Strategic Partner

[Donna D.]

I spoke to Reace in August when I was at the factory about what I wanted in a trailer. Comfortable seating! I told him about the Bigfoot Silver Cloud and it has an actual living room. But I further wanted it built with unobtainium metal and wood, because the Silver Cloud is too dang heavy. It's not the larger size that's my concern, it's the weight. I don't care to tow anything that requires a one-ton truck.

Being the polite guy he is, he actually listened to what I was saying....

Jim, the Silver Cloud has front twin beds! AND a dry bath.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Jim, the Silver Cloud has front twin beds! AND a dry bath.

While this is a very impressive trailer in it's own right, it is not towable with an 1/2 ton being a bit too big and heavy, and almost impossible to find.

A lighter Escape version of the Bigfoot 25 rear twin would not be too bad.

[Chris & Patricia]

The other thing that I noticed is that the company also changed its name to Escape Trailer Industries LP and realized something was up and then when the calendar arrived with the comment about taking on a strategic partner partner realized that these guys had bought in some outside financing to either free up some cash for Tammy and Reace towards a well earned retirement exit plan or maybe as part of the financing for their expansion of their premises or a combination of both.

They went from a one building operation three years ago to a three building operation and probably have more than doubled their production in a relatively short space of time. This sort of thing does take it out of small business owners and although they have the ideas, may not necessarily have the business skills to run an operation that's probably now close to C$20 million a year in turnover. In those situations, it makes sense to bring in someone that can manage the business and still produce good quality products with a loyal following rather than let a good business flounder. Good for them in realizing that and pave a way forward rather than go the other way.

[EdColorado]

My ouija board is saying that at the May Customer Appreciation Rally, Tammy and Rease will make their final bow and the new boss will be introduced.
That leaves sufficient time for an orderly transition from old to new.

[cpaharley2008]

I'm thinking they may still be involved, both are too young for retirement and I'm sure there is a covenant not to compete, so outside ventures would be limited.

[EdColorado]

Either way, if I were on the fense about buying an Escape, I would get the contract signed now.

Prices have nowhere to go but up and as others have speculated, customization is likely to go down.

Ed

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by EdColorado

Either way, if I were on the fense about buying an Escape, I would get the contract signed now.

Prices have nowhere to go but up and as others have speculated, customization is likely to go down.

Ed

Wish I were ready to buy now but can't swing it financially at this time. I really do hope this news means good things for Escape, and I also hope they don't raise prices too much and price themselves out of their market, much like Hi-Lo did (my former trailer). Hi-Lo had been around for 50 years before folding in 2010. Of course, the US economic downturn didn't help any!

[h2owmn]

edcolorado, if you are correct, i am glad that the new partner will see the value of the devoted following at the gathering. unless he/she makes him/herself scarce i hope they are prepared for an earful of stories of more than satisfied customers.

that said, i am very glad i got my 17 when i did, exactly the way i wanted it. i'm a happy camper.

[cpaharley2008]

I remember when Tammy and Reace talked about the early days at one of the rallies, they were struggling and eating spaghetti with ketchup back then.

[Jim Bennett]

The speculation here is as interesting as the topic.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I remember when Tammy and Reace talked about the early days at one of the rallies, they were struggling and eating spaghetti with ketchup back then.

Hey Jim,
My mom told me that during the depression people would go into a diner and order a pine float. The kindly waitress would bring them a cup of hot water and a toothpick. They stirred in ketchup that was setting in front of them at the counter and dropped the toothpick in the mixture. Pine float.
Those people had it truly tough and were America’s greatest generation. Sadly most are gone now. What are you hoping Sandy Claws brings you for being a good boy?
Iowa Dave

[cpaharley2008]

Here is hoping the next 5 months fly by.....

[steve dunham]

In my younger days I often ate ketchup soup & wiener water soup and not by choice
As far as ETI , I don’t have a dog in that fight and I have no stake in the outcome.
Businesses open , close , change ownership / management everyday , still life goes on

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Hey Jim,
My mom told me that during the depression people would go into a diner and order a pine float. The kindly waitress would bring them a cup of hot water and a toothpick. They stirred in ketchup that was setting in front of them at the counter and dropped the toothpick in the mixture. Pine float.
Those people had it truly tough and were America’s greatest generation. Sadly most are gone now. What are you hoping Sandy Claws brings you for being a good boy?
Iowa Dave

Hi: Iowa Dave... I thought everybody knows "There is no Sanity Clause"!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[NuthatchBC]

Well, it was good while it lasted. I wondered if something like this would happen. You can't be in business, particularly a very good business, today without somebody wanting a piece of the action. You can sugar coat it all you want but things are going to change and, I fear, not always for the better. You can bet that this management firm is all about profit and we all know where "customer service" is these days. This new outfit is out to make money, full stop. The days of telling them what you want in a trailer, phoning them for help solving a problem, and, dare I say it, the Customer Appreciation Rally are soon going to be things of the past. If it doesn't make money, it ain't going to happen. Sounds like ETI has been afflicted with the MBA disease.

Although I'm not happy about this change, I don't blame Tammy and Reace for doing this. Running a business is difficult but running it the way they did, i.e. putting their customers first, takes a lot out of you. I wish Tammy and Reace all the best for their futures. We are sooooo very glad we got our 19 when we did.

Doug

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by NuthatchBC

Well, it was good while it lasted. I wondered if something like this would happen. You can't be in business, particularly a very good business, today without somebody wanting a piece of the action. You can sugar coat it all you want but things are going to change and, I fear, not always for the better. You can bet that this management firm is all about profit and we all know where "customer service" is these days. This new outfit is out to make money, full stop. The days of telling them what you want in a trailer, phoning them for help solving a problem, and, dare I say it, the Customer Appreciation Rally are soon going to be things of the past. If it doesn't make money, it ain't going to happen. Sounds like ETI has been afflicted with the MBA disease.

Although I'm not happy about this change, I don't blame Tammy and Reace for doing this. Running a business is difficult but running it the way they did, i.e. putting their customers first, takes a lot out of you. I wish Tammy and Reace all the best for their futures. We are sooooo very glad we got our 19 when we did.

Doug

Hi: NuthatchBC... Sums up my feelings too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[gbaglo]

And, I foresee a time when climate change will force legislators to pass laws banning sales of RVs and that there will be no forests, so no Forest Service sites and the rising cost of barley will effectively stop the production of beer.

I'm not certain exactly when ETI sold but deal was finalized about five months ago. Northern Lite was purchased well before that and continues to produce a five-star four-season truck camper.

Nobody calls me "Sunshine" but, I don't see the clouds that some here do.

[cpaharley2008]

It is interesting to see this progression with Escape. I always thought that they should offer stock to the company with purchase of their trailer. That is the way I acquired my Harley Davidson stock. That way they could raise capital and the stockholders would benefit from its growth. But rather than internally raising capital , they gave up some control to an outside investor, basically a REIT as we call it, Real Estate Investment Trust that has money available to obtain a return.. The ad is from a headhunters organization which means a tidy premium and also indicate that the REIT does not have an internal knowledge of rv's other than via investment. The president would work with Tammy the sales and Reace the production managers to insure that budgets and sales goals are on track. Having myself worked with Fortune 500 companies and their books and records anyone with a MBA could qualify, but having that extra Reace knowledge would require someone who is familiar with rving and camping and how to build a better camper, something a head hunter company will not find via normal channels. I would hope that some personnel from the REIT attends the rally and tastes the kool aid we all have done. Perhaps a committee of owners could be an advisory panel to help in the future as well as insure that an owner would benefit from some proposed changes. Something I hope to see in the future, either here on the forum or elsewhere.

[Donna D.]

Today I'm going to feel the sunshine and look at pictures of puppies. Right now, everything is just opinions and speculation. ETI isn't falling off a cliff and neither will prospective buyers OR current trailer owners. I don't see the new strategic partners as money grubbers either. I do 'see' an increase in production and perhaps a different/increase pipeline for buyers in the works. Who knows what 'options' will no longer be offered? The shadow knows....

Since ETI still has the molds for the 13' and the 15' perhaps, just perhaps, these might go back into production.

None of us know anything until we're told.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by NuthatchBC

The days of telling them what you want in a trailer, phoning them for help solving a problem, and, dare I say it, the Customer Appreciation Rally are soon going to be things of the past. If it doesn't make money, it ain't going to happen.

These are the things that contributed to the success of ETI, so you just blew your own argument.