Portable and temporary service is not new business for Justin Kennedy, managing owner of Eudora Logistics, but the focus of the company’s offerings has certainly changed.

The roots of the Georgia-based company and Kennedy’s experience date back to the ’90s, where for roughly 17 years they delivered and serviced a fleet of portable restrooms. 

“We were originally in the portable restroom business and that eventually evolved into the event business,” Kennedy says. One luxury trailer led to another as the event side of the business grew and after several years of restroom trailer business, they sold that part of the business in 2022 and took their equipment and efforts into the disaster relief sector. 

The first trailer they purchased to supply events was from Lang Specialty Trailers. “We met the folks over there when we were in the portable and event business,” Kennedy says. “And now still, we predominantly use Lang Trailers. They are driven folks over there like us. They listen, work with us and adapt.”

PROVIDING VITAL SERVICES

Their relationship with Lang and customer needs has led Eudora to build a substantial fleet of trailers. Between the company-owned assets and those supplied by other companies they work with, they have roughly 120 trailers at the ready for service. 

“We provide base camp and support solutions for government entities, private organizations and everything and anything that could be affected by a natural disaster or storm,” Kennedy says. “Eudora is most always supplementing other organizations. We are never really the prime contractor, rather supplementing and/or partnering. 

  “We mostly deal with restrooms, showers and laundry trailers. We also do some bunks as well. Essentially anything contractors and disaster workers need to make a home of sorts in the field.” 

Eudora Logistics works with state and federal agencies as well as with private sectors. Along with trailers, the company lives up to its name providing logistic management, adapting services to the specific needs of clients. 

“This extends to site location, temporary utility setups, design of base camp, preparation, staffing and logistics for mobilization to demobilization of portable units and trailers,” Kennedy says. “Our understanding of logistical management enables us to be prepared for an immediate response with the ability to mobilize quickly to respond to declared emergencies.”

Eudora’s work begins well before a storm makes landfall. The company tracks storms and where they are predicted to make landfall. As soon as they know the trajectory of the event, they begin the behind-the-scenes preparation to mobilize trailers in the right direction. 

For supplying staff, it depends on the job. Some events they will keep employees in camps they set up, but others they are simply dropping off assets and coming back to service when needed. 

And though located in Georgia, the limit to their service range is only restricted by oceans. “We are nationwide. Anywhere there is a disaster, we can be there.” 

FILLING THE GAP

The unpredictability of disasters can clearly provide challenges to a business that focuses services on recovery efforts. Kennedy says business can be up and down, but overall things are good. 

Maintaining as many trailers as the company owns is time-consuming and requires investment. And maintenance needs don’t go away if there aren’t any disasters. “The business can be feast or famine. It’s lucrative when there are disasters, but it’s definitely an interesting cycle of business.” 

The advantage of owning a fleet of restroom, shower, laundry and bunk trailers is however that their use extends well beyond disaster-specific utilizations. Outside of disaster relief, Eudora supplies trailers and logistical services for industrial shutdowns, construction projects, camps and they are also involved with training exercises for the military. 

Kennedy has also found business in the oil and gas industry. “In tough drilling sites, crews need a comfortable, convenient place to meet their sanitation needs. Having a portable trailer on site means workers can remain clean and refreshed.

“Anything you can imagine that needs temporary facilities for living is what we do.” 

ROLLING WITH CHANGES

Things have changed over time with expectations for restroom and shower facilities and adjusting to those changes is fairly easy for Eudora with a lot of help from Lang Trailers.

“The people at Lang pay attention and are so involved with their customers to understand their needs to evolve and adapt,” he says. 

Kennedy mentions how the recent COVID pandemic resulted in increased hand-washing stations as the new normal, along with changes in shower trailer builds. “Individual units or individual stalls in shower units are now standard. They really provide flexibility of use for the end user.”

Eudora Logistics has no plans to shy away from Lang Trailers. He hopes opportunities arise for the business to continue to grow and move forward. “They are just so well-built and durable.”