Kiefer Built Trailers was founded by Arden Kiefer in 1974 in Kanawha, Iowa. The company began as a welding repair shop named Kiefer welding in 1973, operating from a small building with two portable welders. In 1974, Arden expanded into the livestock trailer market, producing pull-type trailers that quickly gained popularity for their quality and rugged construction. His commitment to customer satisfaction and building a reputable, quality-minded company led to significant growth.

By the mid-1980s, the manufacturing facility had expanded from 2,000 square feet to over 150,000 square feet. In 2002, Kiefer Built opened a plant in Sneedville, Tennessee, focusing primarily on aluminum horse and livestock trailers.

In early 2011, facing challenges from the economic recession that began in late 2008, Kiefer Built temporarily closed its doors. In March 2011, Stellar Industries Inc., based in Garner, Iowa, purchased the assets of Kiefer Built, LLC, reopening both the Kanawha and Sneedville facilities under the name Kiefer Manufacturing Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Stellar Industries.

In late 2015, Stellar Industries decided to close Kiefer Manufacturing, Inc. The Greene family from Sneedville, Tennessee, who had been dealers for Kiefer trailers since the Sneedville plant opened in 2002 and had been in the trailer business since 1986, purchased the Sneedville facility and all Kiefer operations. The company was then rebranded as Kiefer Mfg & Sales, LLC, operating out of Sneedville, Tennessee, under the leadership of David Greene Jr.

In 2024, The Smith Family from Knoxville, Tennessee, acquired Kiefer Mfg & Sales LLC, and relaunched as KieferBilt Trailers. The Smith family known for their involvement in various family-owned businesses, particularly in real estate, construction and farming sectors, emphasizing quality craftsmanship and community development. Through these ventures, the Smith family has made significant contributions to the business landscape, while keeping family first values.

Since its inception, Kiefer has produced over 70,000 trailers, with product lines including aluminum livestock trailers, aluminum horse trailers, cargo trailers, and utility trailers. Their products are marked through a network of dealers across the United States and Canada, with some trailers even reaching international markets such as Belgium, Finland, Spain, Germany, Puerto Rico, Chili, and Japan. Kiefer trailers are well-respected for their features, dependability, and quality, offering a range of sizes from two-horse bumper-pull trailers to eight-horse slant-load models, and cargo and livestock trailers ranging from 8 to 30 feet in length.