Pulltarps Manufacturing started in a San Diego shop with one product and one good idea. Thirty-five years later we’re still here — same headquarters, same focus on the trucks that move the country.
Founded in San Diego, CA
Authorized installers across N. America
System families fit virtually any truck
Designed & assembled in the USA
Pulltarps Manufacturing was founded by Lynn Chenowth in September 1990, with one goal: build a better tarp system for the dump truck. At the time, most tarps were hand-pulled, slow to operate, and rough on users who had to climb up on a loaded bed to cover it.
Lynn’s original spring-assisted design fixed that. It deployed quickly, retracted cleanly, and kept an operator on the ground. It was safer, faster, and reliable enough to withstand daily usage on a work truck or trailer. That design philosophy still drives the product line today.
What started with a single product evolved into three system types: Automatic, Semi-Automatic, and EZ-Fit. They cover everything from landscaping trailers to articulated dump trucks. We manufacture most Pulltarps® products at our facility in El Cajon, California, with many of our components sourced from American vendors.
Pulltarps Manufacturing · El Cajon, CA
Lots of companies sell tarp systems. A few things make ours different — and worth a longer look.
Domestic Manufacturing
Designed, machined, and assembled in El Cajon, with U.S.-sourced motors, hardware, and tarp materials. No long lead-time imports. Parts are in stock and ship the same day.
Customizable, Not Compromised
Bed lengths, mounting positions, tarp materials, motor sizing — every system is built to spec for the actual truck it goes on. Off-the-shelf systems exist, but we don’t pretend one size fits all.
35+ Years In One Industry
Tarp systems for commercial trucks is our entire business. The people answering the phone are well versed in every aspect of our systems and our installer network has been growing for three decades.
Installer Network
Authorized installers across North America handle installation, parts, and warranty work — so a downed system gets back on the road locally, not shipped across the country.
Operator Safety
Automatic systems allow users to operate from the cab instead of from the ground or by climbing. Benefits include lowering injury risks, faster cycle times, and full DOT compliance every load.
Backed By Roll-Rite & Clarience
Pulltarps is part of Roll-Rite and Clarience Technologies — a group of commercial-vehicle brands with shared engineering, parts inventory, and decades of trucking expertise.
A short version of how we got here.
September 1990
Started in San Diego with the original spring-assisted Pulltarps system for dump trucks.
Late 1990s
The first fully-electric automatic line lets drivers cover and uncover loads with a cab switch — no climbing.
2010s
EZ-Fit Systems expand the catalog into landscape trailers, work trucks, and dump trucks broadening the customer base.
2024
As part of Roll·Rite, Pulltarps joined the Clarience Technologies family of commercial-vehicle brands, expanding service reach and shared engineering resources.
Today
Automatic, Semi-Automatic, and EZ-Fit cover virtually every commercial hauler, backed by a Nationwide network of installers and the same El Cajon manufacturing facility.
Experience the renowned Pulltarps durability, service, and expertise in El Cajon as always, while reaping the benefits of our shared engineering depth across cable, arm, and electric tarp technologies, and a parts inventory backed by a much larger network.
What That Means For You
R&D is shared across the group, so when a field problem is solved once, those fixes are applied to those specific products.
Get professional installation, parts, and warranty support through our nationwide network of authorized Pulltarps service centers.
Pulltarps still operates as Pulltarps. Same El Cajon facility, same team, same product focus we’ve had since 1990.
The rest of the about section — what we can build, who’s on the team, where we hire, and what we stand behind.
Our People
The people who answer your call, build your system, and stand behind it.
Manufacturing
In-house fabrication, custom engineering, and the production capacity behind every order.
Join Us
Manufacturing, engineering, sales, and service roles — most in El Cajon, some remote.
Standards
Industry groups and trade associations we belong to and contribute to.
Our Guarantee
Every Pulltarps system is backed by a 1-year parts warranty, and a 5-year motor warranty.
Common questions about the company, our products, and who’s behind them.
Pulltarps systems are designed and assembled at our facility in El Cajon, California, with U.S.-sourced motors, hardware, and tarp materials. Our sister brand Roll-Rite manufactures cable systems in Gladwin, Michigan. Both have been doing this for decades.
Pulltarps Manufacturing is a brand of Roll Rite, LLC, which is part of Clarience Technologies — a Michigan-based group of more than 20 commercial-vehicle brands. We were founded independently in 1990 by Lynn Chenowth and joined the Clarience family in 2021.
Since September 1990. Pulltarps has built dump-truck tarp systems for 35+ years from the same El Cajon, California headquarters. The product line has grown from one spring-assisted system to three full families covering virtually every commercial truck class.
Yes. Every system is built to spec for the truck it goes on — bed length, mounting position, motor sizing, and tarp material are all configured per order. For unusual configurations, our engineering team in El Cajon will spec a one-off. Call 1-800-368-3075 with your truck details.
Most of our 500+ authorized installers have systems on display or recently-installed trucks on-site. Use the installer locator to find one near you, or call the sales line and we’ll suggest a local shop. Showroom visits at the El Cajon facility are available by appointment.
35+ years of experience picking up the phone. Mon–Fri, 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM PT.
