Our History

As a third-generation family owned business, we are proud of the positive impact we have had in the trucking industry and the legacy our team has created of delivering high quality products and personal service to our customers.

Take a look at our timeline to see some key moments in our history. Between these milestones are stories of starting small, taking risks, working hard, steadily growing, and building long-term relationships. Come by one of our facilities to experience what Royal Truck & Utility Trailer is all about.

1970
Roy Bumgardner and his partner, Al, established Royal with two men and two service bays

1971
Roy purchases his partner, Al’s, interest in Royal

1977
Roy’s son, Carl Bumgardner, joins Royal’s Service Division

1984
Royal expands its offerings by creating its Equipment Sales Division

1987
Royal expands its Service Division by adding six service bays

1989
Royal expands its offerings by creating a Parts Sales Division

1994
Royal builds a new facility to accommodate its growing Parts and Equipment Sales Divisions

1997
Royal sells both of its original facilities and purchases one large facility in Dearborn, MI

1998
Royal expands its Equipment Sales Division by becoming a Talbert Dealer

2001
Roy’s grandson, and Carl’s son, Ken Bumgardner, joins the Parts Division after earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration

2003
(I) Roy is laid to rest after 33 years of service to the company he founded and built with Carl; (II) Carl becomes Royal’s new President; (III) Ken becomes Carl’s Partner and Vice President

2004
Ken’s beloved dog, Loki, becomes Royal’s mascot

2008
(I) Royal expands its product offerings by purchasing Ren; (II) Royal expands its product offerings by becoming a MAC Dealer; (III) Royal purchases a neighboring five-acre property with a warehouse in Dearborn, MI, which becomes Royal’s Parts Division’s distribution center

2010
Royal expands its Parts Sales Division by becoming a Great Dane Authorized Parts Distributor

2011
Royal expands its Parts Division by beginning to sell heavy truck parts

2012
Royal expands its Equipment Sales Division by becoming a Great Dane dealer

2013
(I) During its first year as a Great Dane Dealer, Royal astonishingly receives the Great Dane Dealer of the Year Award; (II) Royal expands its geographic footprint by opening another full-service facility in Wixom, MI

2013
(III) Roy’s granddaughter, Carl’s daughter, and Ken’s sister, Julie Igielski (formerly Julie Bumgardner) joins Royal – after becoming a CPA and spending time at other companies in the private sector – as Partner and Chief Financial Officer; (IV) Royal expands its Parts Division’s capabilities by joining VIPAR

2014
Royal expands its geographic footprint and product offerings by acquiring a full-service competitor in Warren, MI, All Type Truck and Trailer Repair

2016
(I) Royal expands its geographic footprint and product offerings by acquiring a full-service competitor in Detroit, MI, Hulet Body Co.; (II) Royal expands its geographic footprint and product offerings by acquiring a full-service competitor in Gaylord, MI, Walker Brothers Distributors, Inc.

2017
(I) Royal expands its product offerings by acquiring a full-service competitor in Detroit, MI East Michigan Trailer Sales; (II) Royal expands its Equipment Sales Division by becoming a Morgan Body Dealer

2018
(I) Carl becomes Chairman of the Board of Directors; (II) Ken becomes Chief Executive Officer; (III) Royal purchases property in Northville, MI for a potential relocation of its corporate office.

2019
Royal purchases land in Toledo, OH for the development of its first facility outside Michigan

2020
(I) Royal achieves the remarkable landmark of being MAC’s top Dealer in North America for more than a decade straight.

2021
Royal expands its geographic footprint and diversifies its product offerings for customers by acquiring Arista Trucking Systems, which specializes in designing and installing commercial truck equipment.

2022
Royal is proud to announce that, after purchasing Hudsonville Truck and Trailer Service Co., in Hudsonville, Michigan, at the close of 2022, we are now Michigan's only full-service dealership for Utility Trailer, MAC Trailer, and Titan Trailer.

Royal Truck & Trailer

Royalty Program

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