ETI's strange build process

[Oldtimer]

Escape needs to rethink expanding production for the sake of quality and delivering to customers until such a time they have proper staff on hand to be able to ramp up production. They must start concentrating on greatly improving customer service and response. They are going the way of greed instead of respecting their customers. This is just my opinion. I spent years in retail and if you don’t take of customer you will eventually end up closing down. Seen it happen many a time.


David

[diannelgraham]

Staffing issues could be a number of different things. I’m sure they had staff on board and trained before they starting pulling in people’s completion dates. Covid as we all know out of control again and they may have lost production people that have tested positive.The supply chain is still a major roadblock which most likely is also hampering their ability to build and ship on time. Myself I would rather my completion date got moved out instead of being rushed through their build process.

[Escapist]

On Sept 8th I stopped off at Escape Industries, not knowing visits remain "by appointment". A sink shelf bracket had broken and I wanted to replace some LED light domes on my 2018 Escape 19 with the type they are now using with replaceable LED pucks. Thankfully we got our parts - the former parts area is now offices and a meeting rooms. They have an Escape 17, 19 and 2 - 21's on display.

We noticed what appeared to be completed units behind the fencing, more interesting was that the employee lot to the left of the driveway had few empty spaces and the few spaces along the driveway were all taken by staff vehicles.

[Iowa Dave]

When I needed heavy work done, I looked to men and women with a sturdy build a willingness to work and the bigger their legs the better. I didn’t need top end people and an excess of bosses. I listened to the labor for ideas. If they expressed a desire to better themselves I catalogued that and did what I could to advance their standing. I lost a lot of people to other city departments when better jobs came open and though it weighed on our production, I wrote many of them letters of recommendation. It was strangely satisfying to get a call from another department head who would tell me one of my former people was the best worker in his crew. I don’t think people have changed but I’m not familiar with modern management methods. I’m old now, what do I know?
Iowa Dave

[davidmurphy02]

I think that all the supply chain disruptions are actually increasing and feeding on each other and having an effect on just about everything that is manufactured or sold now. Yesterday I went to the PPG paint store to get some paint mixed for a job and their warehouse racks, usually stacked to the ceiling with paint cans, were half empty. They said their manufacturing plant can't get all the chemicals they need to make paint and they had orders from builders piling up.

Then I stopped by a retail store, World Market, that has some imported Christmas cookies Mary loves. It's kind of early for Christmas stuff but they seem to put it out earlier each year so I figured I'd check, we're leaving soon on a two month trip and those cookies will be gone by the time we get home. Not only did they have no Christmas stuff yet, but their shelves in the food section of the store were half empty - they actually had chairs and end tables displayed in some of them to hide the emptiness. Normally they are crammed with all kinds of little goodies from around the world....now sitting on cargo ships backed up at ports waiting to be unloaded.

I suspect that the shortages and suppy chain woes with all sorts of parts and components are hitting Escape even harder than we suspect. Doesn't look like it will smooth out any time soon, either.

[Centex]

Methinks you are correct, David.

For already a month I've been on the 'notify when available' list for a 250A Class-T fuse with several IMO reputable vendors. I can find them on E-Bay claiming "in stock" but will not risk a substandard 'knock off' or counterfeit for this critical item.

There's a similar situation for certain AC breakers and countless other things 'normally' stocked at Lowes / Home Depot.

I waited ~5 weeks for restock of the solar panels I wanted for my trailer project; no retailer had them then suddenly everyone did. It was 'interesting' to see some retailers jack-up the price, others not so much.

For a lot of items it's a matter of 'catch-as-catch-can' when some quantity does make it through the supply chain - one has to stay on top of it to find 'joy' in these days of erratic inventories, and that's not always easy.

[Craiger]

Business prior to the epidemic was running a tight just-in-time supply philosophy. In an effort to decrease the cost of holding goods by the manufacturer. Look at the change that escape has made involving the build sheets, they're pushing out their timeframe to know exactly what they need to order, months in advance. All the car manufacturers are parking cars that are incomplete at the manufacturing facilities. We all know the reason a lack of chips, it's the supply chain issues. From what I've read in business magazines they do not believe that the supply chain issues will be solved for anywhere from 12 to 18 months. There is a worldwide shortage of shipping containers, I've read articles about Chinese companies having to store product for 60 to 90 days before they can get shipping containers to fulfill their orders, and ship overseas. Presently there is about a 20 day delay in getting ships into the LA Harbor, the reason is a combination of shortage of workers, the inability to load enough containers on either trucks or rail again personnel logistics equipment just the perfect storm.

[Mike G]

It's tougher than ever to run a business these days. Workers hiring on, workers not showing up for shifts, workers abruptly leaving, manufacturers ship late, LTL delivers late, and on and on. A company can plan and do their best, but some of it falls onto hoping that it all goes the way it should... and it rarely does, but they never know which thing won't go as it should until it doesn't. I don't fault ETI, I'm sure they are doing what they know to do as well as they are able. Armchair quarterbacking is always superior, of course, and worth every penny they earn.


We are waiting for a new gas range we ordered for the house, going on a month and a half now. It just came in, yay! It's just the way the supply chain is now, for we as a society are being retrained to expect less; they have to tear it all apart before they can Build Back Better.

[Iowa Dave]

For all of us older folks, I understand the feeling I’m not understanding. We spent hard earned money when the minimum wage was $1.25 or less so we could go to school dressed decently and have a hot lunch. Then some of us spent that money in a college education and Economics was a required course. If you got anything out of that course it was the “law”
Of supply and demand. Guess what, the law is now off the books and you should have either taken a gardening and gathering course or spent more money on Coors. That’s how Iowa Dave sees it.
I’m glad I just quarterback from my leather chair now and don’t add to the GNP.
Iowa Dave

[cpaharley2008]

I remember gas @ ,28/gallon in high school in 60's.........

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I remember gas @ ,28/gallon in high school in 60's.........

About 1/3 to 1/4 of the minimum wage for an hour... just like now.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Mike G

We are waiting for a new gas range we ordered for the house, going on a month and a half now.

We purchased a Samsung electric range. Took three tries and two months for the seller to deliver one that wasn't damaged.

[diannelgraham]

Me I ordered lazy boy furniture 7 months later I just received them last week.

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

We purchased a Samsung electric range. Took three tries and two months for the seller to deliver one that wasn't damaged.

Well, that was a prescient comment. They called this morning and said the range's frame was bent; a forklift got it.
Supposedly they're now readily available from Amana, so we have a new tentative installation scheduled for next Monday. I hope we make out better than you did!

[ghampshi]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

Given the latest threads on ETI and their business practices, I have to comment on how they build trailers now that mine is in sequence.

My GCD is 10/25/21.

I know nothing of manufacturing, but my date was 10/22/21 for pick-up (5.0), but just got an email wont be ready until 11/15/21

[bborzell]

[QUOTE=ghampshi;396264]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

Given the latest threads on ETI and their business practices, I have to comment on how they build trailers now that mine is in sequence.


My GCD is 10/25/21.

I know nothing of manufacturing, but my date was 10/22/21 for pick-up (5.0), but just got an email wont be ready until 11/15/21

We were 10/29 and now it’s 11/17 (21C).

I think that they stopped using the G in GCD.

[JeffreyG]

Wow, sounds like a ton of builds just blew past the GCD. For the record, I've not heard anything on mine and so it's still slated for 10/25 or so.

[Cuppa-Jo]

Originally Posted by bborzell

Consider yourself fortunate. Our “Guaranteed Completion Date” has been moved from 10/29 to 11/17.

My first completion date was Feb 2022 which was moved into an earlier completion date of October 15 2021 then recently moved to a later date of November 3 2021. I have no photos of my 5.0 in build and personally think that production has to do with supply chain. All manner of building products here in Washington State are backed up due to supply. Contractors don’t have parts, wood, plumbing parts, appliances… the Toyota dealership here has a limited inventory too. I bought mine from a private sale. All of that said; “ what photos” of my build? I’d guess I’ll have to wait and see? Anyone want to chime in about when they’re notified of photos before pick up date? Thanks

[bborzell]

Originally Posted by Cuppa-Jo

My first completion date was Feb 2022 which was moved into an earlier completion date of October 15 2021 then recently moved to a later date of November 3 2021. I have no photos of my 5.0 in build and personally think that production has to do with supply chain. All manner of building products here in Washington State are backed up due to supply. Contractors don’t have parts, wood, plumbing parts, appliances… the Toyota dealership here has a limited inventory too. I bought mine from a private sale. All of that said; “ what photos” of my build? I’d guess I’ll have to wait and see? Anyone want to chime in about when they’re notified of photos before pick up date? Thanks

Who knows what the main problem is? My email from ETI cited “compounded staffing challenges”.

[jediwhale]

I received photos daily from 8/25 to 9/1 - nothing since then. On 9/1 it was nowhere near complete. Meanwhile, I'm soon to head out for a 9/23 pickup appointment at the factory. Apparently some are still receiving photos and others are not. Fingers crossed that there's a completed product when I arrive for pickup!