2022, the company’s combined revenue for both its Israeli and U.S. divisions was $38 million. In 2023, the company is projected to bring in $70 million, nearly doubling its income, says Dayan – with the majority of growth coming from its U.S. production facilities. “We have a lot of potential for growth, and we’re now starting to see where we can go,” he says.
