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11-20-2022, 10:49 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: East of Austin, Texas
Trailer: 2021 Escape 5.0 / 2022 F150 SuperCab
Posts: 2,900
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ETI TX facility update
In the October 2022 Q&A (~21:16 time) Karl discusses the status of considerations relating to the possibility of ETI opening a manufacturing facility in Texas.
One aspect of that discussion I found particularly interesting is that ETI is looking at the possibility of having an outside vendor (a subcontractor, in contrast to ETI in-house workforces) fabricate the fiberglass shells in Texas. Perhaps that had been mentioned in the past but that notion was a new revelation to me.
Karl proceeds to touch on the effort relating to developing specifications for a subcontractor to fabricate those components. From my own engineering / procurement experience I can relate to that effort and how that sort of specification differs from how one manages that work when conducted in-house with one's own workforces.
IMO the notion of having trailer shells fabricated by a 3rd party having focused expertise and capabilities in the particular arena of fiberglass fabrication is quite interesting. I can certainly understand how that might offer advantages to both ETI (by way of certain manufacturing efficiencies) and their customers (by way of a 'better' finished product); or, there's the possibility of a less-than-positive outcomes if not managed appropriately.
All of this just one of many factors bearing on ETI's consideration of a second manufacturing (or assembly) facility remote from Chilliwack, and certainly nothing is yet finalized in regard to any of this (there's no apparent timeline and none of this may happen at all).
Not having any vested interest or presuming any particular outcome I just find this all "interesting", perhaps other outside observers do, too.
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11-20-2022, 12:32 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Snohomish, Washington
Trailer: 2017 19 foot sold, 2022 21C
Posts: 652
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Centex
In the October 2022 Q&A (~21:16 time) Karl discusses the status of considerations relating to the possibility of ETI opening a manufacturing facility in Texas.
One aspect of that discussion I found particularly interesting is that ETI is looking at the possibility of having an outside vendor (a subcontractor, in contrast to ETI in-house workforces) fabricate the fiberglass shells in Texas. Perhaps that had been mentioned in the past but that notion was a new revelation to me.
Karl proceeds to touch on the effort relating to developing specifications for a subcontractor to fabricate those components. From my own engineering / procurement experience I can relate to that effort and how that sort of specification differs from how one manages that work when conducted in-house with one's own workforces.
IMO the notion of having trailer shells fabricated by a 3rd party having focused expertise and capabilities in the particular arena of fiberglass fabrication is quite interesting. I can certainly understand how that might offer advantages to both ETI (by way of certain manufacturing efficiencies) and their customers (by way of a 'better' finished product); or, there's the possibility of a less-than-positive outcomes if not managed appropriately.
All of this just one of many factors bearing on ETI's consideration of a second manufacturing (or assembly) facility remote from Chilliwack, and certainly nothing is yet finalized in regard to any of this (there's no apparent timeline and none of this may happen at all).
Not having any vested interest or presuming any particular outcome I just find this all "interesting", perhaps other outside observers do, too.
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I also found his TX update interesting. I still don't think Escape has the financial strength or sales to support two manufacturing plants. They would need to reproduce all the molds which would be extremely expensive and at least a couple years to have them produced and accepted. If they just moved the current molds to TX and still keep some production in BC the transportation costs to have the shells shipped would be expensive because of their size.
If KV plans on keeping Escape I think the long term plan would be to move all production to TX or some other southern state where the cost of manufacturing is a lot less then BC. Might be way off in left field but maybe not
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11-20-2022, 01:05 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Trailer: "Side Effect" 2022 21C
Posts: 1,369
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Soon Escape will be just another Thor Industries brand, like Jayco, being built side by side with the other "stickies" on an assembly line in Indiana.
Having worked for a Private Equity Company owned business it was all about the neutering and repackaging of the brands we compiled to make them more profitable in the short term. It was no longer about the product but simply all about building the brand image. Over 10 years they had just over $60 Million invested. But after the magic show was over they sold it for $175 Million.
Those products are now assembled along side our then competitor's products.
Oh well. At least I can say I have a "real" Escape, not just another brand name from another conglomerate.
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11-20-2022, 03:06 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Fredericksburg, Texas
Trailer: Scamp 19, Tradewinds 24, Escape 5.0
Posts: 106
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My impression was that 5.0s disrupt their production line. I could see moving that to an outside facility to allow them to focus on increasing production of the other trailers.
It looks like an opportunity, at least.
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11-20-2022, 04:57 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Kent, Ohio
Trailer: 2017 21c Sold, 2023 Bigfoot 25RQ
Posts: 1,391
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The question is will the market keep expanding exponentially? I would imagine growth has slowed already. I do think on the ground management has the right idea of looking into repeatable efficiencies of construction. Some sort of premade wiring harness design comes to mind and a shell design to accolade those harnesses. Same thing with plumbing and drains, though it seems they are trying to design more effeciences into the 23, (the unicorn trailer). Had to predict where this will go.
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11-20-2022, 07:07 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 2,718
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For a second mold to be built from down south, I would first start with the 21 shell as it has two floor plans.
They could be having the second mold being built right now by their regular maker…where ever that might be. Ready to ship and have an experienced third party company start popping out shells.
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11-21-2022, 07:30 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Kenedy County, Texas
Trailer: 2019 Escape 21
Posts: 521
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Anyone have any idea what part of TX ETI is looking at? No work force to speak of in my part of deep south TX but we have mucho land that could be made available.
__________________
Putting a smoke detector in my chimney wasn't such a good idea.
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11-21-2022, 08:44 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,543
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WillyB
Soon Escape will be just another Thor Industries brand, like Jayco, being built side by side with the other "stickies" on an assembly line in Indiana.
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In talking with Karl on a few occasions I really doubt they would sell out to Thor, but maybe if the offer was good.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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11-21-2022, 10:40 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Trailer: "Side Effect" 2022 21C
Posts: 1,369
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
In talking with Karl on a few occasions I really doubt they would sell out to Thor, but maybe if the offer was good.
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A Private Equity firms purpose is investing in private businesses, growing them and selling them years later, generating better returns for investors than they can reliably get from public and are looking for a payout even when they say they that's not part of their plans.
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11-21-2022, 10:52 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Western, Wisconsin
Trailer: WTB: E19
Posts: 238
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Esc-ita
Does Rice Tx come to mind when thinking of fiberglass...
Perhaps an ESC-ITA will be born
*****Too bad they weren't looking at a site in Hohenwald, Tennessee***
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11-21-2022, 11:39 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA, Texas
Trailer: 21
Posts: 614
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When I had a conversation with Karl at the Pine knot rally he came to, we talked about this. He told me at the time they were looking at the DFW area here in Texas.
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REMEBER PEEPS WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND and PAYBACK is a #%$&$&
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11-21-2022, 02:32 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Trailer: 2012 E19
Posts: 1,750
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For relatively more affordable labor, they could really save by going all the way... to Mexico.
__________________
Losing weight puts one at much greater risk of becoming thin.
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11-21-2022, 03:58 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA, Texas
Trailer: 21
Posts: 614
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Don’t give them any ideas
__________________
REMEBER PEEPS WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND and PAYBACK is a #%$&$&
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11-21-2022, 04:05 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Colfax, California
Trailer: 2024 Escape 23 on order, 2022 RAM 1500 5.7L Laramie
Posts: 584
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Once ETI started noodling about opening a plant in the US, they pretty much defined the outcome in one of two ways.
1. They do it.
2. They don’t do it, but they keep the ball in the air.
Saying that they have decided to bail on the US plant idea goes against the image of an ever growing enterprise. It also runs the risk of turning away whatever segment of the US market that sees a US built Escape in their future.
Call me doubtful, but I expect to be reading about “maybe Texas” this time next year and beyond.
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11-21-2022, 05:20 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,213
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bborzell
Call me doubtful, but I expect to be reading about “maybe Texas” this time next year and beyond.
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Agree; and the title of this thread infers there is some sort of news- which of course there isn't any.
__________________
"We gotta get as far away as we can!"
- Russell Casse, Independence Day
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11-21-2022, 05:54 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Trailer: "Side Effect" 2022 21C
Posts: 1,369
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If they build the shells in China that can do dual duty as an international shipping company. ))
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11-21-2022, 06:46 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,786
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bborzell
Call me doubtful, but I expect to be reading about “maybe Texas” this time next year and beyond.
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And the E23.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossue
Agree; and the title of this thread infers there is some sort of news- which of course there isn't any.
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But it provides endless speculation and I'm betting also that even in the absence of any substantive information this thread will have legs.
Ron
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11-22-2022, 02:25 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA, Texas
Trailer: 21
Posts: 614
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC
And the E23.
But it provides endless speculation and I'm betting also that even in the absence of any substantive information this thread will have legs.
Ron
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More like an endless conveyor belt
__________________
REMEBER PEEPS WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND and PAYBACK is a #%$&$&
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