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Featherlite trailer factory tour, robot welders, mobile ER's and NASCAR
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Six horse trailer
Featherlite can pump out thousands of trailers a year, from horse trailers, cargo trailers, car haulers, NASCAR race trailers, specialty semi trailers, helicopter pads and portable emergency rooms for events like Katrina. Featherlite was the first aluminum specialty trailer born in 1973 when I was sophomore in high school. It will surprise you just how dominate Featherlite is in big event trailers.
I traveled North of John Deere to Cresco Iowa, in the middle of corn country to see one of the most efficient trailer factories. Everything is streamlined, coordinated and innovative with employees that have stayed with the company for decades. Complex and professional manufacturing, helps with uniformity, trailers built by the same workers for 10-20 and beyond years. Small town values with work ethic. Driving past the corn fields, out of the small town of Cresco, you see world class manufacturing that reminds me of Detroit and the big 3 auto makers computer based efficient plants. I've toured many truck plants with their robot welders and sophisticated assembly lines, Featherlite is the most impressive trailer factory I've toured. Smooth flowing professional production is the best way I can describe it.
Randy Lewis gave me the tour and history lesson of Featherlite from it's creation in Oklahoma to the move to Iowa and now Featherlite is a division of UTC. Being a valuable part of a larger corporation, adds stability in tough economic times. Featherlite’s parent, Universal Trailer, is the largest trailer company in America. Featherlite is the oldest aluminum trailer manufacturer in the nation.
Trailer manufacturing starts at the bottom. Featherlite smoothly blend axle sub-frame and aluminum floor frame. This is engineering, every piece has a purpose that connects like fine woodwork. Most trailer companies add axle frames to the floor so they stand out separately. Featherlite axle frames have the same floor I-beams inside and out in a streamlined axle trolley with aluminum stringers in the axle trolley. Featherlite started the trend in1985 with torsion axles, ahead of the crowd. Better ride than leaf springs and safer.
Exclusive robot welders; it's fun to watch, like a Terminator movie. Lights flashing, sparks flying, a robot arm that spins all around the gooseneck frame. Welding the fitted metal in it's own jig platform, it's fast and again, the theme is efficiency. For robots to work, tight tolerances for proper fit are the norm with 1/100 of inch tolerance for the robot to weld the gooseneck. An accurate metal saw fits the gooseneck pieces. Cutting with CNC, plasma cutting machines make holes with precession making it easier to repair when parts fit, big difference when you change lights, having a nice smooth hole that fits as well as doors and windows.
Variety of trailer types give Featherlite dealers more options. So many new options and features makes the slogan "Ahead of the Curve" fit well, which is the theme of having Featherlite trailers that fit you, your horses, your business and your hobbies. What I don't hear much about in the trailer business is parts and service. It's a big part of the auto business. When you have a dealer network the size of Featherlite, parts and service is important for healthy business and customer relations. Featherlite also has a fleet of delivery trucks and trolley doubles to keep their dealers supplied.
Featherlite has pioneered innovative new manufacturing techniques in the trailer industry. Not your typical plant, parts come to the assembly line, all tools have a specific place, welders are overhead. Several lines of trailers come through the plants side by side. Dedicated interiors building keeps the specialty trailers rolling out. Designers and engineers make the magic with art and science. This is reflected in the awesome graphics and refined look of Featherlite trailers. Look at the Medalist horse trailer to see trailer beauty. The current build is 40% horse trailers, 25% stock trailers, cargo, specialty and auto make up the balance.
Featherlite is as close to auto manufacturing as you can get. It's a lesson in engineering, efficiency and practical design. Starting the aluminum trailer craze, Featherlite leading the way as we see more companies switch to aluminum. It's nice to see the vision become the trend. Efficient manufacturing, no waste, built more like trucks with strength, built to be light for easy pulling and less fuel.
For more info visit: http://www.fthr.com/
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